1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:03,000 Speaker 1: Before we get started, please rate and review our show. 2 00:00:03,279 --> 00:00:09,880 Speaker 1: It helps people find us on this episode of Sports 3 00:00:09,880 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 1: Illustrated Weekly. Temperatures may be rising, but the hottest thing 4 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:17,280 Speaker 1: this summer has been women's soccer. Tournaments were played on 5 00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:21,759 Speaker 1: every habitable continent, with results that directly impact next year's 6 00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:25,320 Speaker 1: World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. But the results 7 00:00:25,320 --> 00:00:28,040 Speaker 1: of these games didn't just feature the same old names 8 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 1: were used to seeing at the top of international competition. 9 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:34,280 Speaker 1: As the women's game grows globally, a new crop of 10 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:39,600 Speaker 1: contenders stake their claim. I'm Jordan Rizzieri, producer at Sports 11 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:42,920 Speaker 1: Illustrated Weekly. I traveled to the UK this past month 12 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:47,839 Speaker 1: to witness the twenty two European Women's Football Championship and 13 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:50,840 Speaker 1: what I saw in the cradle of soccer felt nothing 14 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:55,640 Speaker 1: short of a turning point for the beautiful game. Major 15 00:00:56,440 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 1: type three for the first time ever. From Sports Illustrated 16 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:08,759 Speaker 1: and I Heart Radio. This is Sports Illustrated Weekly. United 17 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:14,080 Speaker 1: States speaks Canada for its ninth Copper Calf W Championship. 18 00:01:14,480 --> 00:01:16,880 Speaker 1: So why did I bother flying to England when the 19 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:19,280 Speaker 1: most dominant team in the game is right here at home? 20 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:23,160 Speaker 1: The U S women's national team is inarguably the most 21 00:01:23,160 --> 00:01:27,399 Speaker 1: successful team in women's soccer, with four World Cup titles, 22 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:31,720 Speaker 1: four Olympic gold medals, nine Conko calf Gold Cups, including 23 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:34,560 Speaker 1: the one from this summer, and a total of thirteen 24 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:37,959 Speaker 1: years as number one in the FIFA Women's World rankings. 25 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:41,399 Speaker 1: The men's and women's U S national teams will both 26 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:45,280 Speaker 1: now receive equal pay and equal prize money, including at 27 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:49,160 Speaker 1: World Cups, becoming the first soccer federation in the world 28 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:51,559 Speaker 1: to adopt that policy. While they've been changing the game 29 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:55,280 Speaker 1: both on and off the field, something has been happening 30 00:01:55,280 --> 00:01:59,760 Speaker 1: across the ocean in Europe, something big, full of energy 31 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:03,520 Speaker 1: and over one hundred years in the making. I just 32 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:15,000 Speaker 1: had to go and see it for myself. Please send here, Athol. 33 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:21,480 Speaker 1: I mean, I think with the Euros happening in England 34 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:27,000 Speaker 1: that's making the biggest impact. That's Jackie mccassey, Senior Lecturer 35 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:31,400 Speaker 1: in Fashion Communications at Liverpool John Morris University and founder 36 00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 1: of girl Fan, a project and zeene documenting the past, 37 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:38,800 Speaker 1: present and future of female fan football culture. I remember 38 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:41,560 Speaker 1: ahead of the Women's World Cup in France, there was 39 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:43,400 Speaker 1: a lot of noise, There was a lot of excitement. 40 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:47,400 Speaker 1: But actually I was disappointed after France that I didn't 41 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:50,799 Speaker 1: see the traction that I thought women's football would get. 42 00:02:50,919 --> 00:02:54,360 Speaker 1: But I think it's really different this time. It feels different. 43 00:02:55,120 --> 00:02:58,359 Speaker 1: It's not just a feeling. This year's final at Wembley, 44 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:02,200 Speaker 1: where England's Lionesses were ground champions when they beat Germany, 45 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:07,600 Speaker 1: set in attendance record for any European soccer tournament regardless 46 00:03:07,639 --> 00:03:12,839 Speaker 1: of the gender of the players, at eight seven thousand two. 47 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:16,480 Speaker 1: But it's not just the English fans like Jackie who 48 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:20,080 Speaker 1: are pouring into stadiums. Fans from all over Europe have 49 00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:23,240 Speaker 1: come to the UK to support their home nation. They 50 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:26,679 Speaker 1: each bring with them a unique show of support, from 51 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:33,240 Speaker 1: the upbeat songs of Denmark to be impactful Icelandic thunderclap. 