They have years of experience, but this is their first time.
They have risen to the top of their sport, but never to the top of this podium.
They have played in the world's most prestigious events, but not in this one.
Until now.
They are the athletes of the inaugural women's Olympic football tournament, and until now, they were merely spectators to the pageantry of the Games. But 100 years after football made its exhibition Olympic debut, women will compete for golden recognition.
Eight teams Brazil, Denmark, Germany, Japan, Norway, the People's Republic of China, Sweden and the host United States all earned the trip to the Games as a result of their finishes at the 1995 Women's World Championships. The United States won the very first World Championship in 1991, but the European teams, led by 1995 World Champion Norway, World Cup runner-up Germany, and 1995 European Championship runner-up Sweden, continue to dominate international play. The Far East is an emerging power led by four-time Asian Cup champion China and World Cup qualifying tourney champion Japan. A youthful Denmark team also makes its bid for a medal while Brazil earned a place in the tournament with a World Cup win over Sweden.
The world's most popular sport also may be the fastest growing among women. Organizers of the 1995 women's world championship in Sweden estimate that today's 35 million women federation football players may increase to equal the 140 million men by the time the Olympic flame is lit in 2012. The number of teams competing for the gold medal could rise as the Women's World Cup final round will increase from 12 to 16 teams beginning in 1999.
Just as the number of participants continues to rise, so has the quality of the women's game. Not simply a female facsimile of the men's game, the women have developed a style of their own; combining the grace and elegance of refined skill with the strength and agility achieved through intense physical training. Although they employ diferent tactics, from the long-ball methods of the Scandinavians to the intricate team passing of the Germans and the one-on-one speed of the Americans, the teams share a common athletic talent with rosters full of some of the world's greatest athletes.
The teams competing in the first-ever women's Olympic football tournament may be new to the Olympic Games, but they are no strangers to the highest level of international competition. Unlike the men's game, where the Olympic football competition was the forerunner of the World Cup, two very successful world championships for women have been conducted before appearing on the Olympic Programme. The eight qualifying teams bring an impressive list of continental credentials to the Games, and all eight have appeared in both previous Women's World Cup championship. The first Olympic qualifiers have made the world's pitch their own personal playground during the sport's early years, but the prevailing opinion is that the rest of the world may be closing the gap.
Although played internationally for slightly over 20 years, the women's game has already established its own intense rivalries. Familiarity and proximity have fueled the rivalry between Scandinavian neighbors Sweden, Denmark and Norway. Friendly matches between the countries helped pioneer the sport of women's football in the early 1970s and the rivalries have continued to the highest level of the sport. Norway knocked Denmark out of the quarterfinals in the 1995 World Cup while the Olympic Games could mark another chapter in a Sweden/Norway series that has included battles in the European Championship final and World Cup semifinals.
Three classic matches have defined the rivalry between the sport's only world champions, the United States and Norway. In the 1991 World Cup finals, Michelle AKERS gave the United States the early advantage in the series when she stole a wayward pass and pushed it into the net with 2 minutes remaining to give the Americans a 2-1 win in the sport's first-ever world championship. Four years later, Norway avenged the loss when the tournament's leading scorer, Ann Kristin AARONES, headed in a first-half corner kick to give the Norwegians a 1-0 semifinal win. Norway went on to capture the World Cup title, but the Americans won the third match of the trilogy in the finals of the 1995 U.S. Women's Cup. Tammy PEARMAN's "golden goal" in extra time gave the United States a 2-1 victory and set the stage for another possible showdown in the Olympic Games.
While the United States and Norway continue their battle for women's football supremacy, China and Sweden have staged a pair of thrilling matches of their own. In the 1991 World Cup quarterfinals, Sweden silenced a packed Tianhe Stadium crowd as the Swedes downed the home team, 1-0. China returned the favor four years later, stunning the 1995 World Cup hosts in a dramatic penalty-kick shoot-out, 4-3.
The 1996 Olympic Games will provide a new stage for these teams to renew their rivalries. More importantly, they will showcase the sport to a new generation of female athletes and provide young players with a new goal. A goal that was previously unobtainable.
Until now.
Brazil (BRA)
The two-time South American Champion, Brazil has found less luck off the continent. But after finishing ninth in both the 1991 and 1995 World Cup tournaments in Asia and Europe, the Brazilians may feel more at home in the American south. Brazil rolled to the 1995 South American title, outscoring its opponents 42-1 including a 15-0 blanking of Bolivia in the final match. Dangerous goal-scoring threat Roseli De Belo tallied the game winner in Brazil's 1-0 World Cup win over host Sweden to secure the team's spot at the Olympic Games. Forty-year old goalkeeper Maria Margarete Pioresan (Meg) is a veteran of both of Brazil's two previous World Cup teams.
