Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ His parents did everything to SHIELD him from the idiot American soccer coaches. He did not play in multiple tournaments or for multiple teams. They guarded his development. So unlike the teams around here traveling out of town for some 'elite' tournament every other weekend and wasting so many nights a week---up to 4---in training that is doing NOTHING for their individual development. They could use more time on their own.

Can't wait to see how the 2005,2006,2007 DA boys grow up, they were were the first ones to be eligible for the U12 DA and could potentially have similar hours of training at 17-18 years of age as their counterparts in European academies. I think then we will be able to see at U20 how many players destined for high-level of college and professional teams continue and then how many of those do break in to the USMNT in their mid-twenties. This experiment will take a while, but if the DA doesn't seem to be bearing fruit by 2030 WC, then it would be safe to say it didn't work. I know, 2030, but what most people don't realize(including myself) is development takes a long time and only flowers for a few years. A great footballer can look at an average of 8-10 years of playing time with 2-3 years in their late twenties as their prime. This excludes the legends of Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar, Henry, Mbappe, Dembele, Pulisic who could potentially have a 15-20 year career, which would mean you would have to start in your late teens as a professional.

Looking at the Club coaches that are doing the training for those DA boys, I wouldn't get my hopes up. It is the same regular old Club travel coaches. Nothing special is going on.

That bolded makes me laugh. It only matters what type and style of training it is (more of what we saw last Tuesday night). The definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Those 9-12 year olds (05-07) would be much better served using a lot of that time on their own.

Loudoun and Arlington DA are playing the same tired way that keeps us getting our a** kicked on the International stage.

LOL no. The reason why the US loses is because they do not have world class athletes. There is a lot of hype with the USMNT. Pulisic is a good player, but he would not make a Bundesliga all star team or play on the the German National team. The rest of the national team are basically minor league players.

The major soccer leagues/national soccer powers all start with great athlete who are great soccer players and cutting from there. The US will continue to underperform because the US does not have world class athletes playing soccer. The best athletes in the US choose other sports. Why would you pick soccer? The clubs here do not promise a path to the premier league but maybe just maybe a college scholarship..LOL! (And you have to pay the club). So you have to leave the country at 13 to play soccer or you can play basketball, football, hockey, track, etc and stay at home. Oh and everyone will know you...because you are a star athlete/big shot in high school( and they pay you or your family).

Everything about your post is wrong.
Pulisic is a world class athlete, and would be playing, or at least getting serious consideration, from any team in the world.
And guess what? With his physique, he wouldn't have a chance in any other major sport, which is why the "US doesn't get their best athletes to play soccer" argument is so stupid.
Great basketball players wouldn't necessarily make great soccer or football players, or vice versa.
Every single player on the USMNT is a world class athlete. We've always had the reputation of having athletic teams, we've just been lacking the technical skill and tactics to be better.
We have 350 million people. Iceland made the world cup with 300,000. We have more than enough world class athletes to go around in every major sport. We probably have more pure world class athletes playing soccer than any other country.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ His parents did everything to SHIELD him from the idiot American soccer coaches. He did not play in multiple tournaments or for multiple teams. They guarded his development. So unlike the teams around here traveling out of town for some 'elite' tournament every other weekend and wasting so many nights a week---up to 4---in training that is doing NOTHING for their individual development. They could use more time on their own.

Can't wait to see how the 2005,2006,2007 DA boys grow up, they were were the first ones to be eligible for the U12 DA and could potentially have similar hours of training at 17-18 years of age as their counterparts in European academies. I think then we will be able to see at U20 how many players destined for high-level of college and professional teams continue and then how many of those do break in to the USMNT in their mid-twenties. This experiment will take a while, but if the DA doesn't seem to be bearing fruit by 2030 WC, then it would be safe to say it didn't work. I know, 2030, but what most people don't realize(including myself) is development takes a long time and only flowers for a few years. A great footballer can look at an average of 8-10 years of playing time with 2-3 years in their late twenties as their prime. This excludes the legends of Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar, Henry, Mbappe, Dembele, Pulisic who could potentially have a 15-20 year career, which would mean you would have to start in your late teens as a professional.

