Will the US be able to win three World Championships in a row? Photo: Getty Images/Alex Grimm
When Steph Houghton took a penalty in the England semi-final in Lyon four years ago, she was 12 yards away from hammering the United States' aura of World Cup invincibility.
England almost did not concede to the USA in that stuffy evening in the second city of France. The game was all around; it was a fierce physical fight, fast and unwavering.
Kristen Press opened the scoring in 10 minutes, but Ellen White equalized after only nine minutes. The US, however, was at the top in the first half. They won the physical battle, as they often do, and Alex Morgan regained her lead after playing just over half an hour.
Her «cup of tea» celebration angered a new audience of football fans. in that country, but England went strong in the second half. After White was ruled out in the equalizer due to her toe being in an offside position, the penalty gave England the chance to send the semi-finals into extra time and prove that European nations were now level.
Alex Morgan caused controversy with this celebration against England in the last World Cup. Credit: PA/Richard Sellers
But Houghton's handball was saved and the US advanced to its third straight World Cup final. Their celebration suggested that they knew that the strongest opponent had been defeated. They cheered and danced in the mixed zone as Houghton tried to speak to the media in the midst of her personal trauma.
It was insensitive at best, and Houghton couldn't keep talking. The England captain's anger was obvious, but the US players didn't care. They are happy that they are not loved for winning. Despite all the smiles and nice words, they scare. That's part of their aura.
A few days later, the US won the final fairly easily, beating Sarina Wigman's Netherlands 2-0 to become world champions for the fourth time. They also won in 2015 and did not lose a single World Cup match in 12 matches. This summer they will again become the best team.
Given that American men's play is still far behind the elite nations on the world stage — they were knocked out by the Netherlands in the round of 16 at the World Cup in Qatar last year — why is the US so strong in women's football? They have never finished outside the top three at the World Championships, their lead has lasted for more than two decades.
This is largely due to history, or rather, its absence. By the time football became popular in the US in the 70s, the sport had spread without the baggage of traditional prejudice. Women playing soccer in the US have never been as stigmatized as they once were in Europe, South America and elsewhere, so there were no barriers for girls to participate. In the US, it was a new sport open to all.
«In the US, it is not considered a women's sport, just the number of participants is higher»
It has quickly become the most popular women's sport in the country in terms of participation, and with top young players receiving university places on full scholarships, the sport has attracted many top athletes.
“ Women's Football has been growing for many years,” explained Julie Foody, who has won two World Championships and two Olympic gold medals in her illustrious playing career. “Going back to when we were Olympic champions in 1996 in Atlanta and then world champions at home in 1999… that was a turning point.
“But if you look back, you will see that there has never been such a stigma associated with women playing since the seventies and eighties. This has been a huge success factor for the US.
The US women's soccer team has an enviable record at the World Cups. Photo: Reuters/Denis Balibouse
“Girls won't tease a boy who lives further down the road because they'll be training in their soccer uniform with the ball under their arm. It's okay.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a women’s game in the US, it’s just that the number of female participants is much higher,” Faudi added. “As for men, they are losing a lot of promising young athletes to other famous American sports, but this is not so true for our female players.
“I think there are more women in football, and I mean more participants than the rest of the world combined.
“The fact that it's part of the collegiate system, which means girls can play football and get a really good education, means parents see the benefits. It also gave us an advantage.”
New faces, but confidence that the US will try to outplay everyone
The women's team is number one in the world ahead of this World Cup and has a new generation of exciting young players battling superstars Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, Rose Lavelle and Julie Ertz. Forwards Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman made headlines, and teenage Alyssa Thompson is considered by many to be the best player in the world. » /> Trinity Rodman made her international debut at just 19 years old. Photo: Getty Images/Brad Smith
The players are the big names of the house, with earning potential to match. They are also fierce activists and successfully fight for equal pay with their male counterparts. If you can call the rise of women's football a revolution, then the Americans were at the forefront of this process and the first to stand on the barricades.
The US National League, the National Women's Football League, its ups and downs — and now it is being challenged, especially financially, European countries. But it remains a fertile ground for the development and improvement of talent.
It is significant that the US has always looked better, stronger and faster than its rivals, and although this gap has narrowed, they are again considered favorites this year in Down Under .
They're wary of the rise of women's football in Europe over the past few years and England's loss at Wembley last year in a friendly, but the Americans have something else: the ultimate confidence that they can beat anyone. They will strive to overtake and defeat teams.
They also have unshakable fortitude. They are used to winning and count on it. No one can match their track record of success on the international stage and everything over the past four years has been geared towards making sure they are in the best shape possible to defend their crown in 2023. As Morgan once said, “There really is no secret to success. you have to make your own success.”
The US just does it better than anyone else. They always did. Football is the main women's sport in the richest and most powerful country in the world. This is a fearsome and still dominant combination. The lead has narrowed to the best teams in Europe, but has it closed enough?
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