The history of the Women’s World Cup final – 1991: America victorious but was it officially a World Cup?

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This is the first in a new series looking at historic Women’s World Cup finals ahead of the 2027 tournament, which will be hosted in Brazil.

There have only been nine Women’s World Cup finals. And this first one was not, at the time, even recognised as a World Cup…

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Background

While unofficial World Cups for female players were held in the 1970s, this was the first global tournament recognised by FIFA. However, this is only considered the first Women’s World Cup retrospectively. Amid uncertainty over the level of play and the commercial viability of the tournament, FIFA were reluctant to use the phrase “World Cup” at this stage. Therefore, China hosted the awkwardly entitled ‘1st FIFA World Championship for Women’s Football for the M&M’s Cup’.

Even taking into account the fact many tickets were given away free, the attendances were excellent, averaging around 20,000. Some elements of the tournament seem odd today: many of the teams stayed together in the same hotel, almost all the coaches and referees were male, and the final four had to play six games within the space of a fortnight. It was also held in the same year as the European Championship, which at this stage was played every two years.

Norway had recovered from a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of the hosts to reach the final, and were slight favourites. Their football was considered more technically advanced, and their players had the benefit of being semi-professionals. The Americans were still amateurs, although they received $1,000 a month due to playing for the national side. Both had looked excellent in their semi-final, with Norway overcoming big rivals Sweden 4-1, and the United States defeating Germany 5-2. A close but open final was anticipated.

You might be surprised to learn…

At this stage, women’s matches were played over two halves of only 40 minutes, with a 20-minute extra-time period if required. Therefore, while the decisive goal here came in the 78th minute, which sounds like it gave Norway a decent opportunity to launch a comeback, it actually came with only two minutes remaining.

These days, the decision to play matches over 80 minutes is often spoken about as if FIFA were being dismissive of women’s football, suggesting they wouldn’t be able to play a full game. Maybe that is true. But the teams were surveyed after the tournament and, broadly speaking, they backed 80-minute games. In particular, most of the outsiders suggested a longer match would favour the fitter semi-professionals from northern Europe, and a shorter match allowed them more of a chance to compete.

Tactics and style

If you’ve ever wondered precisely how the concept of a sweeper worked, this match is an excellent primer on the role. Both teams played near-identical systems: a 1-3-3-3, with the initial ‘1’ being the sweepers; Carla Werden and Norway skipper Heidi Store. They were the permanent ‘cover’ for their three defensive colleagues, who played strict marking roles on the opposition forwards.

Here’s how Norway defended: three markers, one sweeper.

And here’s how the United States defended: three markers, one sweeper. The same plan.

In fact, the teams had a very similar approach in attack, too. It felt like Norway No 10 Linda Medalen and USWNT No 10 Michelle Akers, playing as the centre-forwards, were head and shoulders above everyone else.

They played something akin to what might today be considered the Harry Kane role: they were the chief goalscorers, but also the most creative players, tasked with receiving forward passes to feet and feeding the wide attackers, who concentrated on direct running. They were tracked closely by Joy Biefeld and Gro Espeseth respectively. Akers’ duel with Espeseth was particularly physical, with Akers — at this point known as Akers-Stahl — shown the game’s only yellow card for shoving Espeseth after the Norwegian had fouled her.

In truth, the match was low-quality and attritional compared to the rest of the tournament, probably owing to both nerves and fatigue. There wasn’t a single genuine goalscoring chance in open play until the late winner. The forward trios rarely found a way past their markers, let alone the sweeper, while the midfield trios largely cancelled each other out.

The only serious quality in defence was, unsurprisingly, from the USA’s right-sided defender Mia Hamm, who would become the world’s most celebrated women’s player as an attacker. Here, she was filling in at the back, but took every opportunity to push forward.

Captain April Heinrichs summarised that while the US lacked “the sophistication and the subtlety of the European players who grew up watching soccer on TV, we make up for that with speed, guts and determination”. Another analysis, on the side’s tactical approach, was more simple. “Get the ball to Michelle Akers.” That’s what they did.

Player of the match

While the USA’s left-sided attacker Carin Jennings was named player of the tournament, largely on the back of her hat-trick in the semi-final win over Germany, the final was a shootout between the two centre-forwards, Medalen and Akers. Both technically proficient, they were also both outstanding in the air, which was generally considered a weakness of the women’s game at the time — US coach Anson Dorrance said at the time that Akers “heads like a man”, which wouldn’t be the right summary these days, but the point was clear.

The two goals in the first half were very similar. First, Akers got up above Store to head home a free kick, and then Medalen got in front of US goalkeeper Mary Harvey to flick home a free kick. Two headers from set pieces from the centre-forwards. It was 1-1.

Medalen, a police offer by trade, was more of a consistent threat and better at combining with her fellow forwards — including the legendary Hege Riise — who stretched the play more, while the USA’s attackers made runs inside. But Akers had the last laugh.

Defining moment

As the final reached the period when the commentator inevitably said things would be decided by “either a moment of magic or a mistake”, there was little sign of the former. And, just as Medalen and Akers had scored similar goals in the first half, there was a symmetry about the two moments of excitement in the second half.

Shortly before the winner, US midfielder Kristine Lilly played a backpass for goalkeeper Harvey that — momentarily — seemed underhit and invited Medalen to challenge for the ball. Harvey bravely got there first, helped by the fact that this tournament took place the year before the introduction of the backpass law, so the she could use her hands.

Then, at the other end, Norway defender Tina Svensson — who had otherwise enjoyed an excellent tournament, scoring three times — also underhit a backpass. Her mistake was more costly. Akers pounced on the error, rounded Reidun Seth, steadied herself, and tapped into an open goal. Norway barely had enough time to regroup. Within 10 minutes, USA captan April Heinrichs was lifting the trophy — while her team-mates all lifted bouquets of flowers.

New York Times coverage

Barbara Basler, a China correspondent for the Times during this period, provided a report which was published on page 8 of the sports section. It acknowledged that Norway had been the better side in the second half, and the winning goal rather came out of nowhere.

Legacy

The victory was considered a huge positive ahead of two upcoming major sporting events in the United States. It was less than three years until World Cup 1994, and this triumph indicated that Americans could succeed at soccer, even if the path to glory in the men’s game would clearly be much tougher.

It was also five years before Atlanta hosted the Olympics, and this tournament’s impact in the United States played a major role in women’s football featuring as an Olympic sport for the first time. The US would also win that tournament — and en route to success, they defeated Norway 2-1 in the semi-final, with Akers and Medalen both on target in that game, too.

The most obvious sign of success, though, was that, when the second edition of this tournament took place four years later in Sweden, FIFA were happy to call it the World Cup.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

Soccer, NWSL, Women's Soccer, Women's Euros, FIFA Women's World Cup, Women's Super League, Women's Champions League

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