52 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:38,600 Speaker 1: But how do we get to this moment? I headed 53 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:41,720 Speaker 1: for Manchester to visit the National Football Museum and trace 54 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 1: back the history of women's soccer in the UK one 55 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 1: hundred and one years, all the way to the moment 56 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:54,840 Speaker 1: the women's game changed forever. The museum is currently featuring 57 00:03:54,880 --> 00:03:58,520 Speaker 1: an exhibit called Cross the Line, tracing the popularity of 58 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:01,120 Speaker 1: women's soccer in the UK from some of its earliest 59 00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:04,280 Speaker 1: teams through the fifty year ban on women playing the 60 00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 1: game to today. Christian Allen, community and Public program manager, 61 00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:12,920 Speaker 1: told me about the museum's dedication to representing women in 62 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:16,520 Speaker 1: soccer and the National Football Museum. One of our core 63 00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:20,599 Speaker 1: priorities really is to get fifty representation across our galleries 64 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:23,159 Speaker 1: of men and women in football. So that's not necessary 65 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:24,960 Speaker 1: women's football. It could be women who work within the 66 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:28,160 Speaker 1: men's game, but that's a core focus of ours and 67 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:32,240 Speaker 1: this year it's been a special feature, I suppose in 68 00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:34,400 Speaker 1: that we've got the women's eros who've got a dedicated 69 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:39,120 Speaker 1: exhibition to sort the history at women's football in this country. 70 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:45,880 Speaker 1: On December, the Football Association, soccer's governing body in England, 71 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:50,400 Speaker 1: banned women from playing. The resolution stated that the game 72 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:53,760 Speaker 1: of football is quite unsuitable for females and should not 73 00:04:53,839 --> 00:04:58,080 Speaker 1: be encouraged. Fifty years later, the f A lifted the band, 74 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 1: but women's soccer regulation and funding wasn't folded into the 75 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:07,120 Speaker 1: FA until the lack of women in professional soccer impacted 76 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:10,479 Speaker 1: the game widely, because when there's no representation in the 77 00:05:10,520 --> 00:05:14,080 Speaker 1: professional game, there's rarely any offerings for young girls at 78 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:16,880 Speaker 1: the youth level. If we're if we're if girls are 79 00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:20,240 Speaker 1: not allowed to play football just like the boys can 80 00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:23,680 Speaker 1: in their PA. After this tournament and what we're doing, 81 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:26,120 Speaker 1: they've got we've got to make sure that they are 82 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:28,080 Speaker 1: able to play and get the opportunity to do this 83 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:30,400 Speaker 1: because it's gonna inspire a lot of people. But there's 84 00:05:30,400 --> 00:05:32,600 Speaker 1: no legacy to this like what we saw in the Olympics. 85 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:35,560 Speaker 1: There's no legacy after this and what we're doing because 86 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:37,680 Speaker 1: girls should be able to play. Because this is as 87 00:05:37,680 --> 00:05:40,240 Speaker 1: proud as I've ever felt of any England side. Where 88 00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:42,720 Speaker 1: we are now is not a stopping point. There's still 89 00:05:42,720 --> 00:05:45,600 Speaker 1: more change to be made, but we mustn't forget how 90 00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:49,440 Speaker 1: far we've come. Jackie told me how much better represented 91 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:52,240 Speaker 1: women are today as fans compared to a decade ago. 92 00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:55,080 Speaker 1: I mean, let's talk about the landscape back then. In 93 00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:59,200 Speaker 1: two thousand and thirteen, the only women I saw on 94 00:05:59,279 --> 00:06:05,400 Speaker 1: television there were some women presenters on Sky Sports. Besides that, 95 00:06:05,480 --> 00:06:08,039 Speaker 1: I didn't see any of the women. And if you 96 