Football World Championship 2011

Many of you might ask now a world championship this year? That is not possible! But yes it is. The best 16 teams of the world currently play the 6th womens football world championship in Germany.

Since the 26th june till 17th july the worlds bests ladies will fight for honor, respect and as well to be world champions. The history of womens football is like a roller coaster and there is still not the acceptance and respect as there should be.

History of womens football

Whilst in England the women started early to play football (around 1895) in Germany and other countries it was an absolutely no-go. There was already some minor forms but it wasn’t accepted. The biggest step was made between the world wars where womens football got a little boom. Though in a lot of countries it got forbidden again and it was a long fight for the women of this world to play football on a proffessional level, to play matches against each other, to have cups and acceptance. But they played illegal in groups that was not under the several football ascociations. 1969 was the first inofficial womens football wc organized by Martini & Rossi. Since around 1970 in most of the countries women were allowed again to play in cups, use the stadiums and have organized matches. 1971  UEFA suggested to take back the womens football.

Now, only 20 years ago there was the first world championship for womens football ever. 1991, though like a little revolution, the first wc was played in China. Since 1996 womens football became a part of the olympic games. In the season 2001/2002 UEFA organized the first UEFA Women’s Cup which got 09/10 renamed in UEFA Women’s Champions League. As well in South America since 2009 we have the Copa Libertadores Femenina which is organized by the CONMEBOL.

The name of womens football, the acceptance and renown level is growing steady. Already 10% of the active footballers are women, in the states there are actually 40% of active women footballers.

History of the womens football world championship

China was the first country where an official women football wc took part. 1991 played 12 teams against each other to find the best of them. In the final match USA could beat Norway with 2:1 and the match for place 3 ended 4:0 for Sweden against the german ladies.
The match time here was 2×40 minutes with 2×10 minutes overtime if needed.

1995 Sweden had the wc. The final match was won by Norway against Germany with 2:0 and the match for the third place was won 2:0 by USA against China.

1999 the wc was played in the United States and USA and China met each other in the final match which ended 0:0 in the official play time. USA could beat China 5:4 after penalty shoot out. The third place was taken by Brazil which played as well 0:0 in official play time against Norway and could take the victory after the penalty shoot out with 5:4.
In this year 16 teams were allowed to start and there was given a new trophy.

Germany could take the first time the trophy 2003 in USA against Sweden with a golden goal and 2:1 result. In the match about place 3 USA met Canada and left the pitch with a 3:1 victory.

2007 in China Germany faced in the final match Brazil and beat them 2:0 whilst the ladies from USA beated Norway 4:1 in the match for place 3.
As well this was the first year where the participants received prize-money.

For the wc 2015 there will participate 24 teams in Canada.

The success of womens football is specially to feel in the number of visitors. Whilst in the first championships and in the several Leagues there was only a few hundred visitors in the stadiums now in the league there are a few thousands and the wc matches reached great numbers as well. The highest visitor number was reached at the final match 1999 in Los Angeles with 90.185 . As well the opening match of the current wc had a high number of visitors. The Olympia Stadium in Berlin was fully sold out at the match between Germany and Canada and had 73.680 people in it. In the other matches the numbers will be between 10.000 and 50.000 visitors.

From the first wc till the current one 24 different nations could qualify for the tournament. Only a handfull of them were able to participate in all.

WC Awards since 91

Golden Shoe (Top scorer):
91: Michelle Akers (USA) 10
95: Kristin Aarønes (Norway) 6
99: Sissi (Brazil) and Sund Wen (China) 7
03: Birgit Prinz (Germany) 7
07: Marta (Brazil) 7

Golden Ball, Silver Ball, Bronze Ball (Best Player of the final matches):
91: Golden – Carin Jennings (USA), Silver – Michelle Akers (USA), Bronze – Linda Medalen (Norway)
95: Golden – Hege Riise (Norway), Silver – Gro Espeseth (Norway), Bronze – Ann Kristin Aarønes (Norway)
99: Golden – Sun Wen (China), Silver – Sissi (Brazil), Bronze – Michelle Akers (USA)
03: Golden – Birgit Prinz (Germany), Silver – Victoria Sandell Svensson (Sweden), Bronze – Maren Meinert (Germany)
07: Golden – Marta (Brazil), Silver – Birgit Prinz (Germany), Bronze – Cristiane (Brazil)

Fifa Fair Play Award:
91: Germany
95: Sweden
99: China
03: China
07: Norway

Records of the women football wc (91-07)

longest series without lost: Germany 12 matches (03 and 07 currently continued)
longest series without goal against: Germany 6 matches (07)
Longest winning series: Norway 10 matches (95-99)
Only team reached always the half final: USA
Most Final participations: Germany (95, 03, 07)
Player with most final matches: Birgit Prinz (Germany – 95, 03, 07)
First player with hattrick in a match: Carolina Morace (Italy) 17th november 91 at the 5:1 from Italy vs Chinese-Taipeh
Only player with 5 goals in a match: Michelle Akers (USA) 24th november 91 in the quater final of USA vs Chinese-Taipeh
Fastest Goal: Lena Videkull (Sweden) 19th november against Japan after 30 seconds
Fastest Owngoal: Ifeanyi Chienjine (Nigeria) 24th july 99 against USA in the 2nd minute
Youngest Player: Ifeanyi Chienjine (Nigeria) – 16 years and 34 days at the 20th july 99
Oldest Player: Meg (Brazil) – 39 years and 5 months at the 9th july 95
Record Scorer: Birgit Prinz (Germany) 14

Top 10 participants (only including facts of the last 5 WCs):
Name – Country – Matches – Participations
Kristine Lilly – USA – 30 – 5
Julie Foudy – USA – 24 – 4
Joy Fawcett – USA – 23 – 4
Mia Hamm – USA – 23 – 4
Birgit Prinz – Germany – 23 – 5
Bente Nordby – Norway – 22 – 4
Hege Riise – Norway – 22 – 4
Bettina Wiegeman – Germany – 22 – 4
Sun Wen – China – 20 – 4
Briany Scurry – USA – 19 – 4

The current wc

16 Participants:
Australia – 5th time
Japan – 6th time
North Korea – 4th time
Equatorial Guinea – First time qualified
Nigeria – 6th time
Canada – 5th time
Mexico – 2nd time
USA – 6th time
Brazil – 6th time
Colombia – First time qualified
New Zeeland – 3rd time
England – 3rd time
France – 2nd time
Germany – 6th time
Norway – 6th time
Sweden – 6th time

The system:
After the teams qualified they play in 4 groups with 4 teams. The best 2 teams of each group will reach the final rounds. From here the teams play with the knock out system until the winner is found. If a match ends draw there will be played an overtime if no winner can be found in the overtime a penalty shoot out will be made.

Favorites:
The biggest favorites are USA (which always reached place 1 or 3) and Germany which holds the title since 2 wc’s (03 + 07) and wants to make the hattrick perfect. Other teams that are on the list of the experts are Norway, England, Brazil, South Korea and Japan.

The Groups:

Group A:
Germany – Canada – Nigeria – France

Group B:
Japan – New Zeeland – Mexico – England

Group C:
USA – North Korea – Columbia – Sweden

Group D:
Brazil – Australia – Norway – Equatorial Guinea

Let’s see who can take the most wanted trophy in the womens football at the 6th world championship!

~Sharky

Sources: Wikipedia, several german journals (articles on the internet)