10+ Data that show that football is not just for men

This year, the Women’s World Cup monopolized the spotlight. Everyone talked about it, and no one denied the quality and passion with which the best players competed for the coveted cup, demonstrating their ability and dedication in every game. However, women’s football has had a long and difficult road to reach the recognition it has today.

With the sporting spirit running through his veins, the awesome.club wants to share with you some facts that prove that football was never just a man’s thing. The bonus at the end of the post will eventually confirm it. Follow!

In China, an ancient variant of the sport was practiced (in which women participated) called Tsú-Chú. There is documented evidence from as early as 2500 BC, at the time of the Han Dynasty. The object of the game was to kick the ball towards a small open net, and it was possible to score with any part of the body, except with the hands. The fact can be corroborated by the paintings of the 12th century artist Su Hanchen, in which female figures are shown playing with a ball.

O British Ladies’ Football Club It was the first women’s soccer association. It was founded by women’s rights activist Nettie Honeyball, who said she created it with the aim of demonstrating that women could empower themselves and have an important place in society. Thirty of them answered the call, and on 23 March 1895 they played their first game at Crouch End, London, in front of 10,000 people.

The English Football Association (FA), concerned about competition and the nascent interest in women’s football, in 1902 banned any women’s matches at FA-affiliated stadiums. This action lasted until 1971. Falsely justified with the excessive danger that the sport represented for women, since it jeopardized the “fragile” nature of the lady and could cause her “damage to her delicate female organs”, the ban was extended to Latin America, where, in 1941, Brazil banned women from practicing sports such as judo and soccer. Prohibition ended in 1975.

In the history of women’s football narrated by FIFA’s official pages, the first World Cup, held in 1970, is not mentioned, nor the following year, as they were not organized or officially recognized by the federation. Denmark won in both competitions, beating Italy and Mexico.

Women’s football was officially recognized by FIFA in 1980, after several unofficial championships increased its popularity.

With the support of FIFA, in 1991, the first Women’s World Cup was held, organized by China. In that edition, the United States team faced Norway in the final, winning by 2 to 1. Before this championship, FIFA organized the Women’s Experimental Tournament, in 1988, also held in China, as a test to see if the World Cup Female was viable.

The Brazilian player Miraildes Maciel Mota, also known as Formiga, played 7 World Cups, thus achieving the athlete’s record with the most World Cups played in the history of men’s and women’s football. In second place is the Japanese Homare Sawa, with 6 participations, and the players Antonio Carbajal, Lothar Mathäus, Gianluigi Buffon and Rafael Márquez, with 5 Cups played.

The United States not only qualified for the semifinals in all editions, but took the Cup 4 times: 1991, 1999, 2015 and 2019, being the team with the most victories so far. As if that were not enough, it has a runner-up and 2 third places, thus demonstrating the high level of performance of its players.

In 2019, in France, a historic milestone took place, recorded as the biggest rout in the history of the World Cups. In the first round of the competition, the US team defeated Thailand with a stunning 13-0, surpassing the previous mark of 11-0 from the opening game of 2007, Germany against Argentina. The 3 biggest defeats in the history of a World Cup took place in the women’s edition, and only the fourth corresponds to the men’s edition, with 10 to 1 in Hungary against El Salvador, in the World Cup in Spain, in 1982.

Due to the work of FIFA, the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup has achieved unprecedented popularity. The increase in the number of sponsors and media coverage were essential to attract the public’s interest and gain the recognition that the sport deserves. Compared to previous years, more viewers were reached and audience records were broken in France.

In Istanbul, on August 14th, the European Super Cup final was played between Liverpool and Chelsea, and Frenchwoman Stéphanie Frappart became the first referee in the elite men’s final. This is the second time that Frappart has made women’s refereeing history, as she is considered a pioneer in France for being the first to referee men’s first and second division matches.

Did you know this data about women’s football? Do you know any others that we didn’t mention? Please tell us in the comments.