EURO 2022 headline act of summer football festival
July 15, 2022
A remarkable summer of football is being played across the globe as a variety of countries, players and tournament etch their names into the history books.
The much-acclaimed Euro 2022 is grabbing the headlines, having become the most-attended Women's Euro of all time on Thursday, surpassing the previous record of 240,045 set in 2017 — with 15 games still left in the tournament.
With the men's World Cup shifted to the winter, women's football has taken center stage and is entertaining scores of fans across multiple continents as teams battle to book their places in next year's World Cup.
African Cup of Nations hosts Morocco became the first-ever Arab country to qualify for the World Cup, Copa America Femenina finalists were awarded monetary prizes for the first time, and Jamaican forward Khadija Shaw, a rising star at Manchester City, bagged three goals in the group stages at the Concacaf W Championship. This summer is jam-packed with exciting football stories.
Morocco and Zambia make history
Morocco have enjoyed a fairy-tale journey at the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
For the first time, the tournament featured 12 teams, with Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi and Togo making their debuts.
As with the Concacaf W Championship and the Copa America Femenina, the competition functions as the only pathway to World Cup qualification, and Morocco's failure to qualify for the tournament between 2002-2020 left them in the football wilderness.
But the Atlas Lionesses' automatic qualification by virtue of holding the event in their country for the first time earned them the right to play in the competition for the first time since 2000.
Under the stewardship of former French international Reynald Pedros, who coached Lyon to consecutive league and Champions League titles, Morocco's fortunes on the field have been transformed.
After cruising through their group games, conceding just one goal during their three victories, Morocco delighted a record-breaking 45,000-strong crowd as they edged past Botswana in their quarterfinal in Rabat.
A semifinal berth was all that was required to reach next year's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, ensuring that Morocco will make their debut at the pinnacle of world football.
Zambia's story is perhaps even more magical. The nation ranked 103 in the world made history after reaching the final four for the first time since 1991.
Goalkeeper Hazel Nali proved an unlikely quarterfinal penalty shootout hero, as the 25-year-old scored from the spot to secure victory over Senegal and a first-ever World Cup berth.
Nine-time AFCON champions Nigeria and five-time runners-up South Africa round out the semifinal places and automatic spots for next summer's World Cup.
Jamaica's star continues to burn bright
Jamaica's rise since the intervention of ambassador Cedella Marley in reviving the women's national team has added new life to a continent dominated by the United States and Canada.
Cedella, daughter of renowned musician Bob Marley, provides financially for the team whilst also raising awareness and encouraging development.
The growth and transformation of the side bore fruit as early as 2018, when a third-placed finish in the previous edition of the tournament saw Jamaica become the first-ever Caribbean nation to reach the World Cup finals.
Prolific striker and captain Shaw, who has scored 56 goals in 38 international appearances, played a key role during this year's group stages. Shaw led her side to the semifinals and in doing so earned Jamaica a second-consecutive appearance at the World Cup.
Elsewhere, though it is no surprise that eight-time winners United States have reached the final once again some newer faces have impressed.
Forward Sophia Smith, 21, is the USWNT's joint top-scorer at the tournament having struck twice in three minutes of their group-stage rout of Jamaica.
Several players, a mix of newcomers and stalwarts, have got on the scoresheet throughout the tournament — including Washington Spirit teammates Trinity Rodman (20) and Ashley Sanchez (23). The pair have fed off their domestic partnership, underlining the depth the US will once again have in Australia and New Zealand.
Monetary prizes match talent
There is far more emphasis on reaching this year's Copa America Femenina final than just earning World Cup spots.
Substantial monetary prize of $1.5 million (€1.5 million) will be awarded to the winners; the runners-up will receive $500,000.
Although the tournament is in its opening stages, 38 goals have been scored in the first 10 matches, including two impressive free kicks.
Jessica Martinez's strike for Paraguay came in a losing effort again hosts Colombia, while Denya Castellanos' thunderbolt earned Venezuela a narrow win over Uruguay.
Whether it's free kicks in South America, history makers in Africa or great matchups in Europe, there's certainly no shortage of great football to enjoy this summer.