Has parity arrived in women’s soccer? USWNT lose 2 in a row

[Scipio Africanus]

The US women’s NT lost to England 1-2 on Friday, then followed that up with losing to Spain 0-2.

E be like say World Cup go hard for US women o!

[mate]

This to me is a fascinating topic.

The US women were like England men once upon a time. The best because they simply invested in it early while the world didn't. The famous Magic Magyars of Hungary shattered this in the 1950s, routing them with a superior skill based football.

Similarly, European women are reaping the benefits of their football culture. Academies and full time training in good leagues. Forgoing college.

The US women remain stuck in a pay to play culture with poor leagues. Poor football development. Low football IQ players, emphasizing athleticism, a gap that has narrowed, maybe closed.

This next WC might be the last one USA manages a win for a while. I am convinced the European women will slowly but surely win the most competitions going forward...as I doubt South America will match them in investment.

[Scipio Africanus]

This to me is a fascinating topic.

The US women were like England men once upon a time. The best because they simply invested in it early while the world didn't. The famous Magic Magyars of Hungary shattered this in the 1950s, routing them with a superior skill based football.

Similarly, European women are reaping the benefits of their football culture. Academies and full time training in good leagues. Forgoing college.

The US women remain stuck in a pay to play culture with poor leagues. Poor football development. Low football IQ players, emphasizing athleticism, a gap that has narrowed, maybe closed.

This next WC might be the last one USA manages a win for a while. I am convinced the European women will slowly but surely win the most competitions going forward...as I doubt South America will match them in investment.

Kpom! I always believed that once more traditional footballing countries took the women's game seriously in a sustained manner, the USWNT advantage would disappear. Well, it is happening right before our eyes.

[Mr. Piffington]

It's not surprising, the women's leagues in Europe are now getting serious investments and they are taking it seriously, especially in Spain and England.

[King Futcha]

no, friendly matches

[mate]

no, friendly matches

Interestingly the USA women have always put a high premium on friendly games. More so with the rise of social media. Especially to almost gloat in triumph.

A junior USA team beat India 7-0 and came up on my Yahoo feed. I was astounded by the glowing report and triumphalism. Checked it out on Youtube. So many American commenters asserted this junior team should replace the senior team, which would restore supremacy.

Most American football fans remain clowns. They think raw athleticism trumps everything. They don't grasp that speed of thought, skill and cohesion leverage 1 major football maxim to the nth degree: the ball is faster, jumps higher, and is more enduring than any player.

To this day, some fans say if only Tom Brady and Lebron James played football. The same fans say we need to get Olympic type athletes on the women's team. Absolutely ignorant.

[TonyTheTigerKiller]

I don’t know if I’d say there is parity but the gap in women’s soccer between the elite and the ‘minnows’ is closing fast. Bear in mind that both losses we’re away losses where home teams tend to have the advantage. It would be interesting to see what would happen if the SuperFalcons were to play the US or a European power in Abuja or Lagos. I wager that many would be surprised at the result


Cheers.

[King Futcha]

no, friendly matches

Interestingly the USA women have always put a high premium on friendly games. More so with the rise of social media. Especially to almost gloat in triumph.

A junior USA team beat India 7-0 and came up on my Yahoo feed. I was astounded by the glowing report and triumphalism. Checked it out on Youtube. So many American commenters asserted this junior team should replace the senior team, which would restore supremacy.

Most American football fans remain clowns. They think raw athleticism trumps everything. They don't grasp that speed of thought, skill and cohesion leverage 1 major football maxim to the nth degree: the ball is faster, jumps higher, and is more enduring than any player.

To this day, some fans say if only Tom Brady and Lebron James played football. The same fans say we need to get Olympic type athletes on the women's team. Absolutely ignorant.

what exactly do you mean by that?

what do you mean by that x2?

[mate]

Many Americans claim the best athletes play football, baseball, basketball, and hockey. That soccer only gets those who didn't make it in those sports.