Looking at the Club coaches that are doing the training for those DA boys, I wouldn't get my hopes up. It is the same regular old Club travel coaches. Nothing special is going on.

Is your DS on a DA team? I think we all could benefit from a parent's POV about how the DA at younger ages is structured and executed, anywhere from subs, training times, locations, match day management, cliques, social aspects, etc. Not asking for the dirt, just the details about DA and your DS team dynamics. No need to mention club, age group would help in providing context.

I'll bite. DS is on a local U12 DA. I will say that I'm pleased thus far with how it's going. I know we hear the line "It's not about winning" a lot, but in this case it is 100% true. While the matches are a necessary part of the program, the coach does not put any emphasis on winning the matches. The kids are trained hard the day before a match, sometimes before two weekend matches, and kids are often put in positions that are not their strongest. The kids are consistently placed in uncomfortable situations on the pitch and this really seems to spark development. Regarding the matches, they have been very high quality across the board. It is really good soccer on a weekly basis and the travel has been very manageable.

As for structure, we have two squads that play on the same day against two squads from the other DA. The coaches communicate in the days leading up to the matches and decide what they are trying to accomplish and then prepare the rosters accordingly. DS gets to play with different combinations of teammates. The matches are usually back-to-back at the same ground, but sometimes the matches play at the same time on adjacent fields. Then the head coach manages each squad for one half and the assistant coach handles the other half. Subs are generally done once or twice per half, but several of the kids play the entire match.

As for training, DS does three sessions during the week. They are set at 90 minutes, but often run closer to two hours. I have been pleased with the quality of the training, but honestly I see no evidence of what makes it DA vs. elite club. I guess we will go to four days a week at U13. There are no tournaments this year and the kids are not allowed to guest play. Any supplemental training must be approved by the coach, but at this point I really don't see any additional time in the schedule for such training. My kid gets more enjoyment at just going to a field on his "off" nights and having a kick-around with his buddies.

From a social aspect, it has been fun to see a lot of familiar faces on the other DAs. Many of the kids know each other from previous teams and supplemental training and it has a nice familiarity to it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ His parents did everything to SHIELD him from the idiot American soccer coaches. He did not play in multiple tournaments or for multiple teams. They guarded his development. So unlike the teams around here traveling out of town for some 'elite' tournament every other weekend and wasting so many nights a week---up to 4---in training that is doing NOTHING for their individual development. They could use more time on their own.

Can't wait to see how the 2005,2006,2007 DA boys grow up, they were were the first ones to be eligible for the U12 DA and could potentially have similar hours of training at 17-18 years of age as their counterparts in European academies. I think then we will be able to see at U20 how many players destined for high-level of college and professional teams continue and then how many of those do break in to the USMNT in their mid-twenties. This experiment will take a while, but if the DA doesn't seem to be bearing fruit by 2030 WC, then it would be safe to say it didn't work. I know, 2030, but what most people don't realize(including myself) is development takes a long time and only flowers for a few years. A great footballer can look at an average of 8-10 years of playing time with 2-3 years in their late twenties as their prime. This excludes the legends of Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar, Henry, Mbappe, Dembele, Pulisic who could potentially have a 15-20 year career, which would mean you would have to start in your late teens as a professional.

Looking at the Club coaches that are doing the training for those DA boys, I wouldn't get my hopes up. It is the same regular old Club travel coaches. Nothing special is going on.

That bolded makes me laugh. It only matters what type and style of training it is (more of what we saw last Tuesday night). The definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Those 9-12 year olds (05-07) would be much better served using a lot of that time on their own.

Loudoun and Arlington DA are playing the same tired way that keeps us getting our a** kicked on the International stage.

LOL no. The reason why the US loses is because they do not have world class athletes. There is a lot of hype with the USMNT. Pulisic is a good player, but he would not make a Bundesliga all star team or play on the the German National team. The rest of the national team are basically minor league players.

The major soccer leagues/national soccer powers all start with great athlete who are great soccer players and cutting from there. The US will continue to underperform because the US does not have world class athletes playing soccer. The best athletes in the US choose other sports. Why would you pick soccer? The clubs here do not promise a path to the premier league but maybe just maybe a college scholarship..LOL! (And you have to pay the club). So you have to leave the country at 13 to play soccer or you can play basketball, football, hockey, track, etc and stay at home. Oh and everyone will know you...because you are a star athlete/big shot in high school( and they pay you or your family).

