The difference in football is physicality. In a foot race the best women will be close to the best men…and that gap may close.
The best tennis players may become closer through training, nutrition, equipment or whatever. The same with golf.
In team contact sports, when like for like are pitched against each other the physically stronger athletes will wear down, hurt, out muscle their opponments.
There are exceptions.
The girl who scores goals in the boys leagues etc, but they are exceptions.
Its not a sexist comment, its just physicality and difference.
It’s not just about physicality. If it was it would be reflected with the sprinters. This was why I raised the example of the powerlifter as I don’t think people appreciate just how stupendously strong elite women strength athletes are. Jessica Buettner is the current 76kg raw, drug tested powerlifting world champion and while its a sport where the pro/amateur distinction isn’t meaningful, her performance is comparable to men in the same weight class competing at the state level in the US
Is Buettner the exception though, rather than the rule.
I really have no clue about power lifting.
Anyway, as I said my evidence is anecdotal and observed at very low amateur level.
There was one girl, an exceptional talent who could play with the guys. She trained with the lads team occasionally. But she was easily pushed off the ball at that level.
Physically she was excellent at her level. But its a different game.
She is certainly elite, but is more representative of what the best women in the world can do than an outlier. For instance, this year she is tracking behind a new talent from New Zealand who is now favourite to take her world title. This is the equivalent level of what someone be at to play for the US women’s team.
I was reading about the British Invasion of Lisbon, beginning with Souness becoming manager of Benfica in November 97.
Souness signed Steve Harkness for a cool £750,000, and he decided to comply with local convention by playing with just “Steve” on the back of his shirt. Managed nine apps, and fucked off to Blackburn.
This two year period in Benfica’s history is like a bad episode of Benidorm. Classic footballing farce.
The flag planting near the opposition fans - Galatasaray? - was fun. Always liked Souness, best midfielder ever to play for us IMO, shame that he couldn’t get us back on track and the other thing.
Edit: was in the centre circle after the game against Fenerbahce while manager at rivals Gala having won the two legged cup final away.
This article summarizes why I don’t want these fucking sheikhs around our sport:
When everything should be about the joy of winning a league title, all the talk is about a toxic atmosphere, sacking the manager and general dissatisfaction. I know that PSG is a notoriously difficult club with a rotten fan-basis, but the Qataris have transformed them into a genuine cesspit. They can really go to hell as far as I’m concerned.
