The iconic game that made sports history on July 5, 2015, is helping change the way America--and the world--sees women’s sports. The U.S. National Women’s Soccer Team dominated Japan with a final score of 5 to 2 and brought home the Women’s World Cup to the United States.
There were many memorable moments in this outstanding game. Carli Lloyd will be remembered for scoring 3 goals in the first 16 minutes of the game. Most importantly, the entire U.S. National Women’s Soccer Team will be remembered as true athletes who fought for a goal and scored big time.
Women’s sports are still hidden in the shadows of men’s sports. This championship brought the attention to women’s soccer that can change the way people think of soccer in particular and women’s sports in general. These women are not just female athletes. They are world-class champions. A New York City ticker tape parade, TV appearances, and endorsements are helping more female athletes get the recognition and respect that they deserve.
25.4 million people watched the championship. This set the record for the most watched soccer game in the U.S. In addition, 2.9 million tweets were posted about the game in the first six hours after it started. Fans are still tweeting about it weeks later.
Despite their superior achievements, economically women’s sports still lag behind men’s. The U.S. National Men’s Soccer Team has only made it to the quarterfinals once, in 2002. On the other hand, the women’s team has never finished out of the top three since the World Cup started in 1991. However, the women’s team received $2 million for their outstanding championship this year while the men’s team got $9 million, more than four times the women’s earnings, for only placing 11th in 2014. What makes the women’s team less deserving? Is it simply because they are women?
The 2015 Women’s World Cup winning not only promotes respect for all professional female athletes. This game also inspires young female athletes to follow their dreams. It will show them that they have the potential to succeed as well as the boys. And that they, too, can set a goal and score.
The fantastic performance of teamwork and physical and mental strength shown by the U.S. National Women’s Soccer Team proves that women’s sports deserve more respect. And after this renowned championship they are now receiving the respect they rightfully earned. Although economically there is still some inequity, the amazing athletes of the U.S. National Women’s Soccer Team successfully broke the gender boundary of the sports world.
