Champions:
1st place: United States; 2nd place: Holland; 3rd place: Sweden
Queens of the Audience
One day the men in suits will understand
The World Cup in France has already paid off the women's global fight for equity. FIFA endorsed some of the category's claims, pressuring local federations for changes. The scenario became more favorable, it broke barriers to increase the popularity of women's football, professionalize players, increase the presence of professional women in technical teams and on television broadcasts. In Brazil, SporTV broadcast 96% of the competition live, with female narrators and commentators and a growing audience with each game.Around the world, the event reached historic heights: it was the spectators' Cup.
The Brazilian team fell in the round of 16 against the French hosts in an unforgettable battle, but the modality came out strengthened. That same year, CONMEBOL began to demand that clubs participating in its championships maintain female teams – something unprecedented. The Holland reached a Cup final for the first time, and it was against the victorious US team. The result, in turn, was the most predictable, with the US team taking another cup home after a 2-0 victory.
BOX
One of the best players in the world, Norwegian Ada Hegerberg, has refused to play for her country's national team since 2018. The denial was a protest against the inferior remuneration and conditions given to women's football by the Norwegian federation. The flag, created by artists Will Bindley and Eugene Noble, turned a quote from the player into a fight icon: “one day the men in suits will understand”. The work was produced on the occasion of the French Cup for the National Football Museum, in England. The fight is still far from over.
History:
Formiga
The 2019 edition was the seventh Cup contested by Formiga, or simply Fu, as she is affectionately called by her teammates. No other athlete, regardless of gender, has achieved such constancy and longevity in the national team. At the age of 41, she participated in her last Cup with a performance in her style: running and battling for every ball. The soteropolitan defensive midfielder is unanimity when the subject is cooperation — a value that dialogues with the culture of capoeira (Brazilian fight) of which she is also a practitioner. From her hard-working spirit, great physical strength and persistence came her teenage nickname, Formiga, which she didn't like, but which she ended up adopting. She made football history with her humility and group conscience – the admirable kind of strength that observing nature also inspires.
Curiosities:
– Reggae Girlz: the Jamaican team debuted in the tournament with financial help from Cedella Marley, daughter of Bob Marley.
– VAR is used for the first time.