This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-48742850
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Fifa Women's World Cup: Five ways women's football beats men's | Fifa Women's World Cup: Five ways women's football beats men's |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The widespread coverage and high drama of the Fifa Women's World Cup has sparked football fever across the UK, with a record-breaking 6.9 million people watching England's most recent clash. | The widespread coverage and high drama of the Fifa Women's World Cup has sparked football fever across the UK, with a record-breaking 6.9 million people watching England's most recent clash. |
| There were still far more people watching men's World Cup matches, with 26.5 million viewers tuning in to see England knocked out last year. | There were still far more people watching men's World Cup matches, with 26.5 million viewers tuning in to see England knocked out last year. |
| But there are some ways women's football is hitting the back of the net - while the male strand of the sometimes-beautiful game bounces disappointingly off the crossbar. | But there are some ways women's football is hitting the back of the net - while the male strand of the sometimes-beautiful game bounces disappointingly off the crossbar. |
| 1. Value for money | 1. Value for money |
| For the men's World Cup last summer, your pockets had to be bulging with Russian roubles if you wanted a chance to see football come home (or not) with your own eyes. | For the men's World Cup last summer, your pockets had to be bulging with Russian roubles if you wanted a chance to see football come home (or not) with your own eyes. |
| The best seats in the house for the France v Croatia men's final cost an eye-watering 66,000 roubles (£824.44). | The best seats in the house for the France v Croatia men's final cost an eye-watering 66,000 roubles (£824.44). |
| But don't despair. If you don't have a spare 800 quid jangling around, it's still possible for you to go to a World Cup final. | But don't despair. If you don't have a spare 800 quid jangling around, it's still possible for you to go to a World Cup final. |
| The most expensive seats in the women's final at the Stade de Lyon on 7 July are more than 10 times cheaper than in the men's tournament at £75.12 (84EUR). | The most expensive seats in the women's final at the Stade de Lyon on 7 July are more than 10 times cheaper than in the men's tournament at £75.12 (84EUR). |
| At the Women's World Cup in France this year, you can actually watch a game for as little as £8.05 (9EUR). | At the Women's World Cup in France this year, you can actually watch a game for as little as £8.05 (9EUR). |
| C'est magnifique, non? | C'est magnifique, non? |
| This pricing imbalance manifests itself in merchandise, too. | This pricing imbalance manifests itself in merchandise, too. |
| Perhaps to Nike's credit, the official shirts of the men's and women's World Cups both cost £89.95. | Perhaps to Nike's credit, the official shirts of the men's and women's World Cups both cost £89.95. |
| However, while it is free to add the name of a Lioness to the women's shirt, it costs £13 to splash names such as Kane, Rashford or Vardy across your shoulders. | However, while it is free to add the name of a Lioness to the women's shirt, it costs £13 to splash names such as Kane, Rashford or Vardy across your shoulders. |
| Nike hasn't responded to a request for clarification on why this is the case. | Nike hasn't responded to a request for clarification on why this is the case. |
| 2. More goals | 2. More goals |
| The stats speak for themselves on this one. | The stats speak for themselves on this one. |
| For a start, Brazilian women's forward Marta is the all-time World Cup top scorer for both men and women, with 17 goals to her name across 19 matches. | For a start, Brazilian women's forward Marta is the all-time World Cup top scorer for both men and women, with 17 goals to her name across 19 matches. |
| So far in this year's tournament the women have scored 2.69 goals per game - just edging out the men, who scored 2.64 goals per game in last year's World Cup. | So far in this year's tournament the women have scored 2.69 goals per game - just edging out the men, who scored 2.64 goals per game in last year's World Cup. |
| The women are even further ahead in the UK's top leagues. Over the last three seasons of the Women's Super League there were 3.05 goals per match, compared with a measly 2.76 goals in the men's top tournament, the Premier League. | The women are even further ahead in the UK's top leagues. Over the last three seasons of the Women's Super League there were 3.05 goals per match, compared with a measly 2.76 goals in the men's top tournament, the Premier League. |
| 3. Women stick to the rules | 3. Women stick to the rules |
| We're not saying women are angels on the pitch (in fact, Cameroon were described as quite the opposite when they played England on Sunday). | We're not saying women are angels on the pitch (in fact, Cameroon were described as quite the opposite when they played England on Sunday). |
| But they break the rules less often than men do. | But they break the rules less often than men do. |
| Fifa didn't provide data for bookings in World Cup games, but we did manage to pull some together from the FA, which runs the UK's top league games. | Fifa didn't provide data for bookings in World Cup games, but we did manage to pull some together from the FA, which runs the UK's top league games. |
| It turns out, in the 2018-19 season, Premier League players (men) were three times more likely than players in the Women's Super League to be sent off in matches. | It turns out, in the 2018-19 season, Premier League players (men) were three times more likely than players in the Women's Super League to be sent off in matches. |
| Men were also handed yellow cards twice as often. | Men were also handed yellow cards twice as often. |
| Over the last three seasons, there were 3,777 yellow cards given to Premier League players - a rate of 3.3 per game - compared with 399 given to Women's Super League players (1.5 per game). | Over the last three seasons, there were 3,777 yellow cards given to Premier League players - a rate of 3.3 per game - compared with 399 given to Women's Super League players (1.5 per game). |
| Janie Frampton, who has refereed both men's and women's international matches in her 30-year career, said the "streak of cheating" that so many top male players express is in part down to "far too much money and far too many big egos". | Janie Frampton, who has refereed both men's and women's international matches in her 30-year career, said the "streak of cheating" that so many top male players express is in part down to "far too much money and far too many big egos". |
