Every conversation I had last Monday started with the Lionesses’ win. The nation loved it. But if you wandered beyond the match reports and into the comments section… well, let’s just say there are a lot of angry men on the internet.
Even the supportive ones often came with a caveat that the women’s game was a poor version of the men’s – some even enjoyed it more for the faults they perceived it to have. But is that really what we’re aiming for?
In business, it’s the complaints that drive improvement, not the five-star feedback. And however much we’d like to roll our eyes at the online snarks, criticism ignored is just bad strategy.
So, what was said? Too slow. Not physical enough. Lacking power. In short, just not as good as the men. I would point out that the women seem to have a better handle on penalties (just saying) and Chloe Kelly’s penalty compared favourably with the best in last season’s EPL …although the media release omitted to mention that it wasn’t a like for like comparison; as I understand it, strikes outside the box – which what was measured in this instance, don’t compare for force with free kicks and penalty strikes.
Regardless, some of this naysaying is textbook misogyny but some of it masks a more uncomfortable and complex question: are women being set up to play at their best?
I’ve raised this on panels before and there’s been tumbleweed, but it’s important, so here it is again:
- Women’s necks and skulls are structurally weaker than men’s.
- The Size 5 ball, the standard one in adult football, has already proved damage to male players.
- Giving the same ball to women means 25% more impact force on the body.
That’s not equality. That’s avoidable risk.
And beyond safety, there’s the performance question. I’ve no doubt about the talent of elite female players but women’s feet are smaller – therefore the striking area is smaller than men’s. Consequently, would a marginally smaller, lighter ball improve the game? And isn’t that worth finding out either way, if only to squash the question.
I’ve suggested this to players and they push back hard, understandably. There’s a sense that anything other than a man’s ball somehow diminishes their legitimacy. As if using a Size 4 is one step away from sparkly pink kits and frills. But using the right tool for the job isn’t patronising, it’s smart.
Other sports have already figured this out:
- The women’s shot-put weighs 4kg; the men’s, 7.26kg
- Women’s golf uses different tee lengths
- Tennis adjusts match length
Has anyone yet claimed that Serena Williams, Laura Davies, or Valerie Adams weren’t the real deal? Of course not.
These tweaks haven’t held women back; they’ve helped them shine.
So, which is worse: giving armchair critics one more thing to whinge about, or knowingly persisting with equipment that just might be holding back a sport?
If we want to see just how good women’s football can get, it’s time to explore an uncomfortable truth. That’s when it comes to this game, size may well matter.
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