Follow the 2019 Women’s World Cup final from 3pm on the Sky Sports app and skysports.com; Kick-off at 4pm
Sunday 7 July 2019 15:06, UK
The USA can become only the second nation in history to defend the Women's World Cup in Sunday's final against the Netherlands.
The Dutch stand between the holders and history in Lyon, with the USA looking to deliver a record fourth World Cup title four years on from their third triumph in Canada.
The last side to retain the Women's World Cup was Germany in 2009, and form suggests they will do just that after extending their unbeaten run in the competition to 16 games - 11 of which they have won - with victory over England in the semi-finals.
However, USA head coach Jill Ellis is under no illusions of the threat posed by Holland, who won the European Championships on home soil in 2017.
"The Netherlands are a tremendous team, they're European champions, they've got a lot of talented players and a coach who knows what she's doing," she said.
"They move the ball very well, they're very disciplined in what they do, so I expect it to be a very good match."
The US are undoubted favourites to lift the trophy for a fourth time in Lyon, but Dutch head coach Sarina Wiegman maintains her team can cause an upset and are planning to spring a surprise.
"We will need to stay focused and be sharp during the entire game," she said. "We have to perform even better than we have done so far.
"We want to surprise the United States. They have a very strong team, loads of qualities and skills but they have struggled as well.
"The expectations are different now. They are the favourite and we are the underdog and we are fine with that."
USA striker Alex Morgan could leave Lyon with two medals around her neck. Morgan has scored six goals in France - joint-level with England striker Ellen White - but has one game remaining and will secure the Golden Boot if she finds the back of the net.
Morgan's six goals at the World Cup have come from just eight shots on target - the last USA player to score more in a single tournament was Michelle Akers in 1991, who scored 10 goals.
US co-captain Megan Rapinoe does not believe "many, if any" of the squad would accept an invitation to visit the White House after the World Cup final.
President of the United States Donald Trump wrote on Twitter that he would be "inviting the TEAM, win or lose".
Rapinoe fronted a pre-match media conference and ahead of Sunday's final and was asked if the team were planning to accept the invitation.
"I don't know," she replied. "I haven't spoken to everyone about it. Not myself, not Ali Krieger and I suspect not many, if any, of the other players, but I haven't spoken to everyone about it."
Rapinoe is expected to be fit for the final after missing the semi-final victory over England with a hamstring strain.
The midfielder has been left less than impressed by Sunday's showpeice match at Stade de Lyon being played on the same day as both the Copa America final and the US men's team's CONCACAF Gold Cup final against Mexico in Chicago.
"It is terrible scheduling for everyone. As people who work in football, play in football, that is a terrible idea to put everything on the same day," she said.
"Obviously there are two other finals going on but this is the World Cup final - this is like, cancel everything day. I don't know how it happened, I read somewhere that they said they just didn't think about it - that's a bit of a problem."