Tom Brady most likely would never make a good soccer player. Neither would NL linemen, being too big and heavy. Heck a lot of NFL running backs would be too heavy and stiff. Limited on stamina and lateral quickness.

Again, this also shows ignorance about skill, football IQ, and teamwork...which great athletes sometimes cannot master to the highest degree. Our football (soccer) is actually a more total game than American football...the latter is compartmentalized, with specialized positions and units.

A soccer player plays total, except the goalie.

[mate]

Consider Luka Modric. He'd probably not have made it in the USA. Poor refugee family. Small, would have been weeded out in the USA age competition system.

I posted elsewhere how Croatia commits players for a lifetime to various pretty good academies, clubs, and leagues. You get sent to the right place based on your development needs. The scoring results don't matter as much as development.

For the WC, we only have Ante Rebic playing abroad as a forward. All our other forwards play for Croatian teams. 2, Bruno Petkovic and Mislav Orsic play for Dinamo and get CL experience...beating Chelsea 1-0. Livaja plays for Hajduk in a decent Croatian League and the Europa League competition.

People underestimate the structural as well as philosophical approach of Croatia. Totally different to American sports mentality. Don't get me wrong, as Croatia of course love athleticism...but understands it is one component and that development occurs across 18 years, up to 24...and then it is still a role of the dice, with further opportunity and development.

The magic number in Croatia is about 24. That's the age we all seem to bring up to see where a player stands.

[mcal]

...2 US women friendly losses were both abroad, at home they are unbeatable.
Foreign land culture shock must have overtaken this set of players as opposed to players of the 90s and 2000s.
They win anywhere anytime.
This coming women world cup may be a shocker for them if they don't adapt, bring back the "can do spirit".

[King Futcha]

Many Americans claim the best athletes play football, baseball, basketball, and hockey. That soccer only gets those who didn't make it in those sports.

Tom Brady most likely would never make a good soccer player. Neither would NL linemen, being too big and heavy. Heck a lot of NFL running backs would be too heavy and stiff. Limited on stamina and lateral quickness.

Again, this also shows ignorance about skill, football IQ, and teamwork...which great athletes sometimes cannot master to the highest degree. Our football (soccer) is actually a more total game than American football...the latter is compartmentalized, with specialized positions and units.

A soccer player plays total, except the goalie.

ahh you meant brady playing soccer hence my confusion, i seriously doubt anyone has said he would make is as a soccer player, he is as slow as molasses.

[King Futcha]

...2 US women friendly losses were both abroad, at home they are unbeatable.
Foreign land culture shock must have overtaken this set of players as opposed to players of the 90s and 2000s.
They win anywhere anytime.
This coming women world cup may be a shocker for them if they don't adapt, bring back the "can do spirit".

we are going to a transitional period, megan and that lot need to make way for the next generation, once they are out of the picture no one will beat us.

[Bigpokey24]

Consider Luka Modric. He'd probably not have made it in the USA. Poor refugee family. Small, would have been weeded out in the USA age competition system.

I posted elsewhere how Croatia commits players for a lifetime to various pretty good academies, clubs, and leagues. You get sent to the right place based on your development needs. The scoring results don't matter as much as development.

For the WC, we only have Ante Rebic playing abroad as a forward. All our other forwards play for Croatian teams. 2, Bruno Petkovic and Mislav Orsic play for Dinamo and get CL experience...beating Chelsea 1-0. Livaja plays for Hajduk in a decent Croatian League and the Europa League competition.

People underestimate the structural as well as philosophical approach of Croatia. Totally different to American sports mentality. Don't get me wrong, as Croatia of course love athleticism...but understands it is one component and that development occurs across 18 years, up to 24...and then it is still a role of the dice, with further opportunity and development.

The magic number in Croatia is about 24. That's the age we all seem to bring up to see where a player stands.

but the US men have performed better than Croatia in world football. Croatia just edged them slightly because the made the finals. The US has been to the last 4 of the worldcup

[Scipio Africanus]

Consider Luka Modric. He'd probably not have made it in the USA. Poor refugee family. Small, would have been weeded out in the USA age competition system.

