Some Juicy Facts About 2011 Women's Soccer World Cup Part 1

The sixth FIFA Women's World Cup in soccer takes place in Germany from 26 June 2011 to 17 July 2011. Nine German cities host this most important international tournament in women's football.  In Germany the competition is known as Frauenfußball Weltmeisterschaft, or Fußball Weltmeisterschaft der Frauen.

Are you like me? I am only interested in soccer when the big international tournaments are on, the world cup and the Olympics, that's it. I have my favourite teams in the Fußball Bundesliga, but I don't watch any football matches on TV. I check the charts occasionally, and that is all.

Fußball, as we call soccer, is cult in the men's world in Germany. When women began to play soccer they were laughed at by men, of course. Women wearing a football dress (short trousers) was considered as unacceptable. The DFB (German Football Association) forbade official matches for women in 1955. This ban lasted until 1970. Nevertheless, about 70 inofficial international matches were played by female German football teams during this ban.

Women's football still doesn't receive the recognation and support it should get, however, things are changing slowly.

·        The first Women's World Championship was held in China 1991. The United States won the tournament.

·        The US national team has been the most successful so far. They participated in all five world cups and always reached the semi-finals. The US ladies won 2 tournaments (1991, 1999).

·        The German national team has also been very successful. They participated in 4 tournaments and won two (2003, 2007).

·        Winner of the 5th world cup was Norway (1995).

·        The USA leads the scoreboard with 85 goals followed by Germany with 84 goals scored.

·        Kristine Lilly (USA) and Bente Nordby (Norway) played 5 tournaments.

·        Germany's captain Birgit Prinz scored 14 goals in four world cup competitions and is leading the overall list of top goalscorers. Birgit Prinz is also the only player who has taken part in three finals.

·        With 208 matches in the national team and 128 goals Birgit is the most successful German player.

·        Steffi Jones, a former player for the national team, and one of the most successful players with her 1. FFC Frankfurt team, is president of the organisation committee of the 2011 Women's World Cup in Germany.