X-Nico

3 unusual facts about China women's national football team


Li Jinyu

He started his managerial career by becoming the assistant coach of the Chinese women's national team and Shenyang Shenbei.

Marie-Eve Nault

Nault made her first appearance for the Canada women's national soccer team on January 24, 2004, against China in the 2004 Four Nations Tournament.

Yang Kunpeng

When Pei Encai left to take over the Chinese women's team tensions grew between the management and certain Shandong born players like Li Zhuangfei, Ren Yongshun, Guo Mingyue and Deng Xiaofei who believed that the management were mistreating them and purging them during the end of the 2007 league season.


1991 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification

Out of the 18 teams participating in the tournament, the qualifiers were the four semi-finalists - Denmark, Germany, Italy and Norway - and the best quarter-final loser - Sweden, who lost their two leg quarter-final clash against Italy on a single away goal.

1999 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification

The runner-up Mexico qualified in two playoff-matches against the second-placed team of CONMEBOL - Argentina.

2003 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification

The fourth edition of the Sudamericano Femenino (Women's South American Championship) in 2003 determined the CONMEBOL's qualifiers Brazil and Argentina.

2012 CONCACAF Women's Pre-Olympic Tournament qualification

There will be a qualification held to determine the three qualifiers from the Caribbean and two from Central America who will join Canada, Mexico and the United States at the final tournament.

Anna Svenjeby

Malin played once for the Sweden Under–16 team and overcame serious injury to play for Dalsjöfors GoIF in the Damallsvenskan.

Bahrain women's national football team

As a result, German coach Monika Staab was sent to Bahrain January 21, 2007 for a six month development program.

2012: Bronze medal after beating Lebanon 8-5 in the playoff.

Becky Sauerbrunn

After Rachel Buehler was sent off in the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup quarter–final win over Brazil, Sauerbrunn was drafted into the starting eleven for the semi–final win over France.

Bhutan women's national football team

After being received by the King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck on 6 March 2012, the FIFA President met with the country’s sports’ representative, Prince Jigyel and Prime Minister Jigme Thinley.

Breakin' Away / That's Livin' Alright

For England's national football team's 2006 FIFA World Cup campaign, Fagin performed "That's England Alright", a variation of "That's Livin' Alright" produced by Clive Langer, with lyrics by Jimmy Lawless.

Bruna Soares

Not to be confused with Bruna Amarante da Silva, who although born in Brazil plays for Equatorial Guinea.

Chen Hui-shan

She has represented Chinese Taipei in the 2006 Asian Games and the 2010 East Asian Football Championship.

Christine Beck

On 7 March 2007, she refereed the World Cup qualifier game between Japan and Mexico in Tokyo, going on to also referee the first-leg of the UEFA Women's Cup between Umeå IK and Arsenal.

Claire Johnstone

She scored an own goal against England in November 2003, punching Kristy Moore's corner into her own net as Scotland lost 5–0 in Preston.

Fanndís Friðriksdóttir

Fanndís's father is former Iceland men's national football team goalkeeper Friðrik Friðriksson and her mother is former Olympic alpine skier Nanna Leifsdóttir.

Farid Benstiti

In September 2011 he signed for the Russian national team and months later he also took charge of Russian champion WFC Rossiyanka, replacing Vera Pauw and Tatiana Egorova respectively.

Faroe Islands Football Association

It also runs the Faroe Islands national teams for men and women.

Faroe Islands women's national football team

Irish coach Noel King named an experimental team which lacked his leading players from Arsenal Ladies.

They took part in the Island Games in 2001, 2003 and 2005 and won all three tournaments, as well as appearing at the 2010 edition of the Algarve Cup.

FCR 2001 Duisburg

The German eleven were able to defend their title with a 2–0 win in the final over Brazil.

FIVB Volleyball World Cup

With the help of superstar player Lang Ping, China won the following two editions, in 1981 and 1985.

Heidi Sevdal

In September 2013, with the Faroe Islands seven goals down to Scotland in a 2015 Women's World Cup qualifier at Tórsvøllur, Sevdal scored two late consolation goals.

The team was eliminated after another defeat, 1–0 to Kazakhstan.

János Marozsán

He is the father of current German international footballer Dzsenifer Marozsán.

Jelena Čanković

In September 2013, Čanković made her debut for the senior Serbia women's national football team in a 9–0 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification defeat in Switzerland.

Katie Chapman

In March 2002 she netted her first senior international goal in a 4–1 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification win in the Netherlands.

Kirsty McBride

She won her 50th cap in October 2009; an away victory over Greece at the Yiannis Pathiakakis Stadium.

Marcus Bignot

In June 2013 Bignot married Arsenal Ladies and Ireland goalkeeper Emma Byrne.

Maria Rebello

She then went on to captain the India women's team in the 2001 AFC Women's Championship in which India finished second-to-last in their group.

Marita Skammelsrud Lund

In October 2007 she was drafted into the senior squad for a match against Russia, aged 18, following an injury to Marit Fiane Christensen.

Natasha Dowie

She came on as a substitute in England's first 2015 FIFA World Cup qualifier and scored her first national team goal in a 6–0 win over Belarus at Dean Court in Bournemouth.

Ronnie Gibbons

Although born in Wandsworth, Gibbons was eligible for the Republic of Ireland as her grandparents were from Galway and County Mayo.

Sara Johansson

Sara Johansson (born January 23, 1980) is a female footballer for Hammarby IF DFF and the Swedish national team.

Sharla Passariello

Sharla Louise Passariello (born 14 January 1992) is a footballer who plays for the Welsh national team and South Florida Bulls.

Sky Blue FC

Sky Blue FC announced on September 29, 2009 that former Finnish National Team player Pauliina Miettinen would be head coach of the team for the 2010 season after completing her coaching duties with PK-35 Vantaa.

Sofia Lundgren

Since making her national team debut in a 6–3 win over England in March 2002, Lundgren has had to compete with Caroline Jönsson, Hedvig Lindahl and latterly Kristin Hammarström for the goalkeeper position.

Solveig Gulbrandsen

She has previously played for Kolbotn, Stabæk and FC Gold Pride, and the Norwegian national team where she was capped 154 times and won the 2000 Summer Olympics.

Sylvia Gore

She scored the England women's national football team's first ever goal in the first official match, a 3–2 win over Scotland in Greenock.

Tony Readings

Readings has coached the New Zealand women's national under-20 football team and is the coach of the New Zealand women's football team coaching the side in the 2012 London Olympics.

Ukraine women's national football team

Players called up for the World Cup qualifying match against Montenegro on 31 October 2013 in Nikšić.

Wendie Renard

She currently plays for the senior national team making her debut at the 2011 Cyprus Cup in a match against Switzerland.

Wendy Owen

She was a member of the England women's national football team squad in their first official match, a 3–2 win over Scotland in Greenock.

Western Springs AFC

Past and present players include New Zealand Internationals Maia Jackman, Priscilla Duncan and Abby Erceg.

Women's association football

In 2000, during the Women's African Cup of Nations final, Nigeria scored a controversial goal that many felt was offside.


see also

Women's football in China

The China women's national football team, organised by the Chinese Football Association, were the first Asian women's team to reach the FIFA Women's World Cup, final in 1999.