The Olympics and the Women’s Game
The Olympic Games are often viewed as a sideshow by football fans. For female professionals however, the Olympics are serious business, and the contrast in approach from the men’s side is striking.
What is behind the divergence? Why do female footballers bring their A game to the Olympics, while their male counterparts (or their clubs) treat it as little more than a distraction?
First of all, let’s wrangle the elephant in the room: the prestige of the tournament. For men, the World Cup is the undisputed pinnacle - football's Mount Olympus. Winning it grants footballing immortality, a place in the pantheon alongside Pelé, Maradona and now, Messi.
The Olympics is an under-23 tournament with a few elder statesmen (looking at you Monsieur Lacazette) thrown in for good measure. This suggests that federations, clubs, players, fans don't quite deem it worthy of their full attention.
The men's Olympic gold is often overshadowed by continental honours, and of course, the World Cup in international terms.
But here’s the twist: for female footballers, the Olympic Games are a much bigger deal. This isn’t because they lack their own World Cup - far from it. The FIFA Women's World Cup is a significant event, and so too are the various continental championships like the UEFA Women’s EURO.
The Olympics, however, offer something slightly different: a unique global stage that’s one of the few opportunities for women’s football to take centre stage alongside other sports. While women’s sports still fight for equal billing, the Olympics provide unparalleled visibility.
It’s a rare moment when female athletes from all disciplines share the same spotlight, and women’s football is given equal weight alongside gymnastics, athletics, swimming et al.
The Olympics’ significance in women’s football is strengthened further by its place in the calendar. Unlike the men’s game, where players often view the summer as a much-needed respite from the increasingly gruelling club season, female footballers don’t face the same congested schedule.*
*For the time being at least. But that’s another article.
The Olympics don’t compete with half a dozen other tournaments for attention and energy. Instead, it fits neatly into a summer where the world's best female players can focus entirely on capturing a coveted gold medal.
In a summer where elite male footballers like Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi were playing in the Euros and Copa America respectively, top female players like Balon d’Or holder Aitana Bonmati were able to prepare for Paris 2024.
Additionally, the Olympics carries a historical significance for women's football that can’t be overlooked. The inclusion of women’s football in the 1996 Atlanta Games was a landmark moment, giving the sport a massive boost in both credibility and visibility.
So while the men might continue to see the Olympics as a chance to give youth a chance, female footballers will keep chasing that gold.