Unless you've been living under a rock, you should know that the Women's World Cup has been happening this summer. While women's football doesn't always garner the same attention as men's, this tournament serves as a reminder for how far we've come in the world of women's sports—and how far we still have to go!
Whether you've been watching the matches or keeping up with the headlines or have no idea who is even in the competition, it is worth knowing how many memorable moments this World Cup has brought us and how many more await past this round of 16.
1. Marta of Brazil becomes top scorer in World Cup history.
Yes, this is across all World Cups! This formidable woman is breaking records all over the place.
2. The US win with a record of 13 goals against Thailand.
This victory breaks out the previous World Cup record of Germany versus Argentina (11-0). While some may argue that the players went too far with their celebrations, it is still fair to say that they deserve the credit for their power and ability to both break this record and not crumple under the title of previous world champions.
3. Christiane Endler's incredible form against the US keeps her team in the game.
While the game ended in a 3-0 loss for Chile, the goalkeeper was a sight to see as she blocked shots from the relentless opponents. She was a powerhouse in this game, and we were all sad to see her go. (Her club is PSG, and they're certainly lucky to have her.)
4. Nigeria stage sit-in over unpaid bonuses.
Unfortunately, situations like these show just how far these women have come to have made it here, and they still have to overcome so much. The players claimed they were owed bonuses from two games, but have only been paid half of the $5,600 they were owed.
5. The ratings on each continent have been the highest for women's football.
Keep on watching, and the world of women in sports will continue to improve!
6. Cristiane and Formiga of Brazil break records of their own.
Cristiane becomes the oldest player to score a hattrick in a World Cup ever! And Formiga has played the most World Cups ever! Brazil has a team of legends.
7. Argentina maintains a tie against Japan and earns a point.
If you want to know why this game mattered so much to the Argentinian women, you should read this Tumblr post here. The gist is that these women have been treated unfairly by their federation for so long, shrugged off as "amateurs" and not being offered their deserved professional contracts. To everyone else, it's just a tie, but for them, it's so much more. It's the success of all they fought against to make it there, and the greatest metaphorical middle finger to the AFA.
8. Vivianne Miedema of the Netherlands goes viral online for an interview in which she's shocked that the interviewer thinks she's straight.
Not an ideal son-in-law, but an ideal daughter-in-law! What an icon. Even though this isn't exactly a World Cup moment, it does warm my heart that these women are so open and proud about their sexualities in a sport in which LGBT+ acceptance isn't the norm.
This World Cup is still far from over, and there's so much more to come. But let's take this moment to appreciate everything that has happened so far, because let's be honest: all of these women are winners.