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:12,200 Speaker 1: ask men who had gone to football at that time, 97 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:14,240 Speaker 1: they say, oh, yeah, yeah, there were women sitting around me, 98 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:16,760 Speaker 1: or yeah, I know there's a woman who's been you 99 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:18,719 Speaker 1: know she's been going for like four years. You know, 100 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:22,440 Speaker 1: they were there, but they weren't really represented in the 101 00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:28,279 Speaker 1: broader culture of football. Nobody asked them about their experiences, 102 00:06:28,760 --> 00:06:32,239 Speaker 1: Nobody featured them, nobody did a profile on them, nobody 103 00:06:32,240 --> 00:06:35,599 Speaker 1: made a video about them. Today there are projects like 104 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:39,080 Speaker 1: Jackie's Girl Fan and groups like this Fan Girl to 105 00:06:39,160 --> 00:06:42,960 Speaker 1: help women football fans and fans of women's football come 106 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:47,640 Speaker 1: together to find community and family. Anthony Russell felt it 107 00:06:47,680 --> 00:06:50,600 Speaker 1: was important to take his young son Nathan to the 108 00:06:50,640 --> 00:06:54,240 Speaker 1: England Northern Ireland game in their hometown of Southampton and 109 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:57,720 Speaker 1: to show him the value in women's sports. So now 110 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:00,200 Speaker 1: we have a much better attitude in them are which 111 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:03,480 Speaker 1: better focus on women's sport. He had some of the 112 00:07:03,520 --> 00:07:07,320 Speaker 1: best football players on the planet playing in his city 113 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:09,840 Speaker 1: on his doorstep, and actually to give him that opportunity 114 00:07:09,920 --> 00:07:12,360 Speaker 1: to see that and to show him that, you know, 115 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:17,200 Speaker 1: high quality, high performance, elite athlete are not purely of 116 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:20,240 Speaker 1: one type, I think for me is actually really important. 117 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:25,960 Speaker 1: Attitudes like Anthony's extend far beyond Europe. This summer, at 118 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:30,559 Speaker 1: the Women's Afrikan, the final between South Africa and host 119 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:35,840 Speaker 1: nation Morocco, set a tournament attendance record of fifty thousand spectators. 120 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:40,040 Speaker 1: That night, South Africa became only the third nation to 121 00:07:40,160 --> 00:07:44,360 Speaker 1: ever win the tournament. South Africa, after five attempts to 122 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:48,640 Speaker 1: finally claim glory in the Women's Africa Cup of Nation's final, 123 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:53,120 Speaker 1: they achieve immortality as they claim their first title, and 124 00:07:53,160 --> 00:07:56,360 Speaker 1: Morocco's participation in that game secured them a spot in 125 00:07:56,440 --> 00:08:00,160 Speaker 1: next year's World Cup, becoming the first Arab country to 126 00:08:00,280 --> 00:08:05,520 Speaker 1: ever do so. And once again, it's Brazil reigning supreme 127 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:10,400 Speaker 1: in South American women's soccer. In the Copa America Feminina, 128 00:08:10,800 --> 00:08:14,920 Speaker 1: Brazil beat host nation Colombia to become eight time champions. 129 00:08:15,600 --> 00:08:19,160 Speaker 1: Columbia have yet overcome Brazil in a tournament final, but 130 00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:22,080 Speaker 1: could encounter them again next summer as they make a 131 00:08:22,120 --> 00:08:28,320 Speaker 1: triumphant return to the World Cup after not qualifying in Meanwhile, 132 00:08:28,320 --> 00:08:32,440 Speaker 1: in Asia, the Philippines women's national football team reached the 133 00:08:32,520 --> 00:08:36,480 Speaker 1: nation's first tournament win for women or men at the 134 00:08:36,600 --> 00:08:40,319 Speaker 1: a f F Women's Championship earlier this summer, and also 135 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:44,120 Speaker 1: punched their ticket to the three World Cup in the process. 136 00:08:44,600 --> 00:08:51,760 Speaker 1: Where it is the Philippines are your twenty two women's 137 00:08:51,840 --> 00:08:55,440 Speaker 1: champids pissed three In fact, of the twenty one teams 138 00:08:55,440 --> 00:08:58,400 Speaker 1: that have already qualified for the World Cup, almost a 139 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:01,400 Speaker 1: fifth of them will be appearing for the very first time. 140 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:06,080 Speaker 1: But let's not get ahead of ourselves. There's still a 141 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:09,720 Speaker 1: whole year before these women had to Australia and New Zealand. 142 00:09:10,040 --> 00:09:12,600 Speaker 1: When I asked Jackie what she hoped the big takeaway 143 00:09:12,640 --> 00:09:17,400 Speaker 1: from Euro two was, she had her sightset a little sooner. 