Anonymous wrote:^^that is a common expression and apropos for describing US soccer.

That quote is from Albert Einstein, btw.

^^ No, it's not, btw.
Frequently misattributed to him.

^^that is a common expression and apropos for describing US soccer.

That quote is from Albert Einstein, btw.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ His parents did everything to SHIELD him from the idiot American soccer coaches. He did not play in multiple tournaments or for multiple teams. They guarded his development. So unlike the teams around here traveling out of town for some 'elite' tournament every other weekend and wasting so many nights a week---up to 4---in training that is doing NOTHING for their individual development. They could use more time on their own.

Can't wait to see how the 2005,2006,2007 DA boys grow up, they were were the first ones to be eligible for the U12 DA and could potentially have similar hours of training at 17-18 years of age as their counterparts in European academies. I think then we will be able to see at U20 how many players destined for high-level of college and professional teams continue and then how many of those do break in to the USMNT in their mid-twenties. This experiment will take a while, but if the DA doesn't seem to be bearing fruit by 2030 WC, then it would be safe to say it didn't work. I know, 2030, but what most people don't realize(including myself) is development takes a long time and only flowers for a few years. A great footballer can look at an average of 8-10 years of playing time with 2-3 years in their late twenties as their prime. This excludes the legends of Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar, Henry, Mbappe, Dembele, Pulisic who could potentially have a 15-20 year career, which would mean you would have to start in your late teens as a professional.

Looking at the Club coaches that are doing the training for those DA boys, I wouldn't get my hopes up. It is the same regular old Club travel coaches. Nothing special is going on.

That bolded makes me laugh. It only matters what type and style of training it is (more of what we saw last Tuesday night). The definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Those 9-12 year olds (05-07) would be much better served using a lot of that time on their own.

Loudoun and Arlington DA are playing the same tired way that keeps us getting our a** kicked on the International stage.

STOP QUOTING TWELLMAN!!! By the way look up INSANITY in dictionary, that is NOT the definition.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ His parents did everything to SHIELD him from the idiot American soccer coaches. He did not play in multiple tournaments or for multiple teams. They guarded his development. So unlike the teams around here traveling out of town for some 'elite' tournament every other weekend and wasting so many nights a week---up to 4---in training that is doing NOTHING for their individual development. They could use more time on their own.

Can't wait to see how the 2005,2006,2007 DA boys grow up, they were were the first ones to be eligible for the U12 DA and could potentially have similar hours of training at 17-18 years of age as their counterparts in European academies. I think then we will be able to see at U20 how many players destined for high-level of college and professional teams continue and then how many of those do break in to the USMNT in their mid-twenties. This experiment will take a while, but if the DA doesn't seem to be bearing fruit by 2030 WC, then it would be safe to say it didn't work. I know, 2030, but what most people don't realize(including myself) is development takes a long time and only flowers for a few years. A great footballer can look at an average of 8-10 years of playing time with 2-3 years in their late twenties as their prime. This excludes the legends of Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar, Henry, Mbappe, Dembele, Pulisic who could potentially have a 15-20 year career, which would mean you would have to start in your late teens as a professional.

Looking at the Club coaches that are doing the training for those DA boys, I wouldn't get my hopes up. It is the same regular old Club travel coaches. Nothing special is going on.

That bolded makes me laugh. It only matters what type and style of training it is (more of what we saw last Tuesday night). The definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Those 9-12 year olds (05-07) would be much better served using a lot of that time on their own.

Loudoun and Arlington DA are playing the same tired way that keeps us getting our a** kicked on the International stage.

My son would be able to identify these statements as opinions, and not facts. Essentially all we have here are opinions, it woudln't hurt to sprinkle in some facts about why you think DA training is garbage.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ His parents did everything to SHIELD him from the idiot American soccer coaches. He did not play in multiple tournaments or for multiple teams. They guarded his development. So unlike the teams around here traveling out of town for some 'elite' tournament every other weekend and wasting so many nights a week---up to 4---in training that is doing NOTHING for their individual development. They could use more time on their own.

