The match, which ended in a heartbreaking 1-3 loss for the Matildas, rated almost twice as much as the 2021 Aussie Rules AFL final and the 2015 Men’s Cricket World Cup, also featuring Australia. And while the numbers are staggering, it was no great surprise to all who have followed this tournament over the last month.
The start was not quite as inspiring. This was the first time the tournament featured co-hosts and from two separate federations. Australia plays in the Asean Football Federation, part of the Asia Football Confederation (AFC), to enjoy a higher level of competition, while New Zealand plays in the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC). And the move to have 32 teams to match the Men’s World Cup seemed excessive, given that the US had recently beaten an overmatched Thai team 13-0.
And then, at least three teams had serious selection issues and internal battles, with top French stars sitting out, and Spain arriving without the likes of Patri Guijarro, Mapi Leon and Sandra Panos, all stars of the Champion’s League-winning Barcelona team.
But once the tournament started, all doubts were allayed. The upsets came thick and fast in the group stage. The Jamaican Reggae Girlz needed help from Bob Marley’s granddaughter Cedella Marley, and raises almost $100,000 through crowdfunding to reach the tournament. But once there, they managed to draw with both fancied France and Brazil to reach the knock-out stage – while ensuring that Brazilian great Marta had an early exit in her 6th World Cup.
Colombia pulled off a 96th-minute miracle to defeat mighty Germany, while 72nd ranked Morocco beat Colombia and South Korea to reach the Round of 16. Olympic champions Canada, former champions and perennial contenders Germany, and Brazil all left early, while Japan and Sweden looked set for a long run. There were many dramatic finishes in the knockouts. Still, the Sweden-US round of 16 encounter was the pick, with the US comfortably ahead in the penalty shoot-out before Megan Rapinoe’s miss led to a series of American misses. Then Lina Hurtig’s penalty for Sweden was stopped by keeper Alyssa Naeher only for VAR to show the ball had just crossed the line.And then that semifinal between England and Australia. Sam Kerr – whose father was born in Calcutta and whose grandfather boxed for Bengal – brought the Matildas back in contention with arguably the goal of the tournament. Only for Lauren Hemp and Alessia Russo to put it out of reach.
Today’s finalists Spain have shown incredible determination after leaving star players behind and then getting blown away by Japan. They take on England, who started slow, but have hit their stride. And while England will be favourites, many Aussie fans at Sydney’s Stadium Australia today will be supporting La Rojas, eager to avenge their loss.
The Fifa technical team has observed that the quality of play in the women’s tournament has seen a dramatic improvement, with some incredibly well-thought-through set pieces. But in truth, most of the real stars have been sitting in the stands, cheering every move. That has been the real victory.
In 1999, the US World Cup triumph at home and Brandy Chastain’s front-page celebrations on Sports Illustrated had raised hopes of a dramatic rise in interest in women’s football. But that opportunity had then failed to live up to its promise. Twenty-four years later, women’s football has put on another scintillating show. And this time, the world was watching with awe.
