30.01.2013 Views

Germany 2010 - FIFA.com

Germany 2010 - FIFA.com

Germany 2010 - FIFA.com

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

8 Story of the tournament<br />

Story of the<br />

tournament<br />

Author: Betty Wong<br />

Group stage<br />

Just two days after the fi nal of the <strong>2010</strong> <strong>FIFA</strong> World Cup<br />

South Africa, women’s football moved into the world’s<br />

focus with less than 12 months to go until the biggest <strong>FIFA</strong><br />

event in women’s football, the <strong>FIFA</strong> Women’s World Cup.<br />

The countdown started with the <strong>FIFA</strong> U-20 Women’s World<br />

Cup in <strong>Germany</strong>, a country where people are clearly very<br />

passionate about women’s football, and it will be followed<br />

by the <strong>FIFA</strong> U-17 Women’s World Cup Trinidad & Tobago<br />

<strong>2010</strong> in September before the Women’s World Cup takes<br />

centre stage in <strong>Germany</strong> from 26 June to 17 July 2011. This<br />

U-20 tournament was part of the planning, preparation and<br />

testing stage, and the Germans proved once again what<br />

hospitable and friendly hosts they are.<br />

The four stadiums in the host cities of Augsburg, Bochum,<br />

Bielefeld and Dresden warmly wel<strong>com</strong>ed the 16 participating<br />

teams and numerous fans of women’s football from all<br />

over the world. The wonderful crowds (a total of 395,295<br />

spectators for the 32 matches) always created a cheerful<br />

atmosphere. The offi cial opening in Bochum was a<br />

great show. Some 300 local performers and a colourful<br />

programme of music, acrobatics, dance and football<br />

launched the tournament in spectacular fashion. Karla<br />

Kick – the Offi cial Mascot of the <strong>FIFA</strong> Women’s World Cup<br />

<strong>Germany</strong> 2011 – also made her debut at the opening<br />

match. She conveys some of the attributes of women’s<br />

football – passion, enjoyment and energy.<br />

The new<strong>com</strong>ers from Colombia, Costa Rica, Ghana and<br />

Sweden all performed very well. Two of them advanced to<br />

the second stage, with Sweden fi nishing fi rst in their group<br />

and Colombia second in theirs. Of the 16 qualifi ers, only<br />

Mexico, Sweden and Switzerland had not played in the<br />

fi rst-ever <strong>FIFA</strong> U-17 Women’s Wor ld Cup in New Zealand in<br />

2008. Six of the 13 teams who played in 2008 proceeded<br />

to the knockout stage in <strong>2010</strong>. A total of 126 players had<br />

benefi tted from the experience of playing in the U-17<br />

Women’s World Cup, while 49 players had played in the<br />

<strong>FIFA</strong> U-20 Women’s World Cup in Chile in 2008. The <strong>2010</strong><br />

edition illustrated the growth and development of the<br />

players.<br />

Group A had the biggest crowds cheering for the host<br />

team. <strong>Germany</strong>’s attacking prowess was clear for all to<br />

see as they scored 11 goals, six of which came from their<br />

impressive striker, Alexandra POPP (11), the adidas Golden<br />

Boot and adidas Golden Ball winner. Both France and<br />

Colombia were in the running to join the hosts in the knockout<br />

stage, and in an exciting fi nish to the group, Colombia<br />

sprang a surprise to climb above France thanks to their

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!