Can't wait to see how the 2005,2006,2007 DA boys grow up, they were were the first ones to be eligible for the U12 DA and could potentially have similar hours of training at 17-18 years of age as their counterparts in European academies. I think then we will be able to see at U20 how many players destined for high-level of college and professional teams continue and then how many of those do break in to the USMNT in their mid-twenties. This experiment will take a while, but if the DA doesn't seem to be bearing fruit by 2030 WC, then it would be safe to say it didn't work. I know, 2030, but what most people don't realize(including myself) is development takes a long time and only flowers for a few years. A great footballer can look at an average of 8-10 years of playing time with 2-3 years in their late twenties as their prime. This excludes the legends of Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar, Henry, Mbappe, Dembele, Pulisic who could potentially have a 15-20 year career, which would mean you would have to start in your late teens as a professional.

Looking at the Club coaches that are doing the training for those DA boys, I wouldn't get my hopes up. It is the same regular old Club travel coaches. Nothing special is going on.

Is your DS on a DA team? I think we all could benefit from a parent's POV about how the DA at younger ages is structured and executed, anywhere from subs, training times, locations, match day management, cliques, social aspects, etc. Not asking for the dirt, just the details about DA and your DS team dynamics. No need to mention club, age group would help in providing context.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ His parents did everything to SHIELD him from the idiot American soccer coaches. He did not play in multiple tournaments or for multiple teams. They guarded his development. So unlike the teams around here traveling out of town for some 'elite' tournament every other weekend and wasting so many nights a week---up to 4---in training that is doing NOTHING for their individual development. They could use more time on their own.

Can't wait to see how the 2005,2006,2007 DA boys grow up, they were were the first ones to be eligible for the U12 DA and could potentially have similar hours of training at 17-18 years of age as their counterparts in European academies. I think then we will be able to see at U20 how many players destined for high-level of college and professional teams continue and then how many of those do break in to the USMNT in their mid-twenties. This experiment will take a while, but if the DA doesn't seem to be bearing fruit by 2030 WC, then it would be safe to say it didn't work. I know, 2030, but what most people don't realize(including myself) is development takes a long time and only flowers for a few years. A great footballer can look at an average of 8-10 years of playing time with 2-3 years in their late twenties as their prime. This excludes the legends of Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar, Henry, Mbappe, Dembele, Pulisic who could potentially have a 15-20 year career, which would mean you would have to start in your late teens as a professional.

Looking at the Club coaches that are doing the training for those DA boys, I wouldn't get my hopes up. It is the same regular old Club travel coaches. Nothing special is going on.

That bolded makes me laugh. It only matters what type and style of training it is (more of what we saw last Tuesday night). The definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Those 9-12 year olds (05-07) would be much better served using a lot of that time on their own.

Loudoun and Arlington DA are playing the same tired way that keeps us getting our a** kicked on the International stage.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ His parents did everything to SHIELD him from the idiot American soccer coaches. He did not play in multiple tournaments or for multiple teams. They guarded his development. So unlike the teams around here traveling out of town for some 'elite' tournament every other weekend and wasting so many nights a week---up to 4---in training that is doing NOTHING for their individual development. They could use more time on their own.

Can't wait to see how the 2005,2006,2007 DA boys grow up, they were were the first ones to be eligible for the U12 DA and could potentially have similar hours of training at 17-18 years of age as their counterparts in European academies. I think then we will be able to see at U20 how many players destined for high-level of college and professional teams continue and then how many of those do break in to the USMNT in their mid-twenties. This experiment will take a while, but if the DA doesn't seem to be bearing fruit by 2030 WC, then it would be safe to say it didn't work. I know, 2030, but what most people don't realize(including myself) is development takes a long time and only flowers for a few years. A great footballer can look at an average of 8-10 years of playing time with 2-3 years in their late twenties as their prime. This excludes the legends of Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar, Henry, Mbappe, Dembele, Pulisic who could potentially have a 15-20 year career, which would mean you would have to start in your late teens as a professional.

