Fútnotes, Volume 33

The UNCAF Copa Interclubes concluded this past week in thrilling fashion (no spoilers here, but there’s an article linked below on the subject). For those unfamiliar, the UNCAF tournament is a women’s club tournament comprised of teams from seven Central American nations. The tournament is structured with two groups of four playing a home and away series round robin, with the teams pairing off after the group stage in single games to determine seventh, fifth, third, and first place.

Concacaf is supposedly going to to launch a new women’s club competition in 2024 (Concacaf), which means clubs especially in the United States and (to a lesser degree) México are going to have to get serious about tackling some of the structural issues that face the leagues. In 2023, the NWSL will play a 22 game season, completed a Cup competition with the North Carolina Courage and Racing Lousiville playing eight games, and adding potentially three more games in the playoffs for a total of 33. Liga MX Femenil will play 34 regular season games with the potential for 12 postseason games during calendar year 2023. The difference is that Liga MX Femenil has no set roster size limit and each team has a U19 team to draw from and requires youth players to play at minimum 1000 minutes per 17 game season. The NWSL caps the roster size at 26 players and does not have youth teams.

If there is going to be a continental cup (and eventually a Women’s Club World Cup), the NWSL especially is going to have to loosen the restraints on roster size. If there’s a lucid argument as to why the league needs both a salary cap and a roster size cap, I haven’t yet heard it. I do (to a degree) however understand the difficulties around allowing youth players who can’t sign pro contracts, thanks to the NCAA’s arcane rules on eligibility, to play in games with dues-paying NWSL Players Union members. This however seems like an even bigger incentive to allow more players on an active NWSL roster.

The 26 spots on 12 teams means there are just 312 total jobs available in the NWSL for players. That’s it. To contrast this, each year there are between 9,000 and 10,000 players in the NCAA Division I alone. With a player pool as deep and wide as the United States has, it’s perhaps a fitting metaphor that less than one-half of one percent of the players were drafted into the league.

As for the rest? Some play in semipro leagues like the USL W League, some go abroad and play, and others simply hang up their cleats. It makes no sense why this is the reality of soccer in the United States. There needs to be a relaxing of roster rules to allow greater flexibility in signing players. The creation of reserves teams should be mandated or at least very strongly encouraged. This can all still be managed under a salary cap, too.

The popularity of women’s soccer in the US and abroad is as high as it’s been during my lifetime. The NWSL has done well recently to lose some of the owners with shallower pockets and get some owners with much deeper “pro sports ownership money” pockets. In order to make money, you need to spend money on things that will benefit your business both in the short- and long-term. Building these things into the infrastructure will pay dividends in both.

México

Mazatlán signed Alejandra Escobedo, who returned to the club after playing with them from the 2021 Apertura through the 2022 Apertura. (Noroeste)

Mazatlán also signed Andrea Hauksdóttir. (Noroeste)

Atlas defender Jetzuvely González injured her ACL in her right leg, and will undergo surgery in the coming days. (Atlas FC)

Jackie Ovalle is now Tigres’ all-time leading scorer with 95 goals. (Tigres Femenil via Twitter)

Licha Cervantes scored her 95th and 96th goals as Chivas downed Querétaro 3-1. (Chivas Femenil)

Pumas signed Jamaica left back Deneisha Blackwood. (Pumas)

Jenni Hermoso returned to Pachuca, making an appearance in the 84th minute in Pachuca’s 2-1 win over Pumas. (Pachuca Femenil via Twitter)

Thank you for reading Golazo del Gringo! If you enjoyed reading this post, please share it with anyone who enjoys women’s soccer.

Rest of the World

Moldovan defender Violeta Mitul died in a tragic accident “while on a mountain hike with club-mates”. (CNN)

Jorge Vilda resigned as the Spanish Women’s National Team Head Coach. (Real Federación Española de Fútbol)

And Luis Rubiales was dismissed as well. (Real Federación Española de Fútbol)

Add Slovenia to the list of Women’s National Teams that were playing in spite of an abusive federation.(Josimar)

I said were in the past tense becase Borut Jarc stepped down after the Josimar article ran. (Nogometna Zveza Slovenije)

Italy hired Andrea Soncin as their new Women’s National Team head coach. (AP News)

UEFA’s Football Board is set to meet today. (UEFA)

However, as Anita Asanta pointed out, “(the) lack of representation of black and brown players/coaches on this list is really disappointing.” (Anita Asante via Twitter)

Mana Iwabuchi retired from professional soccer. Iwabuchi played in three World Cups, including Japan’s 2011 Championship. (Japan Times)

Lucy Bronze wrote a powerful essay about the Jenni Hermoso situation. (Metro UK)

Liga F is on strike for the first two games of the season, with the players protesting the minimum wage of just €16,000. The players want the minimum raised to €23,000 this season, “rising to €25,000 for next season.” (FUTPRO)

Alajuelense drew Tauro 2-2 but downed Los Albinegros 2-0 in penalties to win their second straight UNCAF Copa Interclubes! (La Nación)

São Paulo Feminino won the U17 Paulista Femenino tournament! (São Paulo Feminino via Twitter)

Corinthians won their fourth straight and fifth overall Brasileirão Feminino title, beating Ferroviária 2-1 in front of 42,326 fans! (Sport Club Corinthians)

Don’t ever let them tell you no one pays attention to women’s soccer.

If you have something that should be included in this segment, please reach out to me via twitter or email me at [email protected].