Two days before the FIFA Women’s World Cup Fina I was watching a TSN panel previewing the Japan – USA Game and reviewing the tournament as a whole.
Now of course I have forgotten the panelist name (some guy, a Brit, not James Duthie), but he said something that made him look like a genius after Carli Lloyd singlehandedly decimated the Nadeshiko. It was an answer to the question as to whether the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup could be classified as a “great” event. His answer was that World Cup events are defined by outstanding individual performances and that, to date, this tournament hadn’t seen that. But he expected all of that to change on Sunday.
All of that came true the moment the ball left Lloyd’s foot on a 54 yard mission to the Japanese goal. A scoring effort that the FOX Sports commentators called the greatest goal in Women’s World Cup history. With that, her two other goals, a pair of strikes from teammates, and two late game cameos from a pair of aging US superstars, the script for this event had reached it’s storybook ending. It was witnessed by a record TV crowd of over 28 million the USA, nearly 8 million more in Canada, not to mention the fiery and fortunate fifty thousand plus at BC Place.
Lloyd created a special moment at the most special time. Her choreography could not have been more precise. Sport is all about the grand moments on a grand stage.
There is much talk about whether this will produce a legacy for women’s soccer or for women’s sports for that matter. It also provokes dialogue for what’s next for Canada as a host. Perhaps a 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup bid? Just as the upcoming Pan Am Games are seen in some corners as a test run for a potential Summer Olympic bid, the FWWC was the next and last step in hosting for our country, before the supposed big grand prize.
But let’s not lose sight of the moment. Let’s hope the spotlight does continue to shine brightly on women’s soccer, women’s sports, amateur sport, and Canadian athletes. That’s a big ask. But that’s the burden and expectation of big events. This week the mantle is handed from the Women’s World Cup to the Pan Am Games. The media and critics are out in full force in Toronto. The traffic will be a mess. Ticket sales are sluggish. Hotels are empty. The Torch relay has been under attended. I don’t know what’s accurate or not, but I do now that the buzzkill is common to all major undertakings. But wait.
Wait till the whistle blows this week to start the competition. Wait till the gun sounds to launch the swimmers in the pool. Wait till the balls get kicked and the hurdles get cleared. Then check in with me. But I want you to do more than wait. I want you to help create the spotlight. On our athletes in the Pan and ParaPan events. They are our future Olympians and Paralympians. Our future NBA stars. Our future Women’s World Cup athletes.
They are also our future teachers, surgeons, neighbours, police women, friends, lawyers, in-laws, plumbers, politicians, and parents of our children’s friends. They deserve the brightest spotlight you can give them. The FIFA Women’s World Cup demonstrated again, the legacy our country has in being a great host and our ambition to be a leading international sporting nation. Carli Lloyd served us well by putting on one of the most outstanding performances of any World Cup competitor.
Someone is waiting in the wings in Southern Ontario to do the same during the Pan Am’s. I can’t wait to see who.