Looking at the Club coaches that are doing the training for those DA boys, I wouldn't get my hopes up. It is the same regular old Club travel coaches. Nothing special is going on.

Anonymous wrote:^^ His parents did everything to SHIELD him from the idiot American soccer coaches. He did not play in multiple tournaments or for multiple teams. They guarded his development. So unlike the teams around here traveling out of town for some 'elite' tournament every other weekend and wasting so many nights a week---up to 4---in training that is doing NOTHING for their individual development. They could use more time on their own.

Can't wait to see how the 2005,2006,2007 DA boys grow up, they were were the first ones to be eligible for the U12 DA and could potentially have similar hours of training at 17-18 years of age as their counterparts in European academies. I think then we will be able to see at U20 how many players destined for high-level of college and professional teams continue and then how many of those do break in to the USMNT in their mid-twenties. This experiment will take a while, but if the DA doesn't seem to be bearing fruit by 2030 WC, then it would be safe to say it didn't work. I know, 2030, but what most people don't realize(including myself) is development takes a long time and only flowers for a few years. A great footballer can look at an average of 8-10 years of playing time with 2-3 years in their late twenties as their prime. This excludes the legends of Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar, Henry, Mbappe, Dembele, Pulisic who could potentially have a 15-20 year career, which would mean you would have to start in your late teens as a professional.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:how come the US can produce top women's teams but not men's in the current system?

Please read the entire thread before asking the same question over and over again.

US Women started playing soccer decades before all other Countries. They got their *ss handed to them at the last Olympics and lost. As these other Nations (the real soccer nations) catch-up, the US women are going to suffer the same fate because they rely on the same shitty physical style as the USMNT.

not according to SI https://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2015/06/09/womens-soccer-world-cup-history-evolution#

In the 20th century, women began to play more regularly. During the First World War in Britain, as women were drawn into munitions factories and into the professions, they emerged on the field as well. Female matches took center stage between 1917 and 1921, with teams playing in front of large crowds—usually between 25,000 and 55,000 people. Players like Lily Parr became household names. On Boxing Day, 1917, the first England vs. Ireland international took place in Belfast with representative female players from each country. An England versus Scotland match took place in 1918, and England played France in 1920.

Gradually, however, a whole new generation of young women begin playing football more extensively than ever before. In 1970, a Women’s World Cup was organized independently in Italy, and in 1971 a second took place in Mexico City. Matches were played in the 100,000-person capacity Estadio Azteca, which was filled to capacity for some of the games. In the United States, the 1972 Title IX legislation was a game-changer, spurring on the development of women’s soccer programs at universities, which became the foundation for successful national teams.

For chrissakes, would you be REAL for a second. None of those countries had legitimate women's soccer programs. English, Mexicans, Italians, Argentinians felt Futbol was for males. There was not a large contingent playing. Flash to 1975, when I started playing soccer in this area and there were tons of young girls playing. Travel programs were huge. WAGs was started. It was a hotbed of women's soccer and there were National Championships in the early 80s. It was in HS and all over. You can Wikipedia all you like, but the history is not there. They might have had some matches, but NO there were not organized leagues to any extent like was happening in the US in the same time period.

There was even a special reiterating my point during the last Women's World Cup and with actual interviews of women from many top soccer countries that stated how much flak they took and how male-dominated the sport was even in the last decade. I assumed you watched since you are such a huge women's soccer fan.

so you're basically saying there're more women playing organized soccer in the US than the rest of world, not US Women started playing soccer decades before all other Countries, thanks for clarifying it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:how come the US can produce top women's teams but not men's in the current system?

Please read the entire thread before asking the same question over and over again.

US Women started playing soccer decades before all other Countries. They got their *ss handed to them at the last Olympics and lost. As these other Nations (the real soccer nations) catch-up, the US women are going to suffer the same fate because they rely on the same shitty physical style as the USMNT.

not according to SI https://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2015/06/09/womens-soccer-world-cup-history-evolution#

In the 20th century, women began to play more regularly. During the First World War in Britain, as women were drawn into munitions factories and into the professions, they emerged on the field as well. Female matches took center stage between 1917 and 1921, with teams playing in front of large crowds—usually between 25,000 and 55,000 people. Players like Lily Parr became household names. On Boxing Day, 1917, the first England vs. Ireland international took place in Belfast with representative female players from each country. An England versus Scotland match took place in 1918, and England played France in 1920.

