(Newswire.net — July 13, 2015) — The American Women’s national soccer team are all becoming household names following their win in the FIFA 2015 Women’s World Cup Finals, which were held in Canada throughout June. Hammering their way to a convincing victory against Japan in the tournament’s finale, social media was ablaze with support for these national heroines.
America’s Love Affair with Women’s Soccer
While interest in soccer in general has increased massively in the USA since the formation of the MLS, with some teams like the Seattle Sounders regularly filling stadiums with crowds to match those seen in the English Premier League or Spain’s La Liga, and big stars of the game like Kaka and Frank Lampard headed for the USA, men’s soccer is still a long way behind other parts of the world like Europe, South America and Africa in terms of support. However, women’s soccer, conversely, is considerably more popular in America than anywhere else!
The World’s Only Celebrity Female Soccer Stars
In the USA, long before the World Cup 2015 campaign, or even the London Olympic gold win in 2012, it was not uncommon for female soccer players to appear on TV commercials just the same as other sport stars. Players like Abby Wambach and Alex Morgan were already big stars in US sport, who most sports fans could recognize, and since the World Cup, fame has grown for the whole team. In other parts of the world, even those like Spain, Italy, Germany and the UK where soccer is easily the biggest sport there is, most people would be hard pressed to name even a single female player. This was shown in the movie Bend It Like Beckham, which was about girls who played soccer in England. At the end of the movie, the stars move to America so they can have a chance at a good career.
What Does This Mean for Aspiring Ladies Soccer Players Around the World?
While to play for the US women’s national team, it is pretty implicit that you have to be American, there are plenty more opportunities for women to receive the recognition they deserve for playing soccer if they have their careers in the US. There is now a strong women’s professional league, which attracts a lot of support and interest (as this is where fans get to see their national team idols play at club level). Young talented players from around the world then, may want to consider programs like to to sports scholarships by asmscholarships.com to introduce them into the US sports infrastructure.
Women’s soccer in the USA is already big, and only set to get bigger. For young international players, going to the US can mean a chance to play with stars at the top of their game, great support, coaching and infrastructure, and a real opportunity to make a name for themselves. Joining a US college on a scholarship program for sports can be a good way to get into US soccer.