Jennifer Doyle, whose blog I just added to the roll on your left, has a great essay at Fox Soccer on the history of women's soccer. Here is a delicious excerpt:
FIFA would like you to think that the first international women’s match was played between France and the Netherlands in 1971, before 1,500 spectators. They’ve produced an article in the April 2011 issue of FIFA World celebrating this “fact.” Sepp Blatter introduces the story for us:
"Although women have been kicking footballs informally for nearly as long as their male counterparts, the women’s game is still relatively young in terms of officially organised international matches. Indeed, as you can read in this issue of FIFA World, this month marks the 40th anniversary of the first-ever official women’s international, played in April 1971 between France and the Netherlands in front of 1,500 curious spectators. Certainly, the sport has enjoyed impressive growth from those humble beginnings to the spectacle that it is today."
The FIFA brochure, however, shows the French national team boarding a plane to Mexico City, to play in the 1971 Not-FIFA World Cup mentioned above.
The actual history begins long before FIFA sanctioned women's football.
Have a look.
Congratulations to this exciting new blog, Roger!
ReplyDeleteI just came over to see what you have posted about the Soccer World Cup in Germany. And shock: I find nothing! USA - Japan, so many things for comment! Penalty statistics, the role of destiny, national stereotypes (when chance turns into destiny), tactics and height (Messi - Japanese players?), the relation between earthquake statistics and penalties, and many more details. What a missed opportunity!
Anyway, looking forward to another interesting Bundesliga season, and I hope you know that the music plays this year in the second League!
Werner