Disappointed with Norway in the World Cup? Well, it could have been worse.

You can cheer for the US.

They are favorites as always, a team with four World Cup titles and a population of 330 million, who have never been knocked out before the semi-finals, who have never even been under in World Cup matches since 2011. And then they lost in the last 16 against Sweden.

Few expected to return home early. If you take into account that neither Spain nor England have ever reached the final before, you have a World Cup full of surprises.

But in fact the fall of the United States has been predicted for several years. Likewise with European progress.

When Norway is the best in the world

Part of the reason is that some countries are off to a very good start. When the women’s World Cup started in 1991, only 12 countries took part. Five of Europe – Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Denmark – are fighting against countries such as the US, Japan, China and Brazil.

The gang got off to a good start. Prior to this summer, four of them had won all WC titles:

1991 – United States

1995 – Norway

1999 – United States

2003 – Germany

2007 – Germany

2011 – Japan

2015 – United States

2019 – United States

Why exactly these four? A mix of culture, equality and law, such as United States Title IX in 1972, which stated that if institutions involved in education were to receive financial support from the state, they must grant women and men equal rights to engage in sport. But the more women’s football develops, the more giants awaken.

No one has felt this more than Norway, who last reached the semifinals in 2007. Germany have not won a major tournament since 2013. And Japan lost in the last 16 to the Netherlands in 2019.

Only the United States remains on top. But when they met the Netherlands in the group stage this summer, Dutch coach Andries Jonker is very pleased with the distance between the US and the rest of the world.

– All female footballers are very interested to know the answer to the question: Are we getting closer? said Jonker, before providing his own answer:

– The feeling is “yes”.

More than a longing

Jonker is right. The Netherlands drew with the US 1-1, before Portugal came inches from sending America out of the group with a shot in extra time that hit the post. The US limped into the last 16, where they lost to Sweden on penalties.

Among the four major powers, only Japan, who lost to Sweden in the quarter-finals, returned home with honor intact. Norway only beat the Philippines, and Germany dropped out of the group for the first time.

The semifinalists are Spain, England, Sweden and host Australia. Europe has overtaken the US.

So the question is: Can the US fight back?

Several things point to that. They are in the midst of a generational change; 14 of the 23 team members played their first WC. Several stars were injured, and the team also managed to beat Sweden well: Sweden’s decisive penalty went over the line by millimeters.

At the same time, this explosion had long been in the air. The US was thrashed 3-0 by Sweden in the Olympics two years ago. Last year they lost three games in a row for the first time in 30 years. All against the big European teams: England, Spain and Germany.

The Americans hoped a new generation would take over, but the U20s have been knocked out of the group stage for the second successive World Cup. Last year, the U17 team were knocked out in the round of 16 against Nigeria.

In the US, most of the great talent trains at universities, where they combine football with school, before being signed to a club. The season lasts less than eight months, and it costs so much for young players to join the best teams that many families can’t afford it. In 2019 US star striker Alex Morgan says the whole system is undermining the country’s football.

The system has worked quite well during the sleep part of European football. But in recent years, everyone has woken up.

Progress of the finalists

All the big clubs now have a women’s team. While teams in the US need financial support from the Football Association, the European giants generate several billion a year. The talent trains full time in the world’s best academies, in countries where football culture has been built for more than 100 years.

In short: The same forces that made European men’s football the best in the world have now been set in motion on the women’s side.

In Spain, growth has been driven by Barcelona, ​​​​who turned the women’s team professional in 2015. They have poured money into the team and are the best in Europe. Many of the same stars have strengthened Spain, including Aitana Bonmatí and Alexia Putellas. Last year, Barça set a world record by playing in front of a crowd of 91,648 at the men’s stadium, Camp Nou. Interest – and the level – has never been higher.

In England, the top league turned professional in 2018, under the condition that all teams run their own academies. The value of TV and sponsorship deals has skyrocketed. At the same time, the football association is working hard to increase the number of female players across the country.

Overall, this is progress the US cannot match.

And these are only the finalists. Countries such as the Netherlands, Portugal and Italy rushed in.

– Previously, American women were much better trained than any other people in the world. I think time is up, Jonker said in the WC.

Once again he is right.

Football wins

It’s not just about European progress either. When players’ organization FIFPRO asked FIFA to set aside prize money for players before the World Cup, the argument was that doing so would raise standards among countries perceived as weaker such as the Philippines and Jamaica.

This has to happen now that FIFA has asked the confederation to give at least NOK 320,000 to every player who has participated. But we have seen in the toilet that the little one has gotten stronger.

The Philippines have beaten New Zealand, Morocco have survived the group, Jamaica have picked up points against France and Brazil, and Colombia have reached the quarter-finals. Hosts Australia have won the hearts of the people with their adventurous journey to the semifinals.

The time when only a handful of countries could appear in the World Cup is over.

For the United States, this can evoke mixed feelings. From a purely sporting standpoint, it’s sad, but at the same time it’s what this country’s biggest star stands for: That other countries should get resources and be better. And let there be no doubt: It is is great for struggling women’s soccer in countries like the US and Norway.

This means that levels are rising, competition is getting tougher, and more countries have the resources – and the will – to give women the respect they deserve.