Do we have female players like this?

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It is 90 when Maradona won world cup. Not 78. Not 74. I can't get your points while you keep lying. :-)

I gather the point is that even with one of the best players of his era, a team not only fails to win championships, but sometimes doesn't even allow him on the team because of reasons likely related to his ego. But that doesn't stop us from imagining that he did win more championships than he actually did, and oohing and aahing over his amazing individual feats of skill.

[Unregistered]

Maradona and Pele are examples of trancendent athletes that dominate and win championships. I think Beachbum's point is that this is the kind of team we Americans like. Sort of like MJ in basketball. We like our stars. I would like to have the two above players try out the gauntlet of the 4-5-1 defensive structures the Germans and Dutch throw at people. I would be curious whether they could get through. Messi never got close, but the Spanish, with their team game, did.

Point taken. But show me several MLS teams that do this. They all play a good game and many can stand their own with any good European team. Maybe the American spectators like it but I don't believe professional MLS team coaches do...ditto for good U11+ club soccer coaches.

[Unregistered]

Messi has developed into a great passer after 10 years of professional development at Barcelona. This young lady is a 17 year old amateur who made spectacular passes how many times during that game? You don't know because you are judging her on one clip, but her coach calls her the best player on the team.

BTW, this conversation has gone well beyond what that young lady's talents are or aren't. I would not want to judge someone based on one play. My points here are rhetorical. Nice goal for the young lady. Nuff said, there.

[Unregistered]

World Cup Winners

http://www.topendsports.com/events/w...er/winners.htm

Just so we have this straight. Pencil in Spain for 2010.

[Unregistered]

I wonder how many of you even have a clue what's going on at this tournament. You know the team that beat the US in PKs to represent CONCACAF, Canada, finished third in their grouping 1-2-0 behind the group winner, Ireland and Brazil. Ireland lost to Japan in the quarter finals 1-2. Japan finished second in their group to Spain (now there's a name you don't hear too often in women's soccer) after losing to Spain in the group stage 1-4! Spain beat Brazil 2-1 in the quarter finals, but lost to S. Korea 2-1 in the semi finals. Spain was the only European team to make it to the semi-finals. The other 3 teams were all Asian (S. Korea, N Korea, and Japan). Japan will play S. Korea in the finals on Saturday.

So no surprise that the Asians did well. Big surprise to see Spain and Ireland in the mix. And all you parents of girls hoping for college scholarships better understand that unless the US get it's **** together in girls soccer, these are the players your daughters will be competing for college scholarships, because college coaches have no problem looking overseas for possible recruits.

[Unregistered]

BTW, this conversation has gone well beyond what that young lady's talents are or aren't. I would not want to judge someone based on one play. My points here are rhetorical. Nice goal for the young lady. Nuff said, there.

Check out a bit more of the Japan v N Korea game.

http://www.fifa.com/u17womensworldcu...699/index.html

[Unregistered]

I wonder how many of you even have a clue what's going on at this tournament. You know the team that beat the US in PKs to represent CONCACAF, Canada, finished third in their grouping 1-2-0 behind the group winner, Ireland and Brazil. Ireland lost to Japan in the quarter finals 1-2. Japan finished second in their group to Spain (now there's a name you don't hear too often in women's soccer) after losing to Spain in the group stage 1-4! Spain beat Brazil 2-1 in the quarter finals, but lost to S. Korea 2-1 in the semi finals. Spain was the only European team to make it to the semi-finals. The other 3 teams were all Asian (S. Korea, N Korea, and Japan). Japan will play S. Korea in the finals on Saturday.

So no surprise that the Asians did well. Big surprise to see Spain and Ireland in the mix. And all you parents of girls hoping for college scholarships better understand that unless the US get it's **** together in girls soccer, these are the players your daughters will be competing for college scholarships, because college coaches have no problem looking overseas for possible recruits.

The key in women's soccer is that only a handful of countries up until now have provided a favorable environment for young women to develop. Many who have lagged behind are both large countries and others with a strong national soccer culture. When that changes, international women's soccer will become far more competitive. It won't take long.

