Brazil sets off at the Women’s Football World Cup on 23 July against Panama. There is hope this year that Brazil may finally win the competition which if it happens, will be for the first time.

Brazil has struggled to gain significant traction in the last three World Cups. It lost in penalty kicks to the USA in 2011 and in the last two World Cups, the team lost in Round 16.

Every four years, the FIFA Women’s World Cup is held to determine the best women’s soccer team in the world. This summer marks the ninth edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the United States are the two-time defending champions, having been crowned world champions in both 2015 and 2019.

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We are very focused, we see that this World Cup is a huge opportunity for change for us,” Kerolin said. “We understand the role and importance of the Cup. I’m quite anxious to bring the cup,” Kerolin Nicoli Israel Ferraz, professional female footballer – Brazilian National Football Team

Women’s football in Brazil goes back to the early 20th century but it was not until 1997 that it was recognised as a national sport by the Brazilian Football Confederation.

Brazil’s women’s national team is known as Seleção Feminina and is considered to be the strongest female professional football team in South America. The team’s best World Cup performance so far came in 2007 as runners-up.

Marta is Brazil’s football icon

Marta Vieira da Silva, 37, has become a legend and superstar. She is one of the most prominent female footballers of all time. She won the FIFA World Player of the Year six times and is an icon to female footballers all over the world. Da Silva is a top goal scorer having scored 115 international goals during her career and this is the highest number of goals scored by a Brazilian footballer. She will be playing in the last World Cup of her stellar career in women’s professional football. This will be her sixth World Cup.

Women’s football does not have the same prestige or hold a high profile as male football. Brazil has faced challenges including those related to inequality which resulted in inadequate investment over the years.  Efforts are being made to promote gender equality in Brazilian football and acquire more sponsorship. Opportunities to coach talented young prospects and making use of facilities available to them to participate professionally in the sport.

Recently there has been a marked improvement in exposure of the sport for females and a number of top-tier clubs such as Santos, Flamengo, Corinthians and São Paulo, have established women’s teams and compete in the Campeonato Brasileiro de Futebol Feminino (Brazilian Women’s Football Championship).

Kerolin Nicoli Israel Ferraz who is preparing for her first World Cup, has confidence that Brazil can pull off the storybook ending for Marta, whose 17 goals in the World Cup are the most ever among all men and women.

Australia and New Zealand to host 2023

Australia and New Zealand are co-hosting this year’s tournament, marking the first time in Women’s World Cup history that there will be multiple host nations. The opening match of the tournament will be held in Auckland, New Zealand, while the final will be held in Sydney, Australia.

The ninth edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup will take place between 20 July – 20 August

 

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