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British sports pioneer Nettie Honeyball is credited with the founding in 1895 of the British Ladies' Football Club, the first known women's soccer club.
By the end of the 1800s, dress standards relaxed slightly. Players no longer had to wear corsets, and they were permitted to wear purpose-made boots. However, women were still requited to don bonnets—awkward when heading the ball.
On March 23, 1895, the first women's soccer match in England took place at Crouch End in London. Organized by Lady Florence Dixie, the two teams were called simply "The North" (pictured) and "The South." All were members of the British Ladies' Football Club. The match attracted 10,000 spectators.
The first recorded women's soccer match took place on May 9, 1881. It also happened to be the first match of international character. Held at Hibernian Park in Edinburgh, the game was part of a tour by Scotland and England teams. The Scottish team was called Mrs Graham's XI after their goalkeeper, Helen Graham Matthews (pictured), who was a suffragette.
Scottish writer, war correspondent, and feminist Lady Florence Dixie was a member of the British Ladies' Football Club and later became its president. She became well known for organizing exhibition matches for charity.
In another first, DickKerr Ladies FC, representing England, met En Avant, representing France, on April 29, 1920 in the first unofficial international women's soccer match. The game was held at the Deepdale ground in Preston.
The two team captains, Madeleine Bracquemond (left) of France and England's Alice Kell, shake hands before kickoff. Bracquemond was the first captain in the history of the France women's team.
DickKerr's Ladies FC produced the first superstar of women's soccer—Lily Parr. At almost 1.82 m (6 ft), Parr cut a formidable figure, whose position was left wing. She's pictured leading the team in exercises.
Praised even by male players for her power and skill, Parr would always rise to the occasion. During her career with the DickKerr Ladies, she scored an astonishing 900 goals between 1919 and 1951. Parr would eventually become the first woman to be inducted into the National Football Museum Hall of Fame, in Manchester, England, in 2002.
By the 1920s, women's soccer was enormously popular in England. Games were attracting huge crowds, more so than some men's events. But in 1921, the Football Association (FA) in England outlawed the playing of the women's game on Association members' pitches. Bans were also slapped on women's teams abroad, including in Germany and Brazil.
Though not barred from the sport, women found themselves playing on muddy fields away from the crowds, victims of their own success and the jealously of a biased and embarrassed male-dominated FA. Women's soccer was effectively sidelined and wouldn't really kick off again until 1969, when the ban was rescinded.
On November 18, 1972, the first official women's international soccer match took place at Ravenscraig Stadium in Greenock, Scotland, between old rivals England (pictured) and Scotland.
The very first edition of the Women's Football Association Cup took place in 1970 with the final being played on May 9, 1971 at Crystal Palace Park between Southampton Women's FC, and Scotland's Stewarton Thistle. Southampton triumphed, hoisting what was then known as the Mitre Challenge Trophy. Pictured is the Southampton team before their historic win.
The 1970 Women's World Cup in Italy was the first tournament to be named as a women's soccer World Cup, but was partly played by clubs. The following year, the 1971 Women's World Cup with national teams was hosted by Mexico. Pictured is the Mexican national team.
By the late 1980s, however, soccer had become the top sport for women and girls around the world. The game's profile was raised considerably by Mia Hamm, who played as a forward for the United States women's national soccer team from 1987 to 2004.
A two-time Olympic gold medalist, and two-time FIFA Women's World Cup champion, Hamm quickly became a soccer icon and helped solidify a huge fan base across America.
It was in America that the first Women's Olympic Football Tournament took place, played out at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Team USA became the inaugural champions after a 2–1 victory against China to take collective gold.
Another iconic American professional soccer player is Megan Rapinoe. Enjoying an illustrious career that's seen her win numerous accolades, including the Ballon d'Or Féminin and Best FIFA Women's Player, Rapinoe champions equal rights. Together with fellow star Alex Morgan, she won a historic equal pay settlement with US Soccer in 2022, ensuring that they will pay the women's national team the same as the men's team.
In 2020, Christine Sinclair of Canada became the world's all-time leader for international goals scored for women or men. She's also one of the most-capped active international players with more than 300 caps. In the summer of 2021, she captained Canada to Olympic gold.
Marta Vieira da Silva of Brazil is often regarded as the greatest female soccer player of all time. Besides being her country's top international goal scorer of any gender, Marta has been named FIFA World Player of the Year six times, more than any other player.
Team USA again triumphed at the 2012 Summer Olympics. They hold the record for most Olympic gold medals, at four, and most World Cup finals wins, also four.
The UEFA Women's Champions League kicked off in 2001, and is dominated by the French side Olympique Lyonnais, who've won the title eight times. Ada Hegerberg and Griedge Mbock Bathy are seen clutching the trophy in 2022. Hegerberg is the first-ever recipient of the Ballon d'Or Féminin, and the all-time highest goal scorer in UEFA Women's Champions League history, amongst many other honors.
The Germany players celebrate with the trophy after winning the Euro 2009 Final, beating England 6–2 at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium on September 10, 2009 in Helsinki, Finland. The Germans are the most successful team in Women's Euro history.
The first UEFA-run international tournament began only in 1982, when the 1984 European Competition for Women's Football qualification was launched. Sweden won that year, beating England in the final in what would become the UEFA Women's Euro competition. In the early 1980s, international women's soccer competitions were poorly promoted and poorly supported. Pictured are the two captains shaking hands before the second leg match at Kenilworth Road, Luton. Conditions were appalling, with attendance at just 2,567.
At the final of the 2022 UEFA Women's Euro, home team England was victorious over Germany, taking their first major women's tournament title ever.
Sources: (The Sports Netting Company) (Sky History) (BBC Sport) (Football.London) (Today) (Sportsnet)
Founded in Preston, Lancashire, in 1917, DickKerr Ladies FC was one of the earliest known women's association soccer teams in England. They initially played to raise money for the war effort, with one their most memorable matches being the Christmas Day 1917 game when in front of a crowd of nearly 10,000 the women raised an impressive £600 to care for wounded soldiers—around £50,000 (US$60,000) at today's rate. In all, the team eventually went on to raise a staggering total of £70,000 for ex-servicemen, hospitals, and needy children. That equates to an eyewatering £14 million (US$17 million) today.
Women's soccer has now become a major player in world sport. But did you know that women were once banned from playing, victims of spite and prejudice despite early games drawing more support than some men's events?
As we gear up for the start of the 2023 Women's World Cup, click through the gallery and find out just how far we've come.
How women's soccer kicked off
The ninth FIFA Women's World Cup begins on July 20 in Australia and New Zealand
LIFESTYLE Sports
Women's soccer has now become a major player in world sport. But did you know that women were once banned from playing, victims of spite and prejudice despite early games drawing more support than some men's events?
As we gear up for the start of the 2023 Women's World Cup, click through the gallery and find out just how far we've come.