My recent post on Louisa Necib has been the most read popular I've ever written on this blog. That's a great testament to the burst of interest this Women's World Cup has generated around the world. (France's semi-final game, for instance, attracted 4 million viewers in a country that has been very slow to adopt women's football).

Frankfurt, Germany. Sunday, July 17, 2011.

FIFA Women's World Cup Final: Two stories. One dream.

Story 1:

Japan. A thriving culture devastated by unstoppable power. A once strong body now undergoing the most meticulous reconstruction.

Head and shoulders above the rest: U.S. forward Abby Wambach scores the latest goal in a game in Women's World Cup history and sends the quarterfinal against Brazil to penalty kicks in Germany (AP Photo).

It was quite simply, one of the most enthralling, drama-filled, soccer games I've ever seen.

Brandi Chastain and Ian Darke

ESPN has shown a remarkable commitment to properly covering the Women's World Cup this year. While previous World Cups were well covered by the ESPN family of networks, this summer's event has demonstrated an enhanced understanding of the audience that watches this competition and the type of coverage that would be appealing to those viewers.

Absolutely great game yesterday. I was watching the game with a couple of friends who don't follow the Sounders, or sports in general, even they got caught up in the drama in the 2nd half. You don't have to be a soccer fan to appreciate the sublime beauty of the Fredy Montero free kick (check out the highlights here).

By Sean McElroy My Grandmother, who is ninety-three, has absolutely no reason to care about soccer. She is sharp as can be—her memory for her age is quite remarkable—and when I visit her she often asks about the various matches I am going to go see or have seen. Always, one conversation or question seems [.

Abby Wambach is feeling it!

The 1991 US team broke new ground winning the first ever World Cup and repeated the feat eight years later. By that time Michelle Akers, Mia Hamm, Brandi Chastain, and Kristine Lilly were household names. US women's soccer and success are so inextricably intertwined with those names leaving each succeeding squad aspiring to reach the same heights and write their names into history.

No need to reinvent the wheel so we will simply state the obvious, the U.S. Women have played better than expected so far this World Cup and are in the perfect position to coast into the quarterfinal...
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