There should be no “Women” in Soccer !

In 2015 I posted  this just after the incredible win by the USA Women’s Team in Canada. The opening games so far in France have been a tremendous success. Over 9m French viewers tuned in to see their team defeat Korea 4-0. Equally impressive were the 6m that watched the “auld enemies” England and Scotland kick off their campaign. (With a nice hard fought 2-1 England win) . These sort of numbers were unheard of 4 years ago and France 2019 is going to take Womens Soccer to a new level of support , exposure and International acceptance.The USA start their defense of the Cup shortly and things are only going to get more exciting !

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There should be no “Women” in Soccer ! (July 2015)

Because the World Cup Final played on Sunday July 5th in Vancouver was not a condescending  “aahh ..How nice the girl’s get to play” match. It just might have been the savior of a sport , the press are portraying as: mired in controversy; full of financial shenanigans and with a credibility lower than a Greek Banker.

Firstly , for the soccer dinosaurs out there, let’s destroy the myth that this was “just” a Women’s World Cup Final.

• Tell me the first 15 minutes were not as exciting as any we have seen in years.
• Tell me Carli Lloyd’s 50 yard goal was not as good as any witnessed recently.
• Tell me the exquisite “execution” of Holiday’s volley was not soccer perfection.
• Tell me the tackling,ferocity,and commitment of both teams lacked anything.
• When they got knocked down…they got back up again (quickly!)
• When they got “cut” they were patched up and came back on.
• When they were inconsolable their teammates (and country) picked them up.

If you did not watch this World Cup Tournament you missed out on games full of excitement,entertainment,honesty (sure there were a few dives here and there!) with a freshness, intensity and dare i say it “purity” that seems to be slipping away in the modern game.

This was soccer at its best ..not “Women’s” Soccer..just Soccer (or futbol,football if that’s your preference)

The legacy of this tournament is not about “girl power” or “entitlement”: no, the true legacy is one of recognizing the tremendous technical skill,lung-busting fitness,tactical smarts and a relentless commitment to the only cause that mattered: winning the World Cup.

These players did the soccer world proud and as a tournament it now stands alongside Brazil 2014 and all other major tournaments to follow.

Gary