First off, I congratulate you, The Stars and Stripes
You honestly were ready!!!!
Every single game you played starting with the very famous 13-0 hammering of Chaba Kaew!
All the way to the final where you persisted on against the Leeuwinnen
Great job!
If you must know, these wonderful ladies were defending their title
That they won back in 2015 in Vancouver!
Personally, I loved this World Cup much more than the men’s World Cup
Because I felt that there was so much more growth from what we have heard
And also, you ladies played with so much more passion than the men
Truthfully!!! This goes to all the players and countries….
You made my June and July worth the time and wait
The two nations that I supported lost out…one at the group-level
That is, the “Reggae Girlz” and the “Leeuwinnen” at the very end or final
The Reggae Girlz was at the World Cup, FOR THEIR VERY FIRST TIME!
The ladies in Orange were at their SECOND WORLD CUP!
Can you believe it?
If there is anything that this World Cup did,
It was to open up my eyes to the inequality and discrimination that exists in sports
Just imagine what many of the women, we got to watch play the tournament, go through in their home countries
For speaking out against this bad treatment or wanting to advance their careers in football
By that, I am speaking about what women and girls go through in Iran, what players in Argentina go through to get playing time on the field, what the winners of the women’s World Cup get to win as prize money, the advertising done for the women’s World Cup, the “mix-ups” in match-day schedules all over the world made by FIFA, blunt ant refusal to fund national women’s teams by their federations, the women who were deliberately dropped from the teams and doubted because of their identities, criticizing of players’ celebrations on the fields, for those that get paid….the huge pay gap, the intentional minimal involvement of women in football’s governing bodies, sexual harassment, patriarchy and it’s cousins….so infuriating!
I learned too….about how people like Cedella Marley are working to improve the game do what FIFA is shamelessly supposed to be doing
And how so many parents of the players came to watch their girls play
Also, how some players were left heartbroken having gotten injuries that would have them miss out on the World Cup
And how so many more people today are watching the women’s World Cup than they ever did in the past.
Just look at some of these goals….LOOK!!!!
My best game over all was the one of The Yanks against La Albiceleste
That wonder strike….how did she even do that?
The celebrations and “arrogance” by team USA!
Actual sportswoman ship and less misguided adrenaline….
The much-awaited meetings between rivals
The surprises and upsets that I didn’t expect
The respective forms of protest witnessed from the players and playing nations….about everything beginning with the use of the VAR aka Video Assistant Referee to the regulations set out for the tournament!
The “Orange Heart” made by the Leeuwinnen
The tactical arrangements and strategies made
The outrage at racism displayed by some of the officials at the World Cup
The number of cards dished out at the World Cup
The first-ever FIFA Football Conference aimed at analysing the World Cup
More professionalism in women’s football leagues all over the world
This edition of the World Cup is the 8th in history
The stories of match officials serving their nations elsewhere
Being better and bigger….
The DARE TO SHINE!