PARIS • The Women's World Cup kicks off today amid unprecedented attention as hosts France take on South Korea in Paris.
"It's going to be a remarkable World Cup. The level of competition four years on from the last one has exponentially increased," said Jill Ellis, coach of the United States team, the reigning champions.
"Different teams are now rising and it's going to be a very open World Cup and we're excited to go out there and attack it."
Interest from the public is high with both semi-finals and the final, all to be played at the 59,000-capacity Stade de Lyon, sold out as well as the opening game at the Parc des Princes. The cheapest group-game tickets cost just €9 (S$13.80).
The United States are the queens of the game after winning the World Cup thrice and the Olympics four times and that experience is clearly visible in their current line-up.
At the end of May, Fifa calculated that the US had collected 1,893 caps between them and included eight players with at least 100 international appearances. Among them Carli Lloyd has 274 caps, Alex Morgan 163 and Becky Sauerbrunn 158.
For France, the key members of the Lyon team who have won four straight Champions League titles - Sarah Bouhaddi, Wendie Renard, Amel Majri, Amandine Henry and Eugenie le Sommer - are fast becoming French celebrities.
Germany, who can boast another Lyon star in Dzsenifer Marozsan, have won two World Cups and eight European Championships.
However, the power of the Americans and Germans is set to be challenged now that some of the other traditional football powers, who for years did not take women's football seriously, are catching up.
England and France, ranked third and fourth in the world, arrive with genuine hopes of winning the title. Spain, the Netherlands and Italy are all in the top 15, with the Dutch reigning European champions.
"Aside from USA, France and the Netherlands, teams like Australia, Canada, Sweden and Norway are also playing very well," German coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg told broadcaster ARD. "It will be a very tight tournament."
69%
Matches at the World Cup (36 of 52) to be played at stadiums in France with a capacity smaller than 30,000.
Megan Rapinoe, co-captain of the US team, believes that France could pose a big challenge.
"I think they are, in my opinion, the favourites for sure," said the midfielder. "They are a fantastic team, they're going to have obviously a home crowd with them. I feel like all the pressure is on them."
Yet, as they prepared to try to emulate the men's team and win the World Cup, France's women's team received a reminder that they are still not quite equal.
They had to move out of their rooms at the French football federation's training base in Clairefontaine, when the men's squad arrived last week to prepare for two Euro 2020 qualifiers.
The US team, whose popularity in their homeland has been the financial motor that has driven women's football, arrive embroiled in a legal dispute with their federation.
They want to be paid the same as the US men's team, who remain also-rans internationally.
Ballon D'Or winner Ada Hegerberg, who scored a hat-trick for Lyon in the Champions League final, will be absent in France.
She is boycotting the national team even though Norway pays women and men internationals the same, because she believes more needs to be done to improve the way women footballers are treated.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
Soccer Football - Premier League - Liverpool v AFC Bournemouth - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - February 9, 2019 Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp celebrates after the match REUTERS/Phil Noble
Football: Liverpool back on top after 3-0 win over Bournemouth
Brewers aim to keep momentum going vs. Pirates. Field Level Media May 31, 2019, 4:33 AM UTC. The Milwaukee Brewers don't need Christian Yelich to hit homers to win. After all, Yelich didn't add to
Rockets aim to keep momentum - YouTube
Ryan Giggs has responded to Zlatan Ibrahimovic's criticism of the "Class of 92" by insisting players with "over 2,000 games between us" are entitled to have an opinion.
Ryan Giggs hits back at Zlatan Ibrahimovic's Class of '92
Liverpool were unable to get their front three operating at their best, but could easily have taken a point at the end with City keeper Ederson making a fine save to keep out Mohamed Salah's
Man City end Liverpool's unbeaten run, cut lead to four
Kevin De Bruyne has joked that Eden Hazard is already in Madrid with Chelsea set to confirm the Belgian's departure. Real Madrid have finally agreed an initial €100 million (£88.5m) fee for
Real Madrid set to bid €120m for Eden Hazard - We Ain't Got
English Premier League: Willian gem sinks Newcastle as Chelsea cement fourth place Description: Salomon Rondon flicked a header towards Ayoze Perez and he accelerated away from Antonio Rudiger, only to shoot woefully wide with just Kepa Arrizabalaga to beat.
Willian gem sinks Newcastle as Chelsea cement fourth place
Small Cities Feel the Clock Ticking on Opportunity Zones which has an $11 million revolving loan fund to help revitalize "core urban" areas. Oscar is Next
TIN - Ticking - YouTube
LONDON • Mauricio Pochettino is shocked at receiving a two-game touchline ban and a £10,000 (S$17,800) fine for his conduct following the 2-1 Premier League defeat at Burnley last month.. Read
Tottenham's Mauricio Pochettino says touchline ban is
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admitted his side cannot meet the heights of Manchester City's football, but they may still deny them the title. We do it our way, says Klopp after another late
Football: We do it our way, says Klopp after another late
Jun 04, 2019 · Not coincidentally, the province is a key outpost in China's "Belt and Road" initiative that aims to increase China's exports to and its influence over south Asia, Africa and Europe.
China ramps up its own semiconductor industry amid the trade war
A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on January 31, 2019, with the headline 'Start off well, Solskjaer tells United after winning run ends'. Print Edition
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer misses out on history as Man Utd winning
Ramsey poised to sign five-year, €40m Juventus deal Independent.ie Aaron Ramsey will join Italian giants Juventus next summer after agreeing a deal which will pay him €40million over the next
Aaron Ramsey agrees five-year deal with Juventus | Daily Mail
Lionel Messi created a goal and scored another as Barcelona came from behind to beat struggling Rayo Vallecano 3-1 at home on Saturday and stay seven points clear at the top of La Liga.
Messi shines as Barca survive scare to see off Rayo
"He's unstoppable," said Klopp afterwards. "Obviously we couldn't defend the free-kick. Klopp hails Salah's goal against Chelsea. Salah targets place in Liverpool record books.
Klopp on 'amazing' Liverpool, Salah, wind - ProSoccerTalk
Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino admits he would consider leaving the club if they go on to win the Champions League in June. Spurs have hope of causing an upset at the Johan Cruyff Arena
Champions League final: Mauricio Pochettino 'calm' as he
0 comments:
Post a Comment