Canada women’s national football team have advanced through to the quarter final of the Paris 2024 Olympics, excelling through all three group matches with victory. The team are set to appear against Germany, in hopes to further progress their Olympic campaign.
Since Canada Women won gold at the Tokyo Olympics 2020, the number of young girls who take part in organised soccer has risen to 85,000. This incredible statistic demonstrates the impact of the women’s national team, inspiring 41% of youths to play football.
Lisa Chambers, a mother to one of the 85,000 young girls, spoke to Toronto Star about the impact of her daughter watching the national team, influencing her to hold passion and purpose within football.
“My daughter loves soccer and we watch the professional team play on television. I know she wants to make athletics a career someday, but with all the news about the women’s national players fighting for equal pay, it’s hard to teach her about equality and women’s rights when her idols aren’t treated the same as the men. And why would I want my kid to experience that?”
In 2023, ahead of the Women’s World Cup, it was announced that the team would receive less compensation and support than the male side. The Canadian women’s national team released a statement stating that they were “outraged and concerned” after Canada Soccer produced “significant” cuts to the national team programs.
Within the She Believes Cup, despite wanting to boycott, the players took to the field with acts of protest. During warm-ups, they were witnessed with their kits inside out in order to hide the Canada Soccer crest; with purple shirts expressing the phrase “Enough is enough”.
Since then, change has started to take place. Nick Bontis, Canada Soccer president, resigned, illustrating the need for a change in leadership. Last year, Canada Soccer and the women’s national team reached an interim funding agreement until a permanent contract could be negotiated. The terms share similarities with the men’s team deal, which included results-based compensation with per-game incentives. However, the fight was not over as this did not replicate a full and permanent agreement.
Despite a lot changing since the first team was constructed, it is extremely important to recognise the journey that the original players experienced to progress the game to where it is today. Tracy David, who played at fullback, spoke to CBC News recalling the emotion of hearing the national anthem being played before her game.
“Absolutely, there was a sense of history… especially among the older players. We were so proud to put those jerseys on.”
It is crucial to mention that those jerseys were previously worn by the boys’ youth team. As well as this, the players were expected to provide their own boots and pay out of their own pocket for some of the expenses.
To combat the lack of options for female players, former national team player Diana Matheson alongside Project 8 are launching a Canadian women’s professional league that is planned to kick off in 2025. It is a massive and exciting opportunity for Canadian players and fans, fighting against the lack of respect towards the women’s game having been overshadowed by the dysfunction at Canada Soccer.
The Canadian women’s side currently stand in the quarter finals of the Paris 2024 Olympics, after providing incredible results in their first three games. The team face Germany next, and it would be remarkable to see the side further progress through to the semi-finals.
Photo: https://canadasoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/20240701-OlympicRoster-16×9-Web-2.jpg