144 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:19,800 Speaker 1: I hope it's going to spill over into club football, 145 00:09:19,920 --> 00:09:21,560 Speaker 1: because there's not going to be obviously a lot of 146 00:09:21,600 --> 00:09:24,960 Speaker 1: time between this tournament and club football. I hope it's 147 00:09:24,960 --> 00:09:31,840 Speaker 1: going to spill over definitely into Super League, Championship, grassroots football, 148 00:09:32,360 --> 00:09:34,760 Speaker 1: just people getting out there just kind of see what's 149 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:38,040 Speaker 1: going on. I think, in a way, it's one of 150 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:42,600 Speaker 1: the only places that you really bond with family and friends. 151 00:09:42,960 --> 00:09:46,120 Speaker 1: I really do. I really think football is that. Football 152 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:48,760 Speaker 1: definitely is that place to come together with the people 153 00:09:48,800 --> 00:09:51,680 Speaker 1: you care about. I got to sit beside friends this 154 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:54,120 Speaker 1: summer at the Euro Games that I hadn't seen in 155 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:57,640 Speaker 1: a long time. It was that place for Anthony and Nathan, 156 00:09:58,280 --> 00:10:00,520 Speaker 1: just like it was for so many other families and 157 00:10:00,640 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 1: tournaments the world over. This summer. It's really cool to 158 00:10:03,640 --> 00:10:06,719 Speaker 1: be able to take my son too. You know, this 159 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:10,360 Speaker 1: big stadium, lots of people, are really good atmosphere, really 160 00:10:10,400 --> 00:10:14,080 Speaker 1: good experience. It felt safe, it felt welcoming, it felt warm, 161 00:10:14,120 --> 00:10:17,240 Speaker 1: which I have definitely not had every men's football game 162 00:10:17,280 --> 00:10:19,560 Speaker 1: I've gone to as someone who's been bottled in the past. 163 00:10:19,840 --> 00:10:22,640 Speaker 1: And I'm just really really big on the fact that 164 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:26,280 Speaker 1: he was excited, he enjoyed himself. He didn't last the 165 00:10:26,280 --> 00:10:28,040 Speaker 1: whole game because you know, he was only little, but 166 00:10:28,559 --> 00:10:31,280 Speaker 1: he got to see some of the very best of 167 00:10:31,360 --> 00:10:34,160 Speaker 1: what they do doing what they do. And you know, 168 00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:36,040 Speaker 1: many many years from now when he can look back 169 00:10:36,240 --> 00:10:38,160 Speaker 1: and say, you know, I remember to go into that 170 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:40,040 Speaker 1: with dad, and we've got the program and stuff, so 171 00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:42,560 Speaker 1: hopefully would be really cool, and hopefully we can we 172 00:10:42,559 --> 00:10:45,080 Speaker 1: can have many more days, many more days like that. 173 00:10:45,679 --> 00:10:48,800 Speaker 1: When we look back on the summer of the first 174 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:52,600 Speaker 1: big summer of international travel after the pandemic, We're going 175 00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:56,280 Speaker 1: to think about these moments in women's soccer. Record turnout, 176 00:10:56,720 --> 00:11:00,240 Speaker 1: electric crowds of fans from all walks of life, and 177 00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:03,280 Speaker 1: the next generation of talent leaving their mark on the game. 178 00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:07,400 Speaker 1: This is a watershed moment. For women's soccer, a breakthrough 179 00:11:07,600 --> 00:11:10,800 Speaker 1: when over a hundred years of fighting to see themselves 180 00:11:10,840 --> 00:11:14,560 Speaker 1: represented all feels worth it. The only way to keep 181 00:11:14,600 --> 00:11:18,520 Speaker 1: that feeling alive is to keep showing up in the stadiums, 182 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:22,600 Speaker 1: in pubs, singing your songs, and on the pitch. I'm 183 00:11:22,600 --> 00:11:25,480 Speaker 1: going to take Jackie's advice and get ready for club season, 184 00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:50,240 Speaker 1: so I'll see you at the game. What's What's tools Change? 185 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:01,440 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening, and a reminder to please rate and 186 00:12:01,480 --> 00:12:05,080 Speaker 1: review our show because it helps people find us. Sports 187 00:12:05,120 --> 00:12:08,120 Speaker 1: Illustrated Weekly is a production of Sports Illustrated and I 188 00:12:08,240 --> 00:12:11,800 Speaker 1: Heart Radio. For more podcasts from my Heart Radio, visit 189 00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:14,800 Speaker 1: the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 190 00:12:14,840 --> 00:12:18,240 Speaker 1: get your favorite shows. And for more of Sports Illustrated's 191 00:12:18,280 --> 00:12:22,960 Speaker 1: best stories in podcasts, visit SI dot com. This episode 192 00:12:22,960 --> 00:12:26,160 Speaker 1: of Sports Illustrated Weekly was produced by Me, Jordan Rizzieri, 193 00:12:26,640 --> 00:12:30,200 Speaker 1: Jessica your Moskui, and Isaac Lee, who's also our sound engineer. 194 00:12:30,920 --> 00:12:34,120 Speaker 1: Our senior producers are Dan Bloom and Harry swart Out. 195 00:12:34,559 --> 00:12:38,319 Speaker 1: Our executive producers are Scott Brody and John Gonzalez. Our 196 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:41,960 Speaker 1: theme song is by Nolan Schneider. If you've stuck around 197 00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:50,520 Speaker 1: this long, we leave you with this present and future 198 00:12:50,640 --> 00:12:53,959 Speaker 1: of female fan football culture. I cannot believe I nailed 199 00:12:53,960 --> 00:12:55,079 Speaker 1: that on the first one.