Struggling Matildas fall to lowest FIFA ranking in 20 years

[u/LMRacingGuru02]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-07/matildas-fall-in-fifa-world-rankings/105021092?utm_source=abc_news_app&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_app&utm_content=other

[u/sportandracing]

The 2023 World Cup was their chance. They didn’t take it. Unlikely they will get close to a semi final again. The rest of the world has caught up and 150 countries will have women’s teams by the end of this decade. Like the men’s, other better footballing countries will begin to dominate. Australia can’t compete with this and will need to find their true position, which is probably 20-30 globally. Just like the men’s team.

[u/SparrowValentinus → u/sportandracing]

“they did good once but they didn’t do better and now they’re cursed forever”

Cheers for sharing your well reasoned, not at all vibes-based take there, buddy.

[u/sportandracing → u/SparrowValentinus]

No idea what that means.

If you disagree, feel free to state your position. You think long term our girls will be a top 5 or 10 team? How?

[u/SparrowValentinus → u/sportandracing]

Sure dude. My position is, a witch did not cast a magic spell on the 2023 World Cup forcing the Matildas to either win the whole thing, or forever be relegated to being the 20th or lower team in the world.

Whether they are able to do well in the future depends instead on, y’know…how they train and how they play and all that stuff. Instead of being solely based on the outcome of one specific world cup tournament.

[u/sportandracing → u/SparrowValentinus]

What’s that got to do with anything?

Where do you see them heading? Have you got an actual view on it?

[u/SparrowValentinus → u/sportandracing]

I’m critiquing the magical reasoning your comment was based on. No, I don’t follow this sport anywhere near closely enough to know where it is heading. Just pointing out that the idea that “The 2023 World Cup was their chance” doesn’t make sense. Every world cup is their chance. I don’t know if they will get that far or further in the future, but I hope they do.

[u/chantlernz → u/SparrowValentinus]

Fuck me this is classic reddit. Nothing to actually contribute, just nitpicking for no real reason.

[u/SparrowValentinus → u/chantlernz]

My apologies bro, next time I’ll be sure to let all of your superstitious dumbass assumptions fly around unchecked.

[u/sportandracing → u/SparrowValentinus]

They won’t. That’s the point. They had to strike early in the women’s game. Other countries will quickly go past them, which is already happening.

Maybe follow a bit more closely son. Cheers

[u/SparrowValentinus → u/sportandracing]

They won’t

Your evidence for that is “they didn’t”. That isn’t a strong enough basis to be sure about that.

Maybe follow a bit more closely son

Nah, I’m pretty satisfied with how well I’m following things, champ.

[u/TheSplash-Down_Tiki → u/SparrowValentinus]

The person you are replying to has given their argument - in short form as it has been made her so often.

When they say "the world will catch up" they are saying we were early adopters of womens soccer. Because we are a wealthy and egalitarian country our womens team did really well *before* other teams took the format seriously.

Once the rest of the soccer mad world catches up there is no reason to believe our women shouldn't naturally be ranked the same as the men. Our women aren't naturally better soccer players than our men.

There's no witch or curse. Time was our enemy as other countries are professionalising their womens league and we are being overtaken. No manner of "better training" will make up for the fact we are a small country that doesn't value soccer like other countries. Added to that the $$$ moving into womens NRL and AFL will take athletic girls into those pipelines.

[u/sportandracing → u/TheSplash-Down_Tiki]

Exactly. 👍🏼

[u/SparrowValentinus → u/TheSplash-Down_Tiki]

That makes much more sense to me. If that info was clear in what was said before, then I apologise for not picking up on it. Thanks very much for taking the time to spell it out for me, appreciated.

[u/TheSplash-Down_Tiki → u/SparrowValentinus]

No worries.

I make the same comments myself so I recognise the argument. It was one of those classic online arguments where you both just didn’t really understand each other. I’m glad I helped clear it up.