When asked about the balance in this World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, one of the first words that came to mind for the coach of the Argentine women’s soccer team, Germán Portanova, could refute any manual of success with which he conceives and analyzes soccer here in Argentina. “It was positive,” Portanova said after losing their opener to Italy, drawing against South Africa and losing to Sweden.
Argentina was eliminated, but there was a certain consensus between the players and the DT that progress was made. However, in the balance there were negative aspects and positive aspects. The positives were highlighted by the soccer players themselves after the elimination, and they were synthesized in what the greatest symbol of the team said, Estefanía Banini, who has already announced her retirement from the national team. “We have played equally against powers. Nothing to reproach. Now it’s up to the new generations to defend this shirt, ”he declared.
But the positive was not only the game, or the new generation of players who appeared and has the next world cups on their horizon, such as Sophia Braun (León de México), Paulina Gramaglia (Red Bull Bragantino), Lara Esponda (River Plate ) or Daiana Micaela Falfán (UAI Urquiza). The match against South Africa, for example, set the audience record of 12.3 rating points on Public TV, “the largest number of viewers in a match of the women’s team,” the state channel highlighted on its social networks.
It was the only game of the three for the National Team that was played at a time that was pleasant for the Argentine public: the debut against Italy and the third against Sweden were at 4 in the morning. But the more than 12 audience points against South Africa were enough to surpass the mark that had been registered during Argentina’s unforgettable 3-3 draw against Scotland on the last date of the 2019 World Cup. That match, the first point obtained in the history of the World Cups for Argentina, had reached peaks of 7.7 rating points.
The visibility and audience record is also replicated in the sponsorship of different companies that joined in supporting the women’s team. Quilmes, Noblex, Visa and one of the Argentine unicorns like Globant. Joaquín Campins, CEO of BBDO Argentina, told the specialized magazine Forbes: “Society has changed. Advertising is a reflection of market interest. The fact that there are so many massive campaigns dedicated to the Women’s National Team happily speaks of an interest and a need to touch on the subject”, he explained.
Not everything is to celebrate, obviously. Because the objective of winning a game for the first time in history was not achieved, because the disappointment of having given away the first half against South Africa remains, and the dismissal of references such as Banini, Florencia Bonsegundo or Vanina Correa. “We are finding a way,” Banini said. It will be a matter of continuing until the path bears more fruits than those achieved.
Scandal and complaint against the DT of Zambia
FIFA launched an investigation against Zambia women’s national team coach Bruce Swape for having sexually abused a footballer from that team. The fact was revealed by The Guardian and it happened last Friday, at the end of a training session. In the complaint, the English medium included a testimony: “It is not appropriate for a coach to touch a player’s breasts.” In addition, they added that there were several soccer players who saw the situation, but who decided to wait until their participation ended to formalize the complaint.
Zambia defeated Costa Rica on the last date, but came third in group C, won by Japan and escorted by Spain. The accusation was made in front of a FIFA delegate, who accompanied the team during their stay at the World Cup. Two months ago, Swape had been anonymously denounced for threatening and forcing his players to have sex with him.