The Women's World Cup is supposed to be the game-changer, a tournament to usher in new fans in their millions and a showcase for the progress made over the past four years. But alas, with six days to go until kick-off in Paris, that progress seems glaringly lacking, after the host nation were this week slighted by their own federation.
On Wednesday, nine days ahead of their tournament opener against South Korea, the France team were hurried out of their Clairefontaine training base to make way for the men's team, ahead of a friendly against Bolivia.
This blatant relegation suggests the comfort of Kylian Mbappe and Paul Pogba ahead of a friendly, building up to a Euro 2020 qualifier next week, is more important than continuity for the women ahead of the World Cup – and their own final warm-up friendly.
Didier Deschamps.Credit:AP
With the most celebrated team in Women's World Cup history, the United States, in a legal dispute with their federation over gender discrimination, including equal pay, it is no secret that much is still left to be desired in the way of tangible parity.
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This episode touches upon an element of the debate that speaks beyond pay. Just look to Germany's tongue-in-cheek squad announcement video, in which they highlight being gifted a tea set after winning their first European Championship, sexist trolling from the public and the fact they represent "a nation that doesn't even know our names".
It plays into Ada Hegerberg's much-publicised World Cup boycott. The Ballon d'Or 2018 recipient and four-time Champions League winner has not played for her national team, Norway, since 2017 over a described "lack of respect" her federation shows the women's team – despite both senior squads receiving equal pay.
"It's not always about money. It's about attitude and respect," Hegerberg, 23, told the BBC last month.
"I think sometimes we need to come away and think 'Are we going as fast as we should be? Are we doing things right? Is this all talk?'"
France's social media promotion of their senior squads'"historic" dinner together at Clairefontaine on Wednesday is the "talk" here – men's coach Didier Deschamps's quip that there was "no debate" on moving the women out is the crux of the matter.
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Australian Breaking News Headlines
The Women's World Cup is supposed to be the game-changer, a tournament to usher in new fans in their millions and a showcase for the progress made over the past four years. But alas, with six days to go until kick-off in Paris, that progress seems glaringly lacking, after the host nation were this week slighted by their own federation.
On Wednesday, nine days ahead of their tournament opener against South Korea, the France team were hurried out of their Clairefontaine training base to make way for the men's team, ahead of a friendly against Bolivia.
This blatant relegation suggests the comfort of Kylian Mbappe and Paul Pogba ahead of a friendly, building up to a Euro 2020 qualifier next week, is more important than continuity for the women ahead of the World Cup – and their own final warm-up friendly.
Didier Deschamps.Credit:AP
With the most celebrated team in Women's World Cup history, the United States, in a legal dispute with their federation over gender discrimination, including equal pay, it is no secret that much is still left to be desired in the way of tangible parity.
Advertisement
This episode touches upon an element of the debate that speaks beyond pay. Just look to Germany's tongue-in-cheek squad announcement video, in which they highlight being gifted a tea set after winning their first European Championship, sexist trolling from the public and the fact they represent "a nation that doesn't even know our names".
It plays into Ada Hegerberg's much-publicised World Cup boycott. The Ballon d'Or 2018 recipient and four-time Champions League winner has not played for her national team, Norway, since 2017 over a described "lack of respect" her federation shows the women's team – despite both senior squads receiving equal pay.
"It's not always about money. It's about attitude and respect," Hegerberg, 23, told the BBC last month.
"I think sometimes we need to come away and think 'Are we going as fast as we should be? Are we doing things right? Is this all talk?'"
France's social media promotion of their senior squads'"historic" dinner together at Clairefontaine on Wednesday is the "talk" here – men's coach Didier Deschamps's quip that there was "no debate" on moving the women out is the crux of the matter.
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