🌎⚽ Da World Cup Get Mo’ Big, but Da Gaps Get Mo’ Small
⬇️ Pidgin | ⬇️ ⬇️ English
Da Women’s World Cup wen’ expand, and ev’rybody tinking, “Ho, what’s da meanin’ of all dis?” Even FIFA guys no know da real kine reason. But check dis, we going talk story ’bout how da Philippines wen’ shock da world! 🎉
Not long time ago, da Philippines wen’ hustle hard fo’ beat Nepal jus’ fo’ earn spot in one small-kine regional tournament. But now, same team wen’ beat New Zealand on da home turf, with da whole world watching! 😲🇵🇭
Da road from dere to here look like too far fo’ true. No can believe da team dat been dere eva could be here.
Fo’ Sarina Bolden, who wen’ score da first goal for her country in da World Cup, was “overwhelming, crazy.” Her coach, Alen Stajcic, his words wen’ from “staggering” to “mind-blowing.”
Dis ting felt like miracle. Philippines, dey been rank outsider. Nobody thought dey going win. Da team neva win game in da tournament before, but da whole ting leave one mark you no can forget. 🙌
Dey victory against New Zealand was da biggest surprise in da World Cup full of dem. But unda da surface, maybe no was all dat surprising.
Fo’ watch da first 10 days of dis tournament was like feel da world getting mo’ big and mo’ small at da same time. Philippines beat one co-host, and Nigeria wen’ beat Australia, da odda one. Morocco, Colombia, Jamaica all had dea shining moments too! 🇲🇦🇨🇴🇯🇲
Most going end up like Philippines, but still dea moment in da spotlight going last. Da newcomers, dey wen’ do good. No shame, no humiliation. Da women’s soccer, she stretch out and come close same time.
Da coach of da United States, Vlatko Andonovski, he been say, “Whether it’s Nigeria or Jamaica, South Africa and da Philippines: These are da teams dat show how much women’s soccer has grown.”
But wait, FIFA going take credit for dat. Four years ago, dey said Women’s World Cup going from 24 teams to 32, same like da men’s. Had plenny skepticism dat time. Even Nigeria’s coach, Randy Waldrum, had his doubts.
FIFA’s president, dat bombastic guy Gianni Infantino, he no care. He talk big ’bout growth of women’s football. He thought mo’ countries going invest if get “realistic chance of qualifying.” From his spot in da Cook Islands, he going say he right. 🏝️
Would Philippines have hired da experienced Stajcic if no had da World Cup as real target? Da whole ting paid off fo’ dem.
But still, get holes in da logic. Waldrum, he know, ’cause his team still fighting ova pay. And Jamaica too. Da World Cup expansion, she worked despite da national associations, not ’cause of dem.
Da game, she wen’ professionalize fast, with all da improvements in conditioning, diet, and tactics. Da coaches, dey know what dey doing. Da players, dey get mo’ chances to play top-level soccer.
Waldrum’s Nigeria team, dey got players from France and Spain. Ireland, England. Haiti, France. Even da Philippines, dey got players from Sweden, Norway, and Australia.
“Da players getting chance now to go play in top leagues, and taking it,” said Donaldson. Dey developing, like da Jamaican and Haitian players.
As dey grow, da players dey meet become mo’ familiar. Dey know dey belong ’cause dey done it before. Da horizon, dat seem so far, is mo’ close. What look like miracle, nothing but da storm coming.
So, bruddahs and sistahs, dis World Cup, she showing us dat da game of women’s soccer, she growing fast. Mo’ big, mo’ small, all da same time. Da world coming together, and da future of da sport looking bright. Da world, she get mo’ big, but da gaps get mo’ small. And dat’s da real miracle. 🌈⚽🎉
NOW IN ENGLISH
🌎⚽ The World Cup Expands, but the Gaps Narrow
Expanding the Women’s World Cup was a decision that left many scratching their heads. Even FIFA may not fully grasp the real reason behind the move. But now, we can look at how the Philippines shocked the world with their unexpected victory! 🎉
Not so long ago, the Philippines had to fight hard to beat Nepal just to earn a spot in a regional tournament. But now, that same team has defeated New Zealand on home soil, with the whole world watching! 😲🇵🇭
The journey from there to here seemed almost too far to believe. No one could fathom that the team that was once there could ever be here.
For Sarina Bolden, who scored her country’s first goal in the World Cup, the experience was “overwhelming and crazy.” Her coach, Alen Stajcic, described it in terms ranging from “staggering” to “mind-blowing.”
It all felt like a miracle. The Philippines were ranked outsiders. No one expected them to win. The team had never won a game in the tournament before, but the whole event left a mark that won’t be forgotten. 🙌
Their victory against New Zealand was the biggest surprise in a World Cup full of them. But beneath the surface, maybe it wasn’t that surprising after all.
Watching the first 10 days of this tournament felt like witnessing the world expanding and contracting simultaneously. The Philippines beat one co-host, while Nigeria defeated Australia, the other. Morocco, Colombia, and Jamaica all had their shining moments as well! 🇲🇦🇨🇴🇯🇲
Most of them will end up like the Philippines, but their moment in the spotlight will endure. The newcomers did well. There was no shame or humiliation. Women’s soccer is stretching out and coming closer at the same time.
The United States’ coach, Vlatko Andonovski, observed, “Whether it’s Nigeria or Jamaica, South Africa, and the Philippines: These are the teams that show how much women’s soccer has grown.”
But FIFA will likely take credit for that. Four years ago, they announced that the Women’s World Cup would expand from 24 to 32 teams, the same as the men’s. There was plenty of skepticism then. Even Nigeria’s coach, Randy Waldrum, had his doubts.
FIFA’s president, the ever-brash Gianni Infantino, was unfazed. He spoke highly about the growth of women’s football. He thought more countries would invest if there was a “realistic chance of qualifying.” From his location in the Cook Islands, he will probably claim he was right. 🏝️
Would the Philippines have hired the experienced Stajcic if they had not seen the World Cup as a realistic goal? The whole thing has paid off for them.
However, there are still holes in this logic. Waldrum knows because his team is still fighting over pay. And Jamaica too. The World Cup expansion worked despite the national associations, not because of them.
The game has rapidly professionalized, with massive improvements in conditioning, diet, and tactics. The coaches know what they’re doing, and the players have more chances to play top-level soccer.
Waldrum’s Nigeria team has players from France and Spain. Ireland, England. Haiti, France. Even the Philippines, with players from Sweden, Norway, and Australia.
“Players are now getting a chance to play in top leagues, and they’re taking it,” said Donaldson. They’re developing, like the Jamaican and Haitian players.
As they grow, the players they encounter become more familiar. They know they belong because they’ve done it before. The horizon that seems so distant is much closer. What looks like a miracle at first glance is nothing more than a coming storm.
So, ladies and gentlemen, this World Cup is showing us that the sport of women’s soccer is growing rapidly. Bigger and smaller at the same time, the world is coming together, and the future of the sport looks bright. The world is expanding, but the gaps are narrowing. And that’s the real miracle. 🌈⚽🎉
