What are the best ones in women's soccer? The USA has three or four good ones historically: China, Norway (the Viking Bitches, according to Akers and Lilly on that ESPN tribute), Brazil and Germany. I would imagine Norway and Germany is a good one too. Are there any others?
North Korea, they are the strongest Asian Side (beat China several times in the last years), Denmark (a good team), Australia (nearly won the Asian Cup from their first participation) and Japan (developing very well).
I'm not focusing on strong teams. I'm focusing on strong rivalries. I know there are not many women's games that resemble Man U v. Arsenal, Real Madrid v. Barcelona, Brazil v. Argentina or Germany v. Italy, but what good rivalries are out there?
Sweden has Germany. EURO 2001 final, as well as WC 03 final and in club play the best German team historically eliminated the best Swedish one until that fateful day in 2004 when justice prevailed and Umeå crushed Frankfurt with the aid of Marta. I don't think Germany are all that bothered if they go up against Swedein in a championship, but in Sweden, it is _the_ game and the resulting loss is always devastating.
USA-Canada. I don't think the rivalry is as strong on the US side as it used to be, but definitely for Canada. The USA is the team to beat for them.
It kind of mirrors the men's game does it not? England v Scotland is a biggie (for the Scots anyway), Australia v New Zealand (tho' now in different confederations), Japan v China, Brazil v Argentina etc. As for specific to the women's game, Germany have probably now replaced Norway as the team the US want to beat (and that's not just at senior level); the Swedes want to beat Germany (as mention in a previous post); domestically in England, Arsenal v Charlton is a biggie? I think the 'Island Games' get a bit nasty too (in men's and women's), with the Channel Islands etc.!!!
Sweden - Denmark is a classic rivalry both in men's and women's soccer. A Swedish soccer player that scores against Denmark will always be apostrophied as "Dane killer"
I don't know for a fact, but I presume that in CONCACAF, US Virgin Islands vs. British Virgin Islands is a good rivalry.
China - North Korea These are the two top sides in Asian Womens Football. China - Australia Since the Asian Cup Final 2006. China - Japan
Sweden and Norway in the women's game is probably the best one after the US and China. Well, the US and Canada would be up there too.
I agree that historically the best rivalry in women's soccer was the U.S. - Norway, but in recent years the U.S. - Germany rivalry has been much better. Going into the 2003 WC I believe that Norway was the only country that didn't have a losing record against the U.S., but Norway hasn't defeated the U.S. since 2002 and have lost their last two matches in the series by a combined score of 7-2 .