Women's football hooks Europe

Wembley crowned this Sunday the success of women's football in Europe.

A UEFA bet that puts in check the power of the Americans both in the game and in the magnetism for the fans.

The United States dominates women's soccer.

At least, that's what the numbers teach.

Of the eight world championships played, the Americans kept four (1991, 1999, 2015 and 2019), once they finished in second place (2011) and add three other bronze medals (1995, 2003 and 2007).

That is, he has always touched the podium.

"It's a team that has great support," Sweden's Pia Sundhage, today Brazil's coach, winner of two Olympic gold medals with the United States in 2008 and 2012, explained to this newspaper. A supremacy that began in the stands and ended in the grass.

In 1999, the Americans celebrated the best attendance record in a women's soccer game: 90,185 spectators at the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles to see the victory of the hosts against China.

A record that was added to the attendance record in the tournament as a whole (660.

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The day they all won

At that time, in Europe only Germany, Sweden and Norway appeared among the best teams in the world.

In 2012, UEFA started a program for the development of women's football.

Each federation began receiving 100,000 euros to dedicate specifically to growth.

The amount increased by 50% in 2020. In addition, the highest body in European football created a department dedicated to women, which is led by former player Nadine Kessler.

"The different types of organizations and institutions, such as clubs, UEFA, FIFA, the media and sponsors have begun to put effort into women's," the German explains to EL PAÍS.

UEFA's gamble paid off.

In the last World Cup, in France 2019, seven of the eight quarterfinalists were European.

The cup, in any case, was raised by the United States.

UEFA's bet has continued in the Champions League.

Since the 2017-2018 edition, the European body has distributed 41.3 million euros in the Champions League.

And the last season left record viewers in each country.

England celebrated the best attendance record in the FA Cup final (49,094), in Chelsea's victory over City (3-2).

France did the same in its cup, when 43,254 spectators witnessed Lyon's victory over PSG (2-1) in the Parc des Princes.

In Wolfsburg they opened their record book in the match against Barça (22,057), also Italy in the Champions League final between Barcelona and Olympique: 41,500.

No match made as much noise as the classic between Barça and Madrid at the Camp Nou, 91,553 to erase the record of the United States and China in the 99 World Cup final.

“It's just fantastic when you see that it's a trend.

That people come to watch the matches, that the presence of spectators in women's matches is beginning to normalize, "commented Ada Hegerberg, Ballon d'Or in 2019 to this newspaper.

But the best for Europe was yet to come.

England received the Euro and the fans turned to the women's tournament like never before.

What had started in the Champions League was consolidated in the European Championship.

It was no longer a coincidence.

From the outset, Old Trafford was packed to open the tournament: 68,871 people watched the duel between the Lionesses and Austria at United's home.

The European Championship was watched by 574,875 spectators in the stadiums and Wembley was sold out in the final (87,192), a record for both a men's and women's Euro final.

And the broadcast of the final on the BBC was the most watched of the year on UK television, with a peak of 17.4 million viewers.

“For us, it simply confirms that we were right.

You just had to invest and then know how to sell the product”, concludes Vero Boquete.

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