Women's World Cup: Three events that show the gap between men and women's football

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The Women's World Cup was 1 of grounds attendances, immense planetary audiences and teams breaking caller ground. But it was besides 1 marred by incidents which distracted from momentous achievements connected the pitch.

When Spain's shot squad stepped connected to the podium connected Sunday to cod their trophy aft winning the Women's World Cup, adoring crowds cheered their skills, resilience and historical achievement. Hours later, a viral video clip of Luis Rubiales kissing Jenni Hermoso connected the lips became a global talking point - sparking choler from pundits and players alike. The incidental was not mislaid connected 1 of the sport's astir precocious illustration activists connected equality, the US subordinate Megan Rapinoe, who observed that women footballers are "playing 2 games astatine the aforesaid time"."One, we're playing each against each other. And past the different one, we're each playing unneurotic to triumph equality and advancement and what we deserve," she added.

The tourney had already started against a backdrop of treatment and disputes crossed nations implicit equal pay, bonuses and other fiscal support.

From Rubiales infamous buss to Nike's determination not to marque replica goalkeeper shirts, here's what 3 arguable World Cup moments archer america astir the issues women footballers inactive face.

Infantino's code stuns

Women should 'pick the close fights' - Infantino

Infantino is nary alien to raising eyebrows. Back successful November 2022, the astir almighty antheral successful satellite shot delivered a monologue connected the eve of the arguable Qatar men's World Cup.

"Today I consciousness Qatari, I consciousness Arab, I consciousness African, I consciousness gay, I consciousness disabled, I consciousness a migrant worker," Fifa's president said successful a quality league earlier the men's World Cup successful Qatar, aft which helium was being criticised for comments "as crass arsenic they were clumsy".

But successful different World Cup quality league conscionable 9 months aboriginal and addressing "all the women", helium told them they "have the powerfulness to change".

"Pick the close battles. Pick the close fights. You person the powerfulness to change. You person the powerfulness to person america men what we person to bash and what we don't person to do. You bash it. Just bash it. With men, with Fifa, you volition find unfastened doors. Just propulsion the doors," helium said.

It was different code for which Infantino was criticised, with The Guardian columnist Marina Hyde calling his words "patronising women beyond belief", BBC presenter Gabby Logan said the comments were "ridiculous and reductive", portion commentator Jacqui Oatley called it "nonsense".

Players didn't similar it either. Norway guardant Ada Hegerberg said successful a sarcastic post connected societal media that she was "working connected a small presumption to person men".

By this point, Infantino had already drawn attraction to the information that helium has 4 daughters. In videos of enactment to the Lionesses posted connected societal media, it was noted that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, David Beckham, adjacent the Prince of Wales, each highlighted their daughters - but not their sons, successful the lawsuit of the second two.

Sunak and Prince William's absences from Sunday's last were besides notable. Climate interaction explanations were raised, but many questioned if the British Prime Minister and president of the Football Association would person missed a World Cup last if it had featured Gareth Southgate's men?

Spain's kiss-gate

Spain's tourney build-up was marked by unrest successful the campy and subordinate revolts but, contempt a deserved maiden World Cup win, further antagonistic attraction came the nation's mode due to the fact that of the actions of the antheral astatine the apical of their federation.

Having earlier grabbed his crotch successful solemnisation portion lasting adjacent Spain's Queen Letizia and her 16-year-old daughter, Rubiales would erstwhile again show "unacceptable" behaviour arsenic helium took his spot connected the podium.

Greeting Spain's players arsenic they received their World Cup winners' medals, helium grabbed Jenni Hermoso by the caput earlier forcibly planting a buss connected her lips, surrounded by cameras, the eyes of millions watching on.

As Hermoso moved away, helium continued to buss her team-mates connected the feature and cervix arsenic helium embraced each and each 1 of them. Later successful the dressing room, helium told them they indispensable sojourn Ibiza, arsenic that would beryllium wherever helium would wed Hermoso.

"I did not bask that", the Spanish guardant told the press, though aboriginal defended Rubiales albeit done quotes released by the Spanish FA itself - portion the country's politicians said it was a "form of intersexual violence" that cannot beryllium "normalised". On Tuesday, Spain's acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called it an "unacceptable gesture", portion different person called connected him to resign.

Rubiales aboriginal admitted helium was "completely wrong", aft the planetary backlash, but an exigency Spanish FA gathering connected Friday whitethorn effect successful further action.

Rapinoe, speaking to American mag The Atlantic, said Rubiales' actions "signals specified a heavy level of misogyny and sexism successful that federation", adding: "It made maine deliberation astir however overmuch we are required to endure.

"What benignant of upside-down satellite are we in? On the biggest stage, wherever you should beryllium celebrating, Jenni [Hermoso] has to beryllium physically assaulted by this guy."

The garment saga

And past you person the communicative that has tally and tally with nary motion of a solution immoderate clip soon.

Football fans, peculiarly those young, impressionable supporters, person worn the names of their heroes connected their backs for years. But if your leader is Mary Earps, atrocious luck.

The England goalkeeper whitethorn beryllium accelerated becoming a household sanction with idiosyncratic awards - the world's apical goalkeeper astatine the Fifa Best awards, the Golden Glove winner successful Australia and New Zealand - racking up, but her lucifer garment is obscurity to beryllium seen.

In July, Earps said she was "hurt" that fans could not bargain a replica of her goalkeeper jersey, manufacturers Nike reportedly not having women's goalkeeper kits connected nationalist merchantability arsenic portion of their commercialized strategy. A speedy online hunt finds an England men's goalkeeper garment readily disposable to buy.

Commercially arsenic well, it could beryllium seen arsenic an accidental missed for the brand, fixed replicas of Earps' Manchester United kit, produced by Adidas, sold retired past season.

On Sunday, Nike said they were "working towards solutions for aboriginal tournaments". At the clip of writing, a petition calling connected Nike to re-think their determination has amassed much than 130,000 signatures.

In the end, fans took matters successful to their ain hands, getting the cloth pens retired and fashioning their ain versions.

Indeed, the lone 2 radical who managed to get clasp of Earps goalkeeper jerseys were her ain parents - proudly wearing the aged lucifer shirts successful loyal support.

As Dr Ali Bowes - a lecturer successful the sociology of women's athletics astatine Nottingham Trent University - recently told BBC News, "sport is simply a microcosm of society".

"If you tin tackle sex inequality successful sport, you're going to spell immoderate mode to tackling sex inequality problems successful the wider world."