players’
Vivek Chaudhary
The likes of David Beckham, Alan Shearer and Ronaldo may be idolised on and off the pitch and earn millions of pounds each year. But as far as Fifa, world football’s governing body, is concerned, the future is female.
In a surprise attack on male professional football, industry delegates at a conference on the sport were told that Fifa believes the future of the game lies with women players because they are not as greedy as their male counterparts and generally are much nicer on and off the pitch.
With millions of women playing the game around the world and the recent success of the Women’s World Cup in the United States, which drew huge crowds, Fifa delegate Keith Cooper announced that the organisation would actively promote women’s football.
Speaking on the subject of women and football at the conference organised by the British council and the council of Europe, Cooper said: “Women footballers do not necessarily have dollar signs in mind, their approach to the game is very refreshing.
“They are ambassadors for the sport, not just for themselves.
“Their motivation is more sincere. The problem with male professional football is that it has become all about agents, clubs going to the stock market, and large amounts of money. The game itself is almost becoming peripheral. There is a lot more cynicism being attached to the game.”
Women’s football is one of the fastest- growing areas of sport. A number of women’s teams in Europe and North America have professional players, with many attracting lucrative sponsorship deals.
The conference heard from a number of representatives of women’s football from around Europe. One of the biggest problems aired was that football associations needed to take them more seriously.
Despite the game’s growing popularity there was a need for more funding. This year’s World Cup in the US provided a massive boost for women’s football. The final, which drew a crowd of 90 000, was won by the host nation,who beat China on penalties.
In the US many members of the women’s football team are better known than their male counterparts. Cooper said: “We have to acknowledge that women’s football is becoming a major force. We have come a long way in a short time. Numerically, women are half the world’s population.”
On the importance of the Women’s World Cup tournament, he said: “The participants were accessible, co-operative, decent, and not solely interested in what they might get out it for themselves in the long run. This is what football should be about.”