Jamaica, Nigeria and South Africa have become fan favourites at this year’s Women’s World Cup, and now their players need rewarded for their ‘heroic’ efforts.
Infighting with federations, managerial disputes and issues with pay have plagued several teams in the tournament.
Jamaica’s ‘Reggae Girlz’ – who had to launch a fundraiser just to take part in the tournament – have reached the knockouts after an unexpected win against Brazil.
Nigeria and South Africa have also defied expectations to reach the last-16 stage.
Lianne Sanderson has now demanded that the players who have made history for their nations get fair pay.
The former Lioness told Metro: ‘Pay the players what they deserve.
‘Coming into this, the Reggae Girlz didn’t even know if they would get paid to play, they had to do a GoFundMe to be able to reach the tournament.
‘I think it has kind of humbled a lot of people and it goes back to why people fall in love with football in the first place.
‘A lot of people can say “oh, I’ll play for free, it’s never about the money”. But I hadn’t really seen that until the situation with the Reggae Girlz.’
A number of tight games – such as 4th-ranked England netting just one goal against minnows Haiti – reflects a need to rewrite the history books.
The FIFA world rankings need to be ‘reassessed’ in the wake of standout performances from pre-tournament underdog nations, Sanderson added.
And when it comes to the Lionesses’ chances, the former England star remains hopeful.
She continued: ‘England quietly went about their business [in the first two games]. Three points is three points, a win is a win.
‘Watching them against China was absolutely brilliant. Lauren James with two goals and two assists was exceptional.
‘Nigeria is not going to be an easy game at all, but I think we just need to be balanced moving forward. If a team isn’t playing well we do have to critique them, we want the game to keep evolving.’
Sarina Wiegman’s ability to allow each Lioness to feel invested has been key to England’s success despite their injuries, says Sanderson.
That goes for players on and off the pitch.
‘It doesn’t matter how many tournaments you’ve been to,’ she says.
‘If you don’t get on the field of play it’s really hard to feel like you’re part of it. Sarina Wiegman does a really good job of making sure that everybody – from 1-23 – feels part of it.’
Sanderson – speaking to Metro prior to Germany’s shock exit from the World Cup – balances being a pundit with overseeing opportunities to grow the women’s game.
She’s recently teamed up with Wow Hydrate on Project Marta – an initiative to uncover the female football stars of the future.
It sees girls aged 16-21 feature in a docuseries similar to the classic TV show Wayne Rooney Street Striker.
The winner of Project Marta – named after Brazilian legend Marta Viera Da Silva – will receive a year’s sponsorship from WOW Hydrate.
They will also get the opportunity to trial for prestigious Premier League clubs
Sanderson continued: ‘I think as an organisation, WOW Hydrate aligns with my values and what I care about.
‘Project Marta is something I believe in, finding those players who haven’t been found yet and helping them and mentor them, encourage them.
‘They get skills like media training and the experience of playing in a competition with pressure. And it isn’t just about the winner, it’s about supporting all the players there.
‘It’s so important to find those players who maybe haven’t had that opportunity to play, or whose families have been able to take them to trials before.’
Wow Hydrate also sponsor the likes of Lioness Ella Toone, and are inspired to boost investment opportuuties.
Queenie Porter, managing director of Wow Hydrate, said: ‘We are passionate about supporting women in the beautiful game.
‘The Lionesses did the nation proud last year, now with the Women’s World Cup around the corner – we’re getting behind the excitement with Project Marta. We’re offering young female footballers an amazing opportunity that could land them a trial with a professional WPL team as well as 12-months sponsorship to support their journey.’
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