To ask why the England team (the men) keep falling at the final hurdle, (well virtually at the final hurdle,) at the football World Cup ... and The Euros too?

@GorgeousSpringtime

Spain managed against Argentina just fine.

nah, England team just not good enough. Simple as that

More on the Lost Lionesses

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0020541/storyville-copa-71-the-lost-lionesses

1971 womens world cup. The first game england vs Mexico was attended by 80 000 people. Final had 110 000 spectators. This was during the ban so the tournament was not recognised. Women were not allowed to play in any stadiums that was controlled by football federations (per FIFA rules) so they were played in huge stadiums that were owned by media groups. Instead of building momentum from this, it was hidden to make sure the game would not grow.

Took fifa 20 more years to organise an official women's world cup. The England team, Lost Lionesses, refered to themselves as British Independents cause they could not represent England. The male coach got a lifetime coaching ban from FA and the local womens team he coached was ordered to be dissolved.

You don't have to watch women's football. But there is no need to talk it down either. It is not shoved to anyone's face any more than any other sport.

Erm, all the mocking of England and supporting whomever they played against, all bitterness and hate because scotland unfortunately didn't progress.

Didn't Scotland's manager flounce mid interview? Hardly dignified in losing.

Sorry, where is the bad attitude when Scotland lose?!? You're just making stuff up now.

Oh nonsense. They're both nations with a chip on their shoulder about the English and the only thing they share is a bad attitude when it comes to losing. Both unsportsmanlike!

I bet those argie shirts won't see the light of day anytime soon

Didn't realise Argentina and Scotland have any football links. I always thought Argentina and Italy had the link as most Argentinians have Italian origins. The first coach who introduced the Catenaccio playing style to Italy was Argentinian. Italians also play similarly dirty (but with more style 😀)

Shame he didn't introduce them to manners and fair play. And how to lose with good grace.

I don’t, not a fan of Argentina at all. I’d always support who was playing them.

It's nothing to do with an inferiority complex. Scotland and Argentina have always had strong football links. It was a Scotsman who introduced football to the country, helped train players, and established the first league and the Argentine Football Association.

They're like our old foster child grown-up; a little wayward at times but we still have a soft spot for them. We always want them to do well, both on and off the pitch. It doesn't always happen.

They don't give a flying fuck, they've been minimising their behaviour in the world cup to the press, Argentina say they play football with passion and pride and if you don't like it you can lump it basically, their lack of self awareness and arrogance is off the scale....tossers

Complex about football I meant

Scots blow with the wind with who they support, the "anyone but England" mantra is a bloody yawn fest now, but seeing some Scots support violent, thuggish, racist Argentina over their next door neighbour just shows how bad their inferioty complex is.....

Argentina have surely taken over as the most unpopular team in football. I wonder if there's any scots still proud of their argie shirts and flags .

I know, and I feel bad saying it but women's football doesn't interest me in the slightest.

Many countries banned women's football for most of the 20th century, that is a lot of catching up to do.

It gets nowhere near the same funding either.

The FA Womens Super League (WSL) only went professional in 2018, and WSL2 followed last season.

This from GasPanic is spot on imo

I think the womens game is better celebrated for what it is and what it can be in the future, rather than what it isn't.

I didn't say they were shit.
The comment was that they weren't good enough to win.
The OP said the 3rd place play-off result told a different story.
That's all 🤷🏼‍♀️

I've never heard of this, but interesting read! 53K supporters for a local team is huge. Men's football has developed all over the world over and above women's though (although arguably the women's team is more popular in the US where men's 'soccer' is still not that popular)

Personally I think it is better to understand why something is the way it is, rather than pretend it is something it isn't. I don't think it does the womens game any favours doing that.

I guess for a lot of people who aren't interested in the particular characteristics of the mens game, or don't analyse the games closely or watch football regularly the womens game can be equally or more entertaining, but this is not for me. Lower leagues men football isn't for me either for the same reasons.

I think there are things that womens football does do better than the mens (team discipline, complaining to the ref, feigning injury etc) at the moment that I would like to see stamped out in the mens game, but you can see that sort of behaviour comes with trying to get every edge possible unless it is stamped on. It's more an issue with the regulations and their implementation than with the players.

I think the womens game is better celebrated for what it is and what it can be in the future, rather than what it isn't.

Speed, strenght, yes.

Skill level not so much

I am a fan of womens football as well as mens

I appreciate them on their own merit.

If you don't like, fine, no need to justify it but you can just leave it at that.

@GasPanic I agree the speed and skill level are much lower in woman's football. 😬 I just didn't want to say it as clearly there are a few fans on this thread.

I imagine at club level women's football to be even lower skilled, and people don't go to watch it.