Kristine Lilly, the football star from the United States, who has played a record 352 internationals including five World Cups and scored 130 goals, did not hesitate to say that women’s football is in a top-notch position. “If Messi can take a free kick, I can take it and if I can bend it, he can. But he may have a little more power. At the end of it, if it’s football, we are right up there, but if it’s physicality, it’s out of our control,” said the Boston-based icon.
Kristine was here Mumbai to promote the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup to be played in India from November 2, 2020.
Talking to The Hindu she said: “It’s just great to have the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup here. For a country as big as this, to host an event like this is really incredible. The Under -17 boys’ [event] was the driver, the real thing is coming. Hope to see women get the support the boys got two years ago. It’s a dream for the young girls, it’s something special for them.”
Free manner
Kristine urged the young girls to play the game in a free manner. “Just go out there and play. Once you encourage them to do that, you can see a spark in their eyes and a smile on their face. I don’t care from where the girl’s are from; if you are going to do something, do it.”
She declared that women’s football gets good attention in her country. “The sport of women’s football has grown so much in the United States that it gets enough attention. I played for 23 years and retired in 2010. The success we had and the continued success of the US team has been incredible. Some times, the women players are known more than the men. My life now is teaching the kids the game. People recognise me enough, I appreciate it.”
The 48-year-old Kristine also touched upon a bigger audience for the sport and Thailand’s presence at the World Cup in France. “The viewership is bigger because there is more coverage. So as long as we grow on the media and players side, it’s going to be good for the game. We had Thailand for the first time at the world’s. Teams like Thailand, once they are there at the World Cup and once they return to their country, the game is going to grow.”