[Unregistered]

humbug. When Messi does the same exact thing, it's "ooh ah wow" etc... But when a non European or American does it, it's "bash bash bash", "track stars" etc...

Messi doesn't do the 'same thing'. He moves faster, and releases the ball before clearing the last defender in order to obscure his shot from the keeper. The defenders in men's games don't often stand as still as statues. I don't watch women's soccer long enough (ie, I change the channel) to tell whether that woman is unusually good - well if she is, you should all be changing the channel (unless you have a daughter, and then, my apologies for being rude).

[Unregistered]

Messi doesn't do the 'same thing'. He moves faster, and releases the ball before clearing the last defender in order to obscure his shot from the keeper. The defenders in men's games don't often stand as still as statues. I don't watch women's soccer long enough (ie, I change the channel) to tell whether that woman is unusually good - well if she is, you should all be changing the channel (unless you have a daughter, and then, my apologies for being rude).

Even the great Messi does not look up enough to see Pedro or Xavi and recently Villa with a better open shot on net. But this is often excused because Messi scores goals during those opportunities anyway. He does this because of his incredible ball control, tenacity and speed

[Unregistered]

Amazing skills! Especially for a 17 yeay old girl. I want to know how they do training over there.

[Unregistered]

Amazing skills! Especially for a 17 yeay old girl. I want to know how they do training over there.

Watched the Philadelphia/Boston game last night ....and I'll tell you this 17 year old would have been a star in that game last night...Ugly,ugly game.

[Unregistered]

BTW, this conversation has gone well beyond what that young lady's talents are or aren't. I would not want to judge someone based on one play. My points here are rhetorical. Nice goal for the young lady. Nuff said, there.

Agreed. It's funny how all the soccer experts out there want to decipher so much from one play.

The Japanese women's team by the way has improved by leaps and bounds over the years. You all would be bragging to the ends of the earth if your daughter's team was progressing like the Japanese Women teams have over the last 5 or 6 years. (Japanese u-17 in 2008 totally outclassed the US U-17s in 2008 by the way, at the U-17 world cup despite winning by a much closer score of 3-2).

The video was one play. It's silly to draw a big conclusion from it, other than she successfully maneuvered in a tight space with several defenders vying for the ball. It's not a bad thing to have that skill and it was entertaining to watch.

[Unregistered]

Amazing skills! Especially for a 17 yeay old girl. I want to know how they do training over there.

Not like your local club that beats other teams 10-0 at u-10/11

[Unregistered]

Amazing skills! Especially for a 17 yeay old girl. I want to know how they do training over there.

The Japanese FA brought in Brazilian coaches and the Japanese are more tolerant of the time that needs to be invested and tedious work that needs to be done to develop a higher skill level. In the US we have coaches, parents, and players who just want games to play, not the work. These are reflections of both societies as a whole.

[Unregistered]

The Japanese FA brought in Brazilian coaches and the Japanese are more tolerant of the time that needs to be invested and tedious work that needs to be done to develop a higher skill level. In the US we have coaches, parents, and players who just want games to play, not the work. These are reflections of both societies as a whole.

Good summary of what the Japanese have done to improve their soccer teams.

It's something we could definately learn from. The Japanese, because they are smaller in stature, and lack the straight ahead running speed, power and strength of US players, have focused instead on technical ability, quickness with the ball, etc. It has paid tremendous dividends for them.

Every year an "all star" team from Japan comes to the States and plays against college teams.

Here's what Greg Ryan, the head coach at University of Michigan had to say about the Japanese after his team played them:

"In Japan, skill is emphasized whereas it is not in this country to that extent, so that every player was so skillful on the ball and they're able to keep the ball, possess, and if they are under pressure they didn't feel like they were under presseure and that's because of their training."

A few UofM players echoed his sentiments and expressed both their admiration for and frustration with handling the superior technical ability of the Japanese.