Kudos to the US women for the great victory over Germany last night. They will be favorites in the final. US women have been excellent and even dominant in World Cup play for a few decades now. US men have gradually gotten more competitive, but never to the top or even that close. Why the difference? What are the dynamics?
Soccer is something like the 6th most popular sport in the US by money and fan interest, but obviously dominates the world. Soccer is the most popular and widely played sport by women now in the US. It is my opinion that the US' best male athletes who might have had the greatest soccer potential play the other more popular sports instead. US culture just values the game less though soccer interest has a gradual growth pattern.
I read that most other nations around the world either ignore or have a disdain for women's soccer, though they are obsessed with the men's game. A cultural thing.
Thoughts?
BTW, a shout out to Morgan Brian, the youngest player on the women's national team and midfielder, who is a casual friend of my daughter and co-alumnus of Frederica Academy, St Simons Island, GA. Morgan was Parade Magazine national HS female athlete of the year. She was ACC FR of the year at UVA, 3 time All-American, and just announced yesterday as the ACC overall female athlete of the year. Fiirst player drafted in the recent professional womens pro league. She is the one who had the major head smash at midfield stopping the game for the concussion check and stopping the German girl's scalp bleeding. She has appeared in all the games I believe and started and played all of 3 games. #14 jersey if you want to look for her in the championship game.
Soccer is something like the 6th most popular sport in the US by money and fan interest, but obviously dominates the world. Soccer is the most popular and widely played sport by women now in the US. It is my opinion that the US' best male athletes who might have had the greatest soccer potential play the other more popular sports instead. US culture just values the game less though soccer interest has a gradual growth pattern.
I read that most other nations around the world either ignore or have a disdain for women's soccer, though they are obsessed with the men's game. A cultural thing.
Thoughts?
BTW, a shout out to Morgan Brian, the youngest player on the women's national team and midfielder, who is a casual friend of my daughter and co-alumnus of Frederica Academy, St Simons Island, GA. Morgan was Parade Magazine national HS female athlete of the year. She was ACC FR of the year at UVA, 3 time All-American, and just announced yesterday as the ACC overall female athlete of the year. Fiirst player drafted in the recent professional womens pro league. She is the one who had the major head smash at midfield stopping the game for the concussion check and stopping the German girl's scalp bleeding. She has appeared in all the games I believe and started and played all of 3 games. #14 jersey if you want to look for her in the championship game.
