Germany kicked off its World Cup campaign on Monday with the same objective as always: to win it all. Germany, a two-time champion that has never failed to reach at least the quarterfinals, drew a favorable group and began its tournament with a 6-0 romp past Morocco. So even though it has a good chance to reach the final eight again, Germany has set its sights much higher.
Another top competitor taking the field is Brazil, a team better known for one player, Marta, than the overall strength of its roster. However, with Pia Sundhage, the former United States coach, at the helm, Brazil could be a tougher out than usual.