As the eighth ever Women’s World Cup draws to a close Sunday afternoon, themes of equalitycontinue to come to the forefront. But equality in this instance is not just a question of gender; while the low wages and lack of awareness endemic to women’s soccer affect almost all players, the trickle-down effect is especially notable when you look at which teams—and which countries—tend to succeed year after year.
While more-prosperous countries generally tend to share the modest spotlight granted to women’s sports, VICE wanted to showcase the smaller teams—the ones making their debut at the cup, the ones less likely to get global coverage unless they perform some kind of stunning upset. We sent photographers Samantha Cabrera Friend and Jessica Pettway to capture the historic moments made by the tournament’s undersung heroes.
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A fan gets out of their seat in support during Jamaica’s final minutes of play.Goal keeper Nicole McClure holds her daughter after still making World Cup history in Grenoble, France.A crowd of Jamaican fans seated together in the Stade des Alps. Many booked their trips to attend the match through a Jamaican football driven travel agency assuring attendants could travel and sit together as a larger community of Jamaican fans.The Jamaica vs. Australia match in full swing also offers mountain views of Grenoble’s surrounding range.American fans unprepared for the afternoon sun try their best to view the match. A couple of US fans take a break at the sponsored refreshment huts in the Parc des Princes in Paris, France.A crowd of Chilean fans, many of which flew in to Paris from Chile for the match, pose during a live broadcast of France 24.A US fan sports a homemade shirt commemorating the iconic image of Brandi Chastain mid celebration after securing the United State’s 1999 Women’s World Cup win over China.A local girl gets a Jamaican flag painted on her face before the Jamaica vs. Australia match in Grenoble, France.A crowd of young football enthusiasts selected to participate in the FIFA Youth Program enjoy half time at the Chile vs. US match in Paris, France.The sun begins to set on the Chile vs. US crowd at the Parc des Princes in Paris, France.Mother of Trudi Carter, starting forward for the Jamaica women’s national team and mother of Khadija Shaw, starting midfielder await the start of Jamaic’as last match inside the Stade des Alps.Starting forward for Jamaica’s women’s national team, Cheyna Lee Matthews claps for her husband and their newborn child in the stands.