I posted elsewhere how Croatia commits players for a lifetime to various pretty good academies, clubs, and leagues. You get sent to the right place based on your development needs. The scoring results don't matter as much as development.

For the WC, we only have Ante Rebic playing abroad as a forward. All our other forwards play for Croatian teams. 2, Bruno Petkovic and Mislav Orsic play for Dinamo and get CL experience...beating Chelsea 1-0. Livaja plays for Hajduk in a decent Croatian League and the Europa League competition.

People underestimate the structural as well as philosophical approach of Croatia. Totally different to American sports mentality. Don't get me wrong, as Croatia of course love athleticism...but understands it is one component and that development occurs across 18 years, up to 24...and then it is still a role of the dice, with further opportunity and development.

The magic number in Croatia is about 24. That's the age we all seem to bring up to see where a player stands.

but the US men have performed better than Croatia in world football. Croatia just edged them slightly because the made the finals. The US has been to the last 4 of the worldcup

How? The USA have participated in 11 World Cups and have only won 8 games in those participations. They have been to the semi-finals once and have never made it to the final. Croatia have participated in only 5 World Cups and have already won 11 games, been to the semi-finals twice and been to the final. Even Belgium sef never smell final.

[mate]

Consider Luka Modric. He'd probably not have made it in the USA. Poor refugee family. Small, would have been weeded out in the USA age competition system.

I posted elsewhere how Croatia commits players for a lifetime to various pretty good academies, clubs, and leagues. You get sent to the right place based on your development needs. The scoring results don't matter as much as development.

For the WC, we only have Ante Rebic playing abroad as a forward. All our other forwards play for Croatian teams. 2, Bruno Petkovic and Mislav Orsic play for Dinamo and get CL experience...beating Chelsea 1-0. Livaja plays for Hajduk in a decent Croatian League and the Europa League competition.

People underestimate the structural as well as philosophical approach of Croatia. Totally different to American sports mentality. Don't get me wrong, as Croatia of course love athleticism...but understands it is one component and that development occurs across 18 years, up to 24...and then it is still a role of the dice, with further opportunity and development.

The magic number in Croatia is about 24. That's the age we all seem to bring up to see where a player stands.

but the US men have performed better than Croatia in world football. Croatia just edged them slightly because the made the finals. The US has been to the last 4 of the worldcup

How? The USA have participated in 11 World Cups and have only won 8 games in those participations. They have been to the semi-finals once and have never made it to the final. Croatia have participated in only 5 World Cups and have already won 11 games, been to the semi-finals twice and been to the final. Even Belgium sef never smell final.

I don't know how he can compare the USA and Croatia.



I root for both the USA and Croatia. But just on player production, there is a chasm of difference. The USA has never produced a world class player...players who play lead roles on big clubs.

Croatia has produced plenty across decades, for Yugoslavia or Croatia. Boksic, Suker, Boban, Modric, Prosinecki, Rakitic, Asanovic, Brozovic.

Croatia doesn't have the marketing machine of Western nations. So some of the players get less notice. Which is ok by me, as it allows us to fly under the radar.

Regardless, it is the Croatian football culture and development model that puts is ahead of the USA. By a very long shot.

[mate]

Consider Luka Modric. He'd probably not have made it in the USA. Poor refugee family. Small, would have been weeded out in the USA age competition system.

I posted elsewhere how Croatia commits players for a lifetime to various pretty good academies, clubs, and leagues. You get sent to the right place based on your development needs. The scoring results don't matter as much as development.

For the WC, we only have Ante Rebic playing abroad as a forward. All our other forwards play for Croatian teams. 2, Bruno Petkovic and Mislav Orsic play for Dinamo and get CL experience...beating Chelsea 1-0. Livaja plays for Hajduk in a decent Croatian League and the Europa League competition.