| However, the data from the Football Association (FA) also suggests the amount of yellow cards given for fouls per women's match in the UK is creeping up. | However, the data from the Football Association (FA) also suggests the amount of yellow cards given for fouls per women's match in the UK is creeping up. |
| It went from 1.3 per game in 2016-17 to 1.5 in the following year and 1.6 last season. | It went from 1.3 per game in 2016-17 to 1.5 in the following year and 1.6 last season. |
| Frampton believes an increase in rule-breaking is inevitable as women's football becomes more popular. | Frampton believes an increase in rule-breaking is inevitable as women's football becomes more popular. |
| "The women's game is becoming far more professional, and by that happening, the skill factor, the determination and challenge of the game is getting much higher," she said. | "The women's game is becoming far more professional, and by that happening, the skill factor, the determination and challenge of the game is getting much higher," she said. |
| "Women's football has become far more important, and that's going to bring the more competitive edge, which is going to bring tougher challenges and more cards," she added. | "Women's football has become far more important, and that's going to bring the more competitive edge, which is going to bring tougher challenges and more cards," she added. |
| So if the upward trend continues, it won't be long until the women are making Zinedine Zidane's head-butt look like an Eskimo kiss. | So if the upward trend continues, it won't be long until the women are making Zinedine Zidane's head-butt look like an Eskimo kiss. |
| Only kidding. There's no way you can make that infamous moment look any less brutal. | Only kidding. There's no way you can make that infamous moment look any less brutal. |
| 4. Global competition | 4. Global competition |
| Men's World Cup winners have only ever come from eight countries across two continents - Europe and South America. | Men's World Cup winners have only ever come from eight countries across two continents - Europe and South America. |
| There have been four times as many men's World Cups as women's, but the women's tournament has already produced four countries as winners from North America, Europe and Asia. | There have been four times as many men's World Cups as women's, but the women's tournament has already produced four countries as winners from North America, Europe and Asia. |
| The greater number of teams with a genuine chance to lift that treasured golden trophy arguably makes the women's game all the more exciting. | The greater number of teams with a genuine chance to lift that treasured golden trophy arguably makes the women's game all the more exciting. |
| 5. LGBT+ support | 5. LGBT+ support |
| It's a widely accepted shame that there is not one openly gay footballer in the Premier League. | It's a widely accepted shame that there is not one openly gay footballer in the Premier League. |
| In 1990, former England Under-21 international Justin Fashanu was the first professional footballer in Britain to come out as gay. | In 1990, former England Under-21 international Justin Fashanu was the first professional footballer in Britain to come out as gay. |
| The ex-Aston Villa midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger, who came out following his retirement in 2014, said there is a "long way to go" before men come out while playing in a top league. | The ex-Aston Villa midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger, who came out following his retirement in 2014, said there is a "long way to go" before men come out while playing in a top league. |
| By contrast, the women's game is considered far more inclusive. | By contrast, the women's game is considered far more inclusive. |
| When ex-England player Casey Stoney spoke out about being gay for the first time just months after Hitzlsperger, she said homosexuality was more accepted in the women's game. | When ex-England player Casey Stoney spoke out about being gay for the first time just months after Hitzlsperger, she said homosexuality was more accepted in the women's game. |
| And West Ham United women's captain Gilly Flaherty said last season: "Everyone has accepted me for who I am. Women's football is a sport where a player can be openly gay and no one acts any differently towards you because of it, which is a great thing." | And West Ham United women's captain Gilly Flaherty said last season: "Everyone has accepted me for who I am. Women's football is a sport where a player can be openly gay and no one acts any differently towards you because of it, which is a great thing." |
| The better levels of tolerance and acceptance in the women's game could be partly thanks to pioneer, Lily Parr. | The better levels of tolerance and acceptance in the women's game could be partly thanks to pioneer, Lily Parr. |
| The 6ft chain-smoker - whose wages from Dick, Kerr Ladies FC, were reputedly supplemented by packets of Woodbine cigarettes - was gay, although some dispute how open she was about this. | |
| Parr paved the way for English women's footballing success and was the first woman to feature in the National Football Museum's Hall of Fame. | Parr paved the way for English women's footballing success and was the first woman to feature in the National Football Museum's Hall of Fame. |
| Are England women better than men? | Are England women better than men? |
| In the last three Women's World Cups, England came third once and got into the final eight twice. | In the last three Women's World Cups, England came third once and got into the final eight twice. |
| The men finished fourth in 2018, were knocked out of the group stages in 2014 and made the final 16 in 2010. | The men finished fourth in 2018, were knocked out of the group stages in 2014 and made the final 16 in 2010. |
| The stats behind these results show an almost identical track record. | The stats behind these results show an almost identical track record. |
| In 2018 England men scored 12 goals in seven matches, while the women scored 10 in seven matches in the 2015 tournament. Both teams received a total of eight yellow cards. The men conceded eight goals while the women conceded seven. | In 2018 England men scored 12 goals in seven matches, while the women scored 10 in seven matches in the 2015 tournament. Both teams received a total of eight yellow cards. The men conceded eight goals while the women conceded seven. |
| It might be too tough to call which is the better team for now, but the women have everything to prove when they face Norway in the quarter-finals on Thursday. | It might be too tough to call which is the better team for now, but the women have everything to prove when they face Norway in the quarter-finals on Thursday. |
| Watch this space - perhaps we'll be singing "three Lionesses on a shirt" and naming train stations after Phil Neville before the summer's over. | Watch this space - perhaps we'll be singing "three Lionesses on a shirt" and naming train stations after Phil Neville before the summer's over. |