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A look at the top player in the Women’s World Cup

Anne M. Peterson Associated Press

EDMONTON, Alberta – Now that Alex Morgan has had a start, look to see more of her at the Women’s World Cup.

Morgan is one of the most visible players on the U.S. national team, with endorsement deals with Nike, ChapStick and Nationwide Insurance.

But Morgan came in as a sub in the U.S. team’s first two matches in Canada while she returned from a bone bruise in her left knee. She made her first World Cup start in the final group stage match, a 1-0 victory over Nigeria.

Now that Morgan appears to be back and healthy, she’ll be a player to watch for the second-ranked United States team, which plays No. 28 Colombia to open the knockout stage Monday in Edmonton. The speedy 25-year-old, appearing in her second World Cup, has 51 goals in 84 international appearances.

Here are some of the other players to watch at the World Cup:

MARTA, BRAZIL: A forward, Marta Vieira da Silva is arguably one of the best women to play the game. She scored on a penalty kick against South Korea in the group stage, becoming the all-time leading scorer in the Women’s World Cup with 15 goals.

This is Marta’s fourth World Cup. The 29-year-old was named FIFA player of the year an unprecedented five straight years from 2006-10.

Brazil, ranked seventh in the world, won all three of its group stage matches and advances to face No. 10 Australia on Sunday in Moncton, New Brunswick.

CHRISTINE SINCLAIR, CANADA: The captain of the Canadian team, Sinclair is the national team’s all-time leading scorer with 154 goals.

Sinclair is well known in the United States, too: She played on two NCAA championship teams for the University of Portland.

Canada, ranked eighth in the world, finished atop its group and will face No. 19 Switzerland on Sunday in Vancouver.

HOMARE SAWA, JAPAN: The 36-year-old midfielder is probably best known for her goal in the 2011 World Cup final against the United States.

Sawa was named the 2011 FIFA player of the year, ending Marta’s five-year reign.

Japan, ranked fourth, won all of its group stage matches and will play the Netherlands, ranked 12th, in the round of 16 on Tuesday in Vancouver.

EUGENIE LE SOMMER, France: A versatile 26-year-old striker, Le Sommer already has three goals at the World Cup.

But it was her first, a 25-yard soaring strike into the right corner of the goal, that gave third-ranked France a 1-0 victory over England in the group stage opener.

France advanced to the elimination round and will play South Korea in the round of 16 in Montreal on Sunday.

NADINE ANGERER, Germany: The goalkeeper says she’ll retire later this year, but first she wants to lead her country to its third World Cup championship.

In 2013, Angerer became the first goalkeeper to win FIFA player of the year honors.

Angerer plays Sweden in the knockout round today in Ottawa.