Japan Women's World Cup Champs

[thekfc]

A great match & a well deserved victory for Japan.!!!!!!

They beat host & 2-time defending champion Germany in the quarters.
They defeated powerhouse Sweden in the Semis
They came from behind twice to defeat the USA in penalty kicks.

[Jeff S]

Yep - great win!

[robert angel]

Sure, I like to see my nation win, especially in a game like football/soccer which really isn't really appreciated by most North Americans, and where we've typically been given little chance of winning a World Cup championship
 
All the same,  if memory serves, we won it in 1999 and 2003 against the long odds most gave us of having much of a chance.
 
I'm not even sure if it was televised here, outside of pay for view.
 
The Chinese women won it once, but for a much smaller nation, like Japan to win it is really cool. After all they've been through, from natural disasters this year, to ongoing economic ones, I'm glad this happened.
 
 

[utopiacowboy]

Germany won the last two women's world cups in 2003 and 2007. I would have liked the US to win it but I am not disappointed that Japan did it. Unlike Brazil they showed class.

[robert angel]

Thanks, U.C.,
 
I obviously had my 'facts' on previous women's team World Cups winners' wrong. Even though my sons play or have played soccer, as I did a little bit in years past, I still have a lot to learn, no doubt.
 
I didn't even know that the Woman's World Cup Championship games are played only evey four years and only go date back to 1991.
 
But it is impresssive that the US women have (acording to the source below, any way) won it overall twice, in the first World Cup in 1991 and than again in 1999. Looking at how there's only been six Women's World Cups. with the USA winning or placing in six of the eighteeen 1st, 2nd and 3rd place  slots, that's impressive.
 
I wasn't too surprised to read how like the USA, that Germany's won it outright twice, but I was a bit surprised that relatively small Sweden and Norway have had some pretty good showings, (Sweden, in 2nd or 3rd three times!) while South American nations, other than Brazil, which I'd have thought would be power houses, aren't on the list too much.
 
I wonder how many of the USA's players were born and raised here in the USA?--it seems like more and more in sports today, that you can play for a nation's pro--or even Olympic teams and not even have been born or lived most of your life there!
 
 

YEAR WINNER RUNNER-UP 3rd PLACE 2011 Japan          USA Sweden 2007 Germany Brazil United States 2003 Germany Sweden United States 1999 United States China Brazil 1995 Norway Germany United States 1991 United States Norway Sweden

[maritime04]

I feel bad for the EX love of my life Hope solo.....................................................................

[thekfc]

The games were broadcast live on ESPN - I watched a few of them.

Japan defeated 3 of the 4 favorites that were picked to win it all on their way to the title.
Sweden may be a small nation but they are a powerhouse & was one of the favorites - they defeated the USA in group stages but Japan beat them in the semis.

[Bob_S]

With all the crap Japan has gone through this year, this was a much needed shot in the arm boost for their national self esteem right now.