Women's Euros 2025 - July 2nd to 27th

[Shamikebab]

There's a reason female top level teams train by playing against teenaged boys. There are some things no amount of training is going to fully overcome, and in squad based a sport where object observation is king you'll never be able to win out vs men long term. That's not even discussing the idea that men are simply faster and stronger, female football is never going to be as engaging as male. It's impossible for it to be, it'll always be slower and less technical, there's no way of fixing that beyond a whole lot of evolution, and we're never getting to that point before our species dies out.

I'm not saying women's leagues or tournaments are bad, but you're going to struggle to attract those actually into the sport by nature of them wanting to see a higher level game.

With sports like Tennis there's a big attraction but that has always been there and it was always at a lesser level than male. Most sports do not disqualify women inherently, they just have set standards. The NHL over in the USA for example doesn't disclude women, it's simply almost impossible for them to compete for very obvious reasons.

TLDR: It's boring to watch women's sport in certain things if you're super into sport, and not a lot can fix the inherent issues relating to that.

Edit: I say this as someone that finds most sport boring, it's really not a social thing.

I don't really see how strength and speed matter when they're playing against other women not men. Nobody is watching football because a player can complete 100m in a certain time.

 

[Mr Jack]

Most sports do not disqualify women inherently, they just have set standards.

Football does, because a Mexican woman was going to start playing in the Spanish second league and they didn't like it.

 

[Bubo]

I have by no means watched every game, maybe only 3 or 4 in the tournament here and there, and being serious for a moment I actually have seen it as quite refreshing when compared to the men's game. I pretty much have fallen out with the men's football in general and especially the Premier League due to the absolute exrcement-housery of virtually all the players on every team, diving, cheating, abusing the officials, the whole crowd atmosphere around it, all fed by the money involved, etc, etc. I would absolutely never watch any women's normal league level football because the level would be just too embarrassing I imagine, but for international tournaments it does seem to be getting better, maybe League One levels? Which coupled with the orders of magnitude less X-housery in and around the actual games, kind of makes it watchable? A bit maybe? Maybe influenced by the current success of the team I don't know. But I do know the men's game just turns me off these days.

 

[fez]

It does seem to be getting better, maybe League One levels? Which coupled with the orders of magnitude less X-housery in and around the actual games, kind of makes it watchable? A bit maybe? Maybe influenced by the current success of the team I don't know. But I do know the men's game just turns me off these days.

Perhaps technically its getting towards League one levels but on an absolute quality basis its nowhere near. The best womens teams are still getting smashed by under 15 boys teams.

If womens football starts to make more money you can be sure as hell that it will degenerate into just as much cheating as the mens.

 

[Bubo]

Perhaps technically its getting towards League one levels but on an absolute quality basis its nowhere near. The best womens teams are still getting smashed by under 15 boys teams.

If womens football starts to make more money you can be sure as hell that it will degenerate into just as much cheating as the mens.

Of course, which is why I say at this moment in time the levels, at international level specifically, are just about there to make it watchable, because it hasn't yet been utterly contaminated and ruined by money, like the men's game. So as long as that lasts then let them have a knock about and close your eyes if there are an penalty shootouts.

 

[Mr Jack]

Perhaps technically its getting towards League one levels but on an absolute quality basis its nowhere near. The best womens teams are still getting smashed by under 15 boys teams.

The much reported 7-1 smashing was a training session where the Swiss women's team fielded 26 different players, four of their best players (including the captain) didn't take part, and the third choice Swiss keeper was in goal for the boy's side for half an hour. It wasn't a serious match in which they were giving their best. Of course, it's not the only occasion women's teams have lost against U15 teams but then they've also won plenty of these training games but you don't hear about those because they don't make an interesting story. It's also not like under 15s are a bunch of push overs: the average 14 year old is at 92% of their final height, and top male footballers are typically getting professionally coached from primary school - e.g. Bellingham was playing for Birmingham City's under 8 team - whereas that's not in place for female players - e.g. James wasn't scouted for Arsenal until she was 13.

Obviously, the women's game isn't level with the men's - and it never will because of the physical advantages that men have - but its improved a lot in recent years and these comparisons are giving a false impression of the difference.

 

[fez]

Obviously, the women's game isn't level with the men's - and it never will because of the physical advantages that men have - but its improved a lot in recent years and these comparisons are giving a false impression of the difference.

Its improved massively in the last 5+ years but lets not get carried away. As you said, 15 year old boys are already at a physical advantage over grown women in many cases. I don't think its giving a false impression at all, the difference is absolutely huge. Its just only apparent if you actually put them against each other. Women against women is fine. The standard is very watchable.

Its the same in almost every sport so there is no reason to think womens football would be exempt from that. Plenty of people watch womens tennis despite the greatest womens tennis players ever not being as good as a half cut top 200 mens player. I think that trying to play down the difference in levels doesn't do anyone any favours and just gives the people who don't know about sport but have very strong opinions on equality the fuel they need to make fools of themselves.

 

[Mint8]

The penalty shoot out was not a great advert for the womens game - however because England won the media are once again creaming themselves.

England will need to get a lot better and quick if they are to go any further. Jes Carter is way out of her depth and whilst Bronze obviously has the wining attitude and bags of experience - hers legs are clearly gone.

Still entertaining stuff if you dont dwell on the quality on show too much.

 

[Andybtsn]

Let's be honest, Spain are head and shoulders above everyone else. To get to the final would be an achievement, Italy haven't been great when I've seen them.

 

[adam cool dude]

I don't really see how strength and speed matter when they're playing against other women not men. Nobody is watching football because a player can complete 100m in a certain time.

They are playing on mens pitches though in mens goals. It needs to be made smaller to make it interesting to watch.

Saying that the penalties were fun to watch for the wrong reasons.

 

[Worthy]

but for international tournaments it does seem to be getting better, maybe League One levels?

I’m a Bolton fan and I find this incredibly offensive

 

[Shamikebab]

They are playing on mens pitches though in mens goals. It needs to be made smaller to make it interesting to watch.

Saying that the penalties were fun to watch for the wrong reasons.

I do agree the goal needs to be smaller but the pitch seems fine to me

 

[Mr Badger]

The penalty shoot out was not a great advert for the womens game - however because England won the media are once again creaming themselves.

England will need to get a lot better and quick if they are to go any further. Jes Carter is way out of her depth and whilst Bronze obviously has the wining attitude and bags of experience - hers legs are clearly gone.

Still entertaining stuff if you dont dwell on the quality on show too much.

They are playing on mens pitches though in mens goals. It needs to be made smaller to make it interesting to watch.

Saying that the penalties were fun to watch for the wrong reasons.

Incoming rule change to address the problem of so many missed goals: No goalkeeper for penalty shootouts.

 

[marc2003]

Goals need to be bigger, not smaller.

 

[Hodders]

Looks like Spain have some distance to go before they match the skill levels of the men's team, they seem to have mastered the falling over.

It was one of the things I used to really like about the women's game was the lack of all the theatrics.

 

[Mr Badger]

Looks like Spain have some distance to go before they match the skill levels of the men's team, they seem to have mastered the falling over.

It was one of the things I used to really like about the women's game was the lack of all the theatrics.

That's sad to hear. I really hope the officials and the teams can come down hard on that nonsense and stop it becoming accepted as part of the women's game.

 

[Rotty]

Really getting into this now, put my flag out ready for the semi final

 

[Mr Jack]

Second stupid red card for Germany, are they trying to lose?

 

[marc2003]

Germans under no pressure, imploding for no reason.

 

[Hodders]

What was Hendrich doing. Just madness.