How the United States can still win a World Cup!

By Chris Wimmer 

Just because the U.S. Men’s team was eliminated doesn’t mean you will have to wait four more years to see America have a chance to win a World Cup. Some of the best female soccer players including: Brazil - Marta (FC Gold Pride) Formiga & Cristiane (Chicago Red Stars), France - Sonia Bompastor (Washington Freedom), Camille Abily (FC Gold Pride), Germany - Shelley Thompson (Atlanta Beat), Japan - Homare Sawa (Washington Freedom), England - Eniola Aluko (Atlanta Beat), and of course many more will be competing in next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup Germany 2011.

The Women’s National Team is preparing for the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup to be played in Germany 2011 (June 26 – July 17). There have been five Women’s World Cup tournaments (China – 1991 & 2007, Sweden - 1995, and U.S.A – 1999 & 2003) with the U.S. winning twice and finishing 3rd their other three appearances. The most recent FIFA/Coca-Cola Women's World Ranking the Americans held the #1 spot, followed by #2 Germany (host country), and #3 Brazil.

So if you are a fan of U.S. soccer you will be able to cheer on your country again with the realistic expectations of the Women's National team bringing home the trophy for an unprecedented 3rd time. Now if we could just somehow get the women the same level media coverage as the men, even though the women are much more dominant and respected in the international soccer/futbol scene their coverage is minimul at best. Don't forget it was the now famous U.S. Women's National team of the 1990's, led by Hamm, Akers, Chastain, Lilly, and Foudy that caused the explosive growth in youth soccer that has continued to this day all over America.

For those of you soccer fans that feel U.S. soccer is the closest it has ever been to reaching the tipping point and coming out of the shadows of the "three major sports" and joining that group, I agree and hope the women can repeat their quality tournament performances we have grown  to expect.