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Women's World Cup win would rekindle Japan's love for soccer: Miyama

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Great story. Ganbarre, Nadeshiko ! I just hope there is no controversy determining the outcome.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I was going to write something about the "fall out of love" expression in the headline and first paragraph, but it sounds like the writer has added it and its not what she actually said. She simply said that winning was important in keeping up interest and raising the profile of women's football.

Any nation that "fell out of love" with a sport simply because it didn't win every major tournament isn't in love with the sport to begin with.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Any nation that "fell out of love" with a sport simply because it didn't win every major tournament isn't in love with the sport to begin with.

kohakuebisu -- exactly what I was thinking. Going to be a great game.

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Japanese people already love their soccer. The thing it might do though is influence more girls to get into playing soccer and having dreams of being a pro someday. I remembered after the last World Cup win, women's J-League were selling out stadiums though they would only sell a quarter of the seats before the World Cup. After a year or 2 though, people lost interest and were more focused on the men. Same thing with the softball league after the ladies won the 2008 Olympics.

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kohakuebisu: Exactly! I read the headline and thought it sounded like the usual, "Please let us win so that..." that you hear when Japan bids for events and uses tragedy as a reason why they should get it, and add that if Japan doesn't love the women for what they've done already if they lose tomorrow, then Japan doesn't deserve to have such a great team.

“The players responded to that and gave everything they had in every game and inspired all Japan. I really did a lot of things to keep the motivation high. I created videos of the earthquake devastation and the players watched that, in this tournament I didn’t do that.”

This coach is really something else. He creates videos of thousands suffering and parts of a nation destroyed to 'inspire' his players and is actually patting himself on the back for it??

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Go, Nadeshiko girls! Wishing you the best.

Looking forward to a great match.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

My prediction as a neutral : Japan 4 - USA 3. End to end stuff, very physical and cards aplenty. Ms Sawa to come on in the 85th minute with the scores locked up, and score the winner 5 minutes into injury time with a curling free-kick rocket that the American goalie can't even lay a finger on! Ms Sawa to be chaired off the field and announce her immediate retirement from the game. (OK I am biased as a Sawa fan!).

Good luck to both teams.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Hello from Germany. I do love Sumo and my bird likes woman football. So there will be a World Cup TV night at our home. My missus thinks that 7-8 girls and some blokes will show up and party. The game will be shown live on free TV and probably a few million Germans will watch at 01:00 (mind you AM). So my Japanese friends, give your girls a big hand and hope for a win. All The Best ......

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Prediction... Iwabuchi makes the difference

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I love Women Football games more than Women Tennis games. They are deserved to better pay than Women Tennis players.

Nippon Ganbare.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

WOW! USA just SCOREd 2 GOALS ALREADY!!

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