Denmark (DEN)
The Olympic football tournament's youngest team, Denmark continued its well-planned rise in international competition with a sixth-place finish at the 1995 World Cup. With a long-ball style favored by the Scandinavian countries, the Danish team is anything but a long-shot medal contender. Crafty forward Helle JENSEN solidified her standing as one of the world's to players with her performance at the World Cup, while Gitte KROGH ranked among the tournament's leading scorers with three goals. Although deep in talent and flowing with optimism, the young Danish team may lack the international experience possessed by its rivals in the Games. Only four players off the 1991 Women's World Cup roster returned to play on the 1995 team.
People's Republic of China (CHN)
Look for a sharp contrast between the technically-skilled, ball possession style of the People's Republic of China team compared with the physical game practiced by the European squads. The tactics have been very profitable for the Chinese, however, resulting in four Asian Cup championships, a fourth-place finish at the 1995 World Cup and the status as a top contender for the Olympic gold medal. Quickly becoming one of her country's most recognized players, forward Sun WAN shared Bronze Shoe honors with teammate Guihing SHI as the third best goal scorers at the 1995 World Cup. Dubbed "the Great Wall," a 6-2-2 defensive scheme has also helped the development of goalkeepers Honglian ZHONG and Hong GAO.
Germany (GER)
A high-level passing game and combination tactics helped Germany capture the 1995 European Championship and earn a spot in the 1995 World Cup championship match. At the center of the German attack, Heidi MOHR is her country's all-time leading scorer and earned the Silver Shoe award at the 1991 World Cup as the tournament's second best goal scorer. MOHR added three more goals at the 1995 championships and joins veteran captain Silvia NEID, forward Martina VOSS and rising star Brigit PRINZ in Germany's hopes for an Olympic medal. Goalkeeper Manuela GOLLER heads a German defense that shut out opponents in World Cup qualifying matches, 60-0.
Japan (JPN)
The Asian Cup runner up in 1986 and 1991, Japan won its qualifying tournament for the 1995 World Cup and continues to show tremendous improvement in international play. The formation of a women's professional league in Japan has aided in the development of the national team, and as a result, the Japanese earned a spot in the Olympic tournament with an eighth-place finish at the 1995 World Championships. Veteran midfielder Noda Akemi was the team's top goal scorer at the World Cup, and tallied both goals in Japan's 2-1 milestone win over Brazil. Goalkeeper Junko Ozawa is evidence of Japan's continued improvement while 17-year old Homare Sawa is a bright hope for the future.
Norway (NOR)
The 1995 World Cup champions, Norway used tough, physical play and a long-ball style to capture the world title. Those same tactics could pay off in gold for the Norwegians who have appeared in both of the first two World Cup finals. Once dependent on the feet of veteran Linda MEDELEN, Norway is now on the attack with a trio of talented goalscorers. Hege RISE earned the Golden Ball Award at the 1995 World Cup as the tournament's most outstanding player, while Ann Kristin AARONES received the Golden Shoe award as the tournament's top goal scorer. The Norwegians are equally strong on defense behind Gro ESPESETH, goalkeeper Bente NORDBY and the world's most-capped women's player , Heidi STORE.
Sweden (SWE)
One of the pioneering nation in women's football, Sweden helped organize the first international women's match. Just over ten years later, Sweden won the first women's European Championship and will look to add another "first" in 1996 with an Olympic gold medal. Immortalized with her picture on a postage stamp, defender Pia Sundhage is her country's all-time leader in goals scored and international appearances. The team's inspirational leader as well, Sundhage came out of retirement to help lift Sweden to a fifth-place finish at the 1995 World Cup. Midfielder Malin Andersson was one of the top scorers at the 1995 World Cup and joins Lina Videkull and Ulrika Kalte in the balanced Swedish attack. Goalkeeper Elisabeth Leidinge is a veteran of two World Cup tournaments and posted two shutouts at the 1995 championships.
United States (USA)
Concluding a rapid rise to the top of the football world, the United States captured the very first women's world championship in 1991. A loss to Norway in the 1995 World Cup semifinals cost the Americans a chance to repeat as champions, but a healthier U.S. team returns virtually intact in 1996. The world's premiere forward, Michelle AKERS has scored more international goals than any woman over the past ten years. Joining AKERS on the front line, Carin GABARRA earned most outstanding player honors at the 1991 World Cup while Mia HAMM recorded a tourney-high six assists at the 1995 championships. In the goal for the host nation, Briana SCURRY collected nine shutouts in 1995.
This is an official publication of the Atlanta Committee for
the Olympic Games Sports Publication Department. Written by Howard
Thomas.
| An estimated 5.3 million visted Centennial Olympic Park between opening day - 13 July - and closing day - 4 August, making the park the most single most visited Olympic site during the Games. |