People underestimate the structural as well as philosophical approach of Croatia. Totally different to American sports mentality. Don't get me wrong, as Croatia of course love athleticism...but understands it is one component and that development occurs across 18 years, up to 24...and then it is still a role of the dice, with further opportunity and development.

The magic number in Croatia is about 24. That's the age we all seem to bring up to see where a player stands.

but the US men have performed better than Croatia in world football. Croatia just edged them slightly because the made the finals. The US has been to the last 4 of the worldcup

See what Scipio wrote.

BTW: you also should adjust for USA being in CONCACAF vs Croatia in UEFA. USA didn't make it to the last WC, which is pretty amazing. Unfortunately the USA still has not figured out how to produce top footballers.

[Bigpokey24]

Look at how mate has turned this thread to men football

[mate]

Look at how mate has turned this thread to men football

I've got football fever. The WC is upon us!



Hey, I'm just drawing parallels between the men and women's games...especially on how the USA might suffer the same fate as the English once did and how the US men currently are experiencing.

Don't make me mansplain it to you again!

[chopachop]

Consider Luka Modric. He'd probably not have made it in the USA. Poor refugee family. Small, would have been weeded out in the USA age competition system.

I posted elsewhere how Croatia commits players for a lifetime to various pretty good academies, clubs, and leagues. You get sent to the right place based on your development needs. The scoring results don't matter as much as development.

For the WC, we only have Ante Rebic playing abroad as a forward. All our other forwards play for Croatian teams. 2, Bruno Petkovic and Mislav Orsic play for Dinamo and get CL experience...beating Chelsea 1-0. Livaja plays for Hajduk in a decent Croatian League and the Europa League competition.

People underestimate the structural as well as philosophical approach of Croatia. Totally different to American sports mentality. Don't get me wrong, as Croatia of course love athleticism...but understands it is one component and that development occurs across 18 years, up to 24...and then it is still a role of the dice, with further opportunity and development.

The magic number in Croatia is about 24. That's the age we all seem to bring up to see where a player stands.

but the US men have performed better than Croatia in world football. Croatia just edged them slightly because the made the finals. The US has been to the last 4 of the worldcup

How? The USA have participated in 11 World Cups and have only won 8 games in those participations. They have been to the semi-finals once and have never made it to the final. Croatia have participated in only 5 World Cups and have already won 11 games, been to the semi-finals twice and been to the final. Even Belgium sef never smell final.

I don't know how he can compare the USA and Croatia.



I root for both the USA and Croatia. But just on player production, there is a chasm of difference. The USA has never produced a world class player...players who play lead roles on big clubs.

Croatia has produced plenty across decades, for Yugoslavia or Croatia. Boksic, Suker, Boban, Modric, Prosinecki, Rakitic, Asanovic, Brozovic.

Croatia doesn't have the marketing machine of Western nations. So some of the players get less notice. Which is ok by me, as it allows us to fly under the radar.

Regardless, it is the Croatian football culture and development model that puts is ahead of the USA. By a very long shot.

Why bother to respond to someone making a fool of himself with something so obvious to even a non football fan.

[bret- hart]

When the rest of the world start taking womens football more seriously USA shemale national team is done. Do yall see Linda Calcedo of Colombia? America will never produce a baller make or femaleas good as her in a 100 years unless of course they give some kid from a poor country a greencard

[mcal]

When the rest of the world start taking womens football more seriously USA shemale national team is done. Do yall see Linda Calcedo of Colombia? America will never produce a baller make or femaleas good as her in a 100 years unless of course they give some kid from a poor country a greencard

...Linda Caicedo. She was great playing for the full national team, but struggling at the on-going u17. Weight of being captain?

[mate]

South America produces some good individual players. But depth is an issue, probably because of a lack of funding. Probably because of cultural reasons around women's sports.

Like some of you said, watch out once they get it all together. They have it in their football DNA to produce top quality. Again, in contrast, the USA just doesn't get football yet. Not even after all these years.