Gradually, however, a whole new generation of young women begin playing football more extensively than ever before. In 1970, a Women’s World Cup was organized independently in Italy, and in 1971 a second took place in Mexico City. Matches were played in the 100,000-person capacity Estadio Azteca, which was filled to capacity for some of the games. In the United States, the 1972 Title IX legislation was a game-changer, spurring on the development of women’s soccer programs at universities, which became the foundation for successful national teams.

For chrissakes, would you be REAL for a second. None of those countries had legitimate women's soccer programs. English, Mexicans, Italians, Argentinians felt Futbol was for males. There was not a large contingent playing. Flash to 1975, when I started playing soccer in this area and there were tons of young girls playing. Travel programs were huge. WAGs was started. It was a hotbed of women's soccer and there were National Championships in the early 80s. It was in HS and all over. You can Wikipedia all you like, but the history is not there. They might have had some matches, but NO there were not organized leagues to any extent like was happening in the US in the same time period.

There was even a special reiterating my point during the last Women's World Cup and with actual interviews of women from many top soccer countries that stated how much flak they took and how male-dominated the sport was even in the last decade. I assumed you watched since you are such a huge women's soccer fan.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:how come the US can produce top women's teams but not men's in the current system?

Please read the entire thread before asking the same question over and over again.

US Women started playing soccer decades before all other Countries. They got their *ss handed to them at the last Olympics and lost. As these other Nations (the real soccer nations) catch-up, the US women are going to suffer the same fate because they rely on the same shitty physical style as the USMNT.

not according to SI https://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2015/06/09/womens-soccer-world-cup-history-evolution#

In the 20th century, women began to play more regularly. During the First World War in Britain, as women were drawn into munitions factories and into the professions, they emerged on the field as well. Female matches took center stage between 1917 and 1921, with teams playing in front of large crowds—usually between 25,000 and 55,000 people. Players like Lily Parr became household names. On Boxing Day, 1917, the first England vs. Ireland international took place in Belfast with representative female players from each country. An England versus Scotland match took place in 1918, and England played France in 1920.

Gradually, however, a whole new generation of young women begin playing football more extensively than ever before. In 1970, a Women’s World Cup was organized independently in Italy, and in 1971 a second took place in Mexico City. Matches were played in the 100,000-person capacity Estadio Azteca, which was filled to capacity for some of the games. In the United States, the 1972 Title IX legislation was a game-changer, spurring on the development of women’s soccer programs at universities, which became the foundation for successful national teams.

Seriously just stop. The US women are behind the rest of the world right now. It was a nice story, but it has come to an end. The best women(US women included) play in Europe not the US. There is another thread on this.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:how come the US can produce top women's teams but not men's in the current system?

Please read the entire thread before asking the same question over and over again.

US Women started playing soccer decades before all other Countries. They got their *ss handed to them at the last Olympics and lost. As these other Nations (the real soccer nations) catch-up, the US women are going to suffer the same fate because they rely on the same shitty physical style as the USMNT.

not according to SI https://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2015/06/09/womens-soccer-world-cup-history-evolution#

In the 20th century, women began to play more regularly. During the First World War in Britain, as women were drawn into munitions factories and into the professions, they emerged on the field as well. Female matches took center stage between 1917 and 1921, with teams playing in front of large crowds—usually between 25,000 and 55,000 people. Players like Lily Parr became household names. On Boxing Day, 1917, the first England vs. Ireland international took place in Belfast with representative female players from each country. An England versus Scotland match took place in 1918, and England played France in 1920.

Gradually, however, a whole new generation of young women begin playing football more extensively than ever before. In 1970, a Women’s World Cup was organized independently in Italy, and in 1971 a second took place in Mexico City. Matches were played in the 100,000-person capacity Estadio Azteca, which was filled to capacity for some of the games. In the United States, the 1972 Title IX legislation was a game-changer, spurring on the development of women’s soccer programs at universities, which became the foundation for successful national teams.