Mia Hamm is among well-known strikers in the world, what could be more proud than that ?... Is Mia Hamm actualy more famous than Michelle Akers ? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Striker
Akers played the begining of her career as a striker the gradually moved into mid. And yes Mia is more well known than Akers. In fact Mia is probably the most well known female athlete in the world... except for maybe Kournikova (i use the word athlete loosely)
She should change her mind about the retirement thing... family & soccer can be stay side by side with harmony, example, Joy Fawcett, perfect mother, family and soccer.
Mia who? I know she's REALLY famous in the states, but she has no profile in The UK (and I believe the rest of Europe). Track athletes like Marion Jones are far better known, probably because there is so little interest in womens football.
It's understandable though. The men's game in Europe is so exciting and there's such a history behind it. If you ask most people, they'd rather watch that.
agreed. along with anyone who doesn't remember feeling a chill when the crowd chanted "akers, akers, akers" at the '99 WC.
I think there's more interest in Europe than ever before, girls and young women are experiencing football fever throughout the world ! the massive strides to decrease the performance gap are being made throughout Europe.
There is a fair few girls playing the game. My wife has been playing for years, but the interest as a spectator sport is minimal (but growing). The top teams generally get crowds of a feww 100, and there are so few games on TV. There was coverage of the Women's FA Cup final, but that is the only domestic game that I can recall, and internationals don't get shown. Women's football used to be huge, with crowds in the thousands (http://www.thefa.com/Womens/EnglandSenior/History/) but then the game was banned in the 20's as being unladylike! As I said loads of girls play, but if you ask them their heros (footballing) they all name professional men.
With that history of women football, the level of women game should be at the higher level than now, in my opinion.