A historic year in Spanish football, Morocco’s dream debut and the highest-paid women’s football coach – media picks the top moments in women’s football in 2023.
It was the year that saw Australia and New Zealand host the biggest and most-watched FIFA Women’s World Cup, which culminated with Spain’s crowning moment as first-time champions with a win over one of the pre-tournament favourites England.
Women’s football giants United States faltered at the quarterfinal stage and several minnow nations lit up the group stage.
The World Cup was packed with high-quality action, as well as shocks and feel-good stories and culminated with the launch of Spanish football’s #MeToo movement.
Elsewhere, US Soccer delegated Emma Hayes with the job of reviving their fading glory as the highest paid women’s football coach in the world.
As the year comes to a close, here’s a look at 10 moments that shaped women’s football in 2023:
Months ahead of the World Cup, England captain Leah Williamson, New Zealand striker Katie Rood and several other top players were left to rue their luck after being sidelined with ACL injuries.
Rood announced the news with a post on Instagram saying, “I’m sad to say that I’ve joined the ever-growing ACL club”.
In order to understand the widespread prevalance of the injury among women footballers, media spoke to a wide range of experts and players, who pointed at a number of factors, including the biological differences between men and women, the difference in their kits and boots, physical stress and workload. Researchers also underlined how women’s menstrual cycles could be a factor in their vulnerability to the injury.
Nearly a year before Spain’s glorious run at the World Cup, the Spanish football federation (RFEF) and its players were embroiled in a months-long stand-off.
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