World Cup at the end.
So this wonderful world championship has flown by (my mother now demands that it be held at least every year). This is probably one of those few situations where reality exceeded expectations, and not the other way around! I accidentally came across a video of people on the street watching the penalty shootout in the Australia-France game (a huge crowd screaming, worrying and cheering for their country). I think this is one of the indicators that the current World Cup is two heads above all the previous ones.
In principle, all the surprises ended in the group stage, and in the playoffs there were no super sensations. Who was supposed to win – he continued. With the exception, perhaps, of the Sweden-USA match, as the Americans are the reigning World Cup winners. But for this tournament I would say that his exit to the round of 16 is very natural. The way they flew is of course a shock! First, Megan Rapino (the legend of legends) misses the goal, then hers and others collect a series of missed penalties, and in the end, the US goalkeeper literally missed a millimeter during the save so the ball didn’t make it. . he crosses the goal line after hitting Hurtig (luck of the year). And only the automatic detection of a goal sent Sweden further.
World Drama Champion:
The fate of the USA in the World Cup was decided by millimeters! The rarest case in a penalty shootout
And, of course, the departure from Japan of the same Swedes, for me personally, was very unexpected and offensive. But the beautiful representatives of the sakura country definitely won more than one heart.
There were so emotional penalty kicks in this tournament! This is precisely why we love football: nerves, intrigue, tears of happiness, bitterness from defeat and a host of different emotions. During the 11 meter match in France – Australia, my mother texted me: “I have no strength, no nerves, nothing.” These are the feelings that the Women’s World Cup evokes!
Penalty series in the match Australia – France
Photo: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images
Spain and England reached the final, for the first time in their history! And the Australians (one of the hosts of the tournament) reached the match for third place. But unfortunately the fairy tale didn’t work and Sweden took the bronze medals. Although for the Socceroos team (as the Australian team is called: football – football, kangaroo – kangaroo), this is a great success. I’m sure it was a real treat for the fans.
Based on a large number of factors, this World Cup is exciting!
I think a lot of people would be interested in hearing my teammates’ thoughts on this tournament. That’s why I spoke to Mary-Ann Ezenagu (plays for the Nigerian national team) and two of our girls, Katya Pantyukhina and Nadia Ilyinykh. I tried to find out all the most interesting.
Mary, of course, supported her country, Nigeria. In addition, she also supported the England team. We argue with her: if England wins in the final, then I do a manicure with her name – Mary, and if Spain (which I supported), then, accordingly, she will do the same with my name and write Nikki.
His best 3 in this World Cup are Sam Kerr (Australia), Rashidat Ajibade (Nigeria) and Alexia Putellas (Spain). I also wanted to name Lauren James (England), but after the red card incident, I changed my mind.
Spoiler alert: now Mary has a cool manicure with my name on it.
And this is what Katya Pantyukhina said:
Ekaterina Pantyukhina
WFC Zenit footballer
“The World Cup is an interesting tournament. It is a pity that we (the Russian team) do not participate there. It’s great that Match TV showed almost every game and every match was in the public domain. Why has European football surpassed American football? I have always said that the girls from Europe are stronger because there are many good teams and the competition is much bigger: Spain, England, Germany, Sweden, France and many others. And in America, one might say, one team – the United States. I watched many games and I can say that all the teams have learned to defend tactically. Surprised by the Australian team, reaching the semifinals for the first time. Of course, they had additional motivation, because they were playing at home. I really liked the character of her and despite the presence of one of the biggest stars on the team, Sam Kerr, they looked very balanced and there was no feeling that they were just playing for her. I’m more impressed with the England team, so in the final I supported them.
Sam Carr vs. Sweden
Photo: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images
Nadya Ilyinykh supported Brazil from the beginning of the tournament, but after their elimination in the group stage, she started supporting the Swedish national team. I would like to remind you that once the forward of the Swedish national team Sofia Jacobsson played for Rossiyanka, and many girls who are now playing in the Super League met her on Russian football fields.
Nadya also noted that there were many matches where it was very difficult for potential favorites to open up the opponent’s defense. And more and more goals do not come from individual mistakes, but from interesting and complex combinations. Above all, he remembered the Spain-Japan match (among many others), when the Japanese escaped in four super counterattacks and scored four goals for the very Spanish who were proclaimed champions. (How does it work in soccer? Unknown).
In his opinion, Kosovare Asllani (Sweden), Hinata Miyazawa (Japan), Sam Kerr (Australia) are the best in this tournament. In the final, Nadya opted for tiki-taka, that is, for Spain.
sophia jacobsson
Photo: Buda Mendes/Getty Images
This is how my workshop colleagues remembered this World Cup.
Finally, about the finale!
Hurrah! The Spanish team is the women’s soccer world champion! The U17, U20 teams won against them, and now it’s time for the main team to write their name in history! By the way, rising star Salma Paraluelo plays there, the first player to win gold in all three World Cups.
Another significant figure of this team is 23-year-old Olga Carmona, who at such a young age became the captain and scored decisive goals in the semifinals and finals (I remember her well from the junior and youth teams). She lived in one night, probably the happiest and saddest moment of her life. She became the winner of the World Championship and immediately after the final she found out about the death of her father.
olga carmona
Photo: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images
The Spanish deserved this victory and they achieved it for a long, long time. It seems to me that they also won due to teamwork and mutual understanding, since only in the first team there were seven people from one club – Barcelona.
England is probably the strongest possible opponent in this World Cup. So the ending turned out to be interesting and unpredictable. And surely Sarina Wigman (the coach of the England team, who won Euro 2022 with them, and Euro 2017 with the Netherlands) will continue to wear it and will be in the World Cup more than once (perhaps already with the men’s team). . Precisely this time it was the best moment of the Spanish team, as it happens.
I know for sure that this huge step forward in the development of women’s football is only the beginning. As they say – “more – more.” Watch women’s soccer, love women’s soccer, enjoy women’s soccer. It’s cool, it’s interesting, it’s addictive.
The decisive match of the tournament – minute by minute:
