Bridging the continental divide: the WUSA is providing healthy competition for international stars—possibly at the expense of the U.S. national team - Women's United Soccer Association

Soccer Digest, Dec, 2002 by Barry Wilner

IN 2002, AMERICA'S WUSA STARS learned just how competitive the rest of the world has become, as they often played second fiddle to their team's foreign contingent. At next year's Women's World Cup, some of those foreign stars could teach the United States national team an even harsher lesson by toppling it from the peak of the soccer world.

The U.S. has won two of the three Women's World Cups, in China in 1991 and the momentous USA '99 Cup that lifted the sport into the American fans' consciousness and hearts.

In basketball, the rest of the world is quickly catching up to the once seemingly invincible U.S. At the 2002 World Championships, won by Yugoslavia, not only did the U.S. lose its first international game since NBA players became eligible, but it finished sixth overall with a 1-3 record. Women's soccer is in a similar situation. If the United States doesn't bring its best players, and they don't play at their highest level, any of four other nations--Brazil, China, Germany, or Norway--could walk away with the Cup next year.

"The level of play around the world has improved since the U.S. dominated in the mid-1990s," says U.S. team coach April Heinrichs. "More countries are encouraging women to play, the coaching is better, and the funding has improved. So we should expect the competition to be better, too."

It most certainly is. Consider that in the WUSA's second season, the dominant players weren't Americans such as Mia Hamm, Kristine Lilly, Tiffeny Milbrett, or Julie Foudy they were foreign stars Hege Riise, Birgit Prinz, Marinette Pichon, and Katia.

Of the top six goal-scorers in the WUSA this year, only one, Danielle Fotopoulos, is American. The league leader was Brazil's Katia, who scored 15 goals for the San Jose CyberRays, followed closely by France's Pichon, who recorded 14 for the Philadelphia Charge. Germany's Prinz tallied 12 for the Carolina Courage, and Canada's Charmaine Hooper (Atlanta Beat), Norway's Dagny Mellgren (Boston Breakers), and Fotopoulos each scored 11 goals.

With the exception for Pichon, all of those stars play for established powers or one of the many rapidly developing women's soccer nations. "Soccer is the world's sport," says Hooper. "Why should it be any different for the women?"

But it always has been different, mainly because many countries won't invest in the development of the women's game. Only Norway, Sweden, China, and the United States have been dedicated to advancing the women's cause for the past dozen years. Now nations such as Germany, Canada, Brazil, Sweden, and Denmark are also serious about women's soccer.

More significantly, with the advent of the WUSA, top foreign players are able to compete on the highest level and enjoy access to first-rate facilities, training, and coaching. "It's amazing," Katia says of the competition in the WUSA "And that is because the American players are so competitive. The rest of us have to be at the same level. The American players have wonderful facilities, and they train twice as much as we do at home.

"It's really helped my game to play here with them. It makes me stronger and faster, and I have to take every opportunity when I'm in front of the goal. And when I go back to play for my national team, I notice that we are a stronger team because some of us are playing in America. It helps us a lot. It will help all national teams."

This creates a paradox of sorts for Heinrichs and her players. The strong performances of the WUSA's top Americans lift the play of the non-Americans. Basically, it's a get-better-or-get-out situation for the foreigners. Generally, they get better. And when they face the U.S. team in friendlies, the Olympics, World Cup qualifying, or the Cup itself, they will offer an impressive challenge.

WUSA commissioner and former U.S. coach Tony DiCicco realizes this scenario is beneficial for women's soccer--even if it means fewer major titles for the Americans. "I think the WUSA has done everything it can to improve the level of soccer and to popularize the game, both in the U.S. and elsewhere," he says. "It's only natural that the non-American players will improve, considering the level of competition they get in this league.

"The future looks good. We've done well to include international players and prove that this is a global league. And here the players are treated as professionals. In the WUSA, they enjoy a better salary, better media coverage, and are watched by more fans than anywhere else in the world."

DiCicco believes the enhanced competition has created rivalries, which are vital to any major sport. "Rivalries help establish sports leagues," he says. "There are already huge rivalries in our league, and they will only become richer and more heated. These rivalries aren't a matter of ill feelings between players--they're a matter of regional proximity, teams with different personalities, or teams with a history of meeting in important games."

And it's also a matter of nationality. Fans--most of whom were first attracted to the international aspect of women's soccer--enjoy seeing top U.S. players go up against the best foreigners. They like to see Kate Sobrero trying to shut down Sun Wen, or Milbrett looking to streak through a defense populated by Chinese, Norwegian, and German opponents.