The stories you are not entitled to – Carte blanche to Pauline Londeix – October 19, 2024 | Humanity: read, act

By Pauline Londeix, researcher and writer

If there is one person who can be said to be “friends with the ball”, it is Manuela Giugliano, the first Italian footballer to appear on the list of nominees for the Ballon d’Or. An open foot and a powerful shot to the left, that’s it, the 27-year-old Italian Women’s Champions League has been launched with this goal from the penalty spot, thanks to a hand fault by the Dutchman from Wolfsburg Lynn Wilms in the cream roman. On October 8, in the first day of the group stage, AS Roma, two Italian champions as a credit, against Wolfsburg, the fourth most successful team in the competition, German Alexandra Popp, i – even three Champions Leagues and seven German championships to his name. Roma won by the narrowest of margins (1-0), but the match was difficult, on a wet pitch, which did not stop the 17-year-old Italian superstar Giulia Dragoni, on loan this season with FC Barcelona,​​​​to offer us a very high break or even Giada Greggi to make deadly passes behind the German defense. On his wing, Roma’s new full-back, the Dane Frederikke Thøgersen, impressed. The first day of the Champions League at the level of what is expected of these two teams, soon against Olympique Lyonnais, eight Champions League on the clock. For his part, Juventus won in Norway. In September, they qualified for the Champions League in a replay against Paris Saint-Germain. Despite the investments made, therefore PSG will not compete in the biggest competition – a sign of a women’s team far from being a priority in the Parisian project. The next few days will provide valuable clues as to who will win the Champions League this season.

But why all this in detail here? Because you probably won’t read it anywhere else. The story that women’s football deserves and that would give the less experienced viewers a reading grid that allows them to understand the issues involved is not there. And this is the very example of the inequality that continues between men’s and women’s football. As in the arts, cinema, literature, sciences, and in all sectors of society, women are undervalued, and the benefits, the their talents or successes. Those who deride women’s football by believing it to be less technically and tactically interesting have produced an effect of inequality. In fact, if the resources provided for its development are not sufficient, the view used will not be able to measure. So professionalism is not just a question of salary, it is also a question of access to training methods for performance. And this should be obvious, but it seems worth remembering: female soccer players are not as talented, they are not as visible. By continuing to introduce men’s football, usually at a loss, with money to spread and develop it, we thereby perpetuate a legend, one that he effortlessly generated and alone commitment and financial income. This myth is also largely sustained by unbroken stories. Women’s football, for its part – and women’s sports in general – deserves a completely different treatment in the media.