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On Sunday, fans around the world received a sumptuous menagerie of high-level international football. It was therefore normal for the United States to win the Women's World Cup final – the most significant, most significant and most important match of the day – – came first.
The following day was marked by the cathartic triumph of the Copa America for the Brazilians and a Mexico-United States. The showdown at the Gold Cup, but these two matches have failed to reach the flawless level observed at the women's final in Lyon, France.
For what purpose? For women, of course, this notion goes through several levels. It is impossible to think of another group of athletes who carry the burden of responsibility that falls on the Americans, as a group that plays – every day – with a heavy social burden on their shoulders. They vigorously defend the LGBTQ community for equal pay and equal treatment.
They played all this world cup by pursuing their own federation for claims of sexist prejudices and – gloriously rejecting the tedious trope that athletes need to avoid distractions, – dominated the tournament while answering questions about the trial, overwhelmed (dissections of their celebrations and a public debate with the President of the United States en route.
Before the match, the Dutch team posted a video on its social media accounts, recognizing that the excellence and ambition of the American team over the past two decades showed its players that "dreams were possible" . A few hours later, the match is over with stadium supporters chanting "equal pay!" in the same style as "U-S-A!"
"I have the impression that our team is changing the world around us as we live," Rapinoe told reporters thereafter.
The rise of women's football is going on feverishly. The United States were in the quarter-finals with seven European countries (including the Netherlands, who were playing their second Women's World Cup only); they have faced the hungry teams that they often inspire. They then won their second World Cup and their fourth consecutive overall, showing that there was still a significant gap in talent.
In truth, this should have been the only game of the day. A match as big as a Copa America Cup or Gold Cup, scheduled on the same day as the decision maker of the Men's World Cup title, was therefore the height of hypocrisy between FIFA, the CONCACAF and CONMEBOL. share the stage with anyone. The fact that it is, at least in the case of the Gold Cup, an omission (avowed) as opposed to a voluntary disregard is just as serious.
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Alejandro Moreno, of ESPN FC, said that Brazil had met and had proved that he was the best team in the Copa America despite the absence of Neymar.
Nevertheless, the men's tournaments – especially the Copa America – have provided many familiar ingredients: arbitration controversies, criticism of the failures of Lionel Messi and Argentina, and the rise of the Peru in the hands, making its way up to the final a quest for its first title since 1975. The Peruvians and Paolo Guerrero have been excellent. But in the end, the tournament was about Brazil, the hosts who – like the Americans – are competing against the story each time they go on the field. In this case, under the coach Tite and without the wounded star Neymar, they restored order in South American football with a 3-1 win.
It was not beautiful. This was certainly not the near mythical jogo bonito that some Brazilians are astonished by poetry to the point of illusion. But it was definitive and definitive, recalling one of those things that we still think should be true (even if it is not always the case): Brazil is one of the best. Now, for the first time since 2007, they are champions of their part of the world.
Mexico can say as much. Yes, the Gold Cup had its version of the Netherlands and Peru – the race of Haiti in the semi-finals could be the most amazing thing we see all year – but, as for the other Sundays, the story has been asserted. No team other than Mexico and the United States has won a Gold Cup since 2000 and after quitting Haiti, the Mexicans survived Sunday in Chicago to the US team 1-0, in order to make clear understand that they were again dominant in CONCACAF. .
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ESPN's Taylor Twellman explains where the USMNT went wrong during its 1-0 defeat to Mexico in the 2019 Gold Cup final.
Again, it was not as aesthetic as the performance of the American women's team. The pace was frantic but sloppy, and the odious, vile, anti-gay song, so often shouted by Mexican fans, rang loudly and frequently in the stands of Soldier Field.
There was a lot of ugliness on the ground too, as captain of Mexico, Andres Guardado should have been (but was not) deported for taking his counterpart, Weston McKennie, by the throat. In the end, the United States was incredibly wasteful, and the goal of Jonathan dos Santos – which was, in fact, the ceiling of a wonderful move – made the difference. Mexico celebrated its Gold Cup trophy for the eighth time, which means that the team has won more than half of the contested tournaments, a reality that seemed particularly relevant at the end of this unusual day.
Would it have been a nice end of the book if the United States had won? Yes. But that would not be maintained with the theme of domination and power of the weekend. The proof is right in front of us: in football, Mexico has it. Brazil too.
And no one has more than American women.
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