Just days before Women’s Euro 2022 kicks off on July 6th, zoom in on our national team, ranked 3rd in the FIFA World Rankings, and the powers that be.
In 2010, the number of licensed women in football in France was only 90,000, and 12 years later, this figure doubled to 197,779. Following France’s victory at the 2018 Men’s World Cup, then unprecedented media coverage of its women’s counterpart in 2019, and just days before the start of Women’s Euro 2022*, many are passionate about soccer.
Third in the FIFA world rankings, Wendy Renard and her France team-mates are now important figures in the world of sport. However, compared to Mbappé or Griezmann, the wage disparity remains glaring, their exploits still minimal, their physical comments and media aura less so. “Of course, they are seen more as exceptional athletes who deserve more attention, but the changes are slower in Europe,” analyzes Pascal Montfort, founder of Rec, a consulting firm for brands.
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The US is moving the lines faster. In the country where soccer (the American name) is younger than in Europe, “the results of the players are cut and their skill is marked on the level of their merit,” the expert explains, then evokes the aura of the national team carried by Megan Rapinoe or Alex Morgan. . “They have become role models, even modern heroines.” Also, brands such as Nike or Adidas today carefully outfit soccer players and include them in their advertising campaigns. “In fact, the 2019 USA World Cup jersey is the best-selling jersey of all time in the United States, better than any men’s jersey. It is a sign of a cultural revolution that portends a very bright future. Brands will make things evolve faster than federations and their aging mentality,” predicts Pascal Montfort.
*July 6 to 31 on TF1, TMC and Canal+.
Source: Le Figaro
