In our column “green area”, Oliver Fritsch, Christof Siemes and Stephan Reich write about the football world and the world of football. This article is part of time on the weekend, issue 26/2025.
I was a coach of the B-youth of FC Großen-Buseck, that was about 15-year-old boys at a good district league level. In 2002 we had to have been a test game against the Hessian state selection of the female U21, in the team there were Bundesliga players from Frankfurt.
When the game began, the women had ball and we let us run, my first impression on the side of the side was: Today we have on the hat. But then my players won the first duels and running duels, and then almost all. Their technical and tactical superiority used the women little, in close combat they were practically free of chance, in the crucial moments the boys were faster, harder, stronger. In the end we won 7: 3 or 8: 3.
My boys, what seemed to me, stayed back with the last consequence and other goals at some point. It apparently bothered her feeling of justice that they benefited from a competitive advantage that had nothing to do with skill, hard work or talent. Let’s call it to the simplicity of testosterone. An undeserved canteen victory – can there be something like that? At least my team seemed to feel that the better lost.
I had to think of this event when I read the days that the Swiss women, who will be hosts of a European championship from next week, lost 1: 7 against a male U15 team. The result was not surprised, such games often go out. Nevertheless, the critics of women’s football took it as ammunition for their cultural and gender struggle.
“What is women’s football good for?” Asks a Columnist of the Swiss World Week on LinkedIn and indicates that he does not want to see any TV fee. And the Swiss star player Alisha Lehmann got the HATER malice on Facebook. Users posted “1: 7” and derogatory comments on their page.
You have to write it again at every tournament: men have a physical advantage over women. The fabric is firmer, the muscles are harder, hormones are still involved. It is not a great achievement as a man to defeat a woman in sports.
Examples from other sports: Regina Halmich may conquer Stefan Raab, but not an amateur boxer of format. If the type is 30 kilos heavier and 20 centimeters taller, it is on the boards after a blow.
In the previous year, a 15-year-old ran 100 meters in 10.3 seconds, i.e. much faster than the world record of women (10.54), which Florence Griffith-Joyner ran (also safely with chemical help) many years ago. Is that why it is less worth being the fastest woman in the world? No!
Therefore – sorry for this banality – the sexes are separated into almost all sports disciplines. Women don’t have to beat men. If you lose 1: 7, it doesn’t even mean that you are the worse footballers. It makes me moan that you have to repeat this and repeatedly. The hollowness of the people you have to hammer in is the reason why these mixed duels are almost always secretly held between women and boys.
It upset me even more when it comes to money. “We want to earn as much as the men,” a Facebook user is tough on Alisha Lehmann’s side. She speaks for Equal Pay. He takes the 7-1 to make fun of this requirement.
Many women rightly demand the same. Not in the club, this is neither possible nor desirable in view of the crazy sums. But the National Association should be happy to pay the same premiums.
Why? Because women do the same or more as men. The last EM final 2022 against England was the event in Germany with the highest ratio of the year. No wonder, it was the only German final participation, whether male or female, at an EM or World Cup over the past ten years.
That the DFB Nevertheless, and contrary to the wish of Vice President Celia Šašić, I cannot understand a more than three -time title bonus than women (400,000 to 120,000). Incidentally, also not that the German players are satisfied with it.
The DFB would even have any reason to give women more than the men. He has a historical guilt. He banned women’s football until 1970. “First of all, women are prohibited from football for women, and then there are complaints that women’s football is not so good,” says former sports moderator Carmen Thomas in the current time magazine. “This resembles that women go innocently into marriage, but then be great in bed.”
Key Performance Indicators: Comparing Men’s and Women’s Football
This table provides a comparative analysis of key data points in men’s and women’s football,offering insights into performance metrics,financial disparities,and ancient context.
| Metric | Men’s Football | Women’s Football | Key Insight |
| —————————– | ——————————————————————————– | ——————————————————————————- | ——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————– |
| Physical Performance | Generally, higher speed, strength, and power metrics due to physiological differences. | Lower average values in speed, strength, and power metrics compared to men. | Difference primarily attributed to biological factors, particularly muscle mass and testosterone levels. |
| 100m Sprint (World Record) | 9.58 seconds (Usain Bolt, 2009) | 10.49 seconds (Florence Griffith-Joyner, 1988) | Demonstrates the disparity in raw speed, a basic aspect of the game. Note: Performance-enhancing drugs can skew these numbers. |
| top Goalscorer Salary Range | €50M+ per year (Example: Kylian Mbappé) | €200K – €500K+ per year (Example: Sam Kerr) | Critically important discrepancies highlight the financial inequities despite growing popularity of women’s football. |
| TV Viewership (Major Tournaments) | Hundreds of millions (FIFA World Cup) | Tens of millions (FIFA women’s World Cup, UEFA Women’s Championship) | While women’s football viewership is growing rapidly, the gap remains substantial, influencing revenue streams and investment. |
| Historical Context | Long-established professional leagues and global recognition.| Rapidly developing professional leagues and increasing global recognition. | Reflects the historical suppression (e.g., DFB ban) of women’s football and its subsequent, more recent, explosive growth. |
| Average Match Attendance | Varies widely depending on league and match; generally higher. | Growing steadily, but generally lower than men’s. | Growth in attendance indicates increasing fan interest and support for the women’s game, however, it will obviously take time to reach parity with men’s football. |
| DFB Title Bonus | €400,000 | €120,000 | Highlights discrepancy in compensation even amongst the German national teams. |
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About Women’s Football
Q1: Why is there a physical difference between men and women in football?
A: The physical differences are primarily due to biological factors. Men typically have higher muscle mass, lower body fat percentages, and higher levels of testosterone, leading to greater strength, speed, and power [[3]].
Q2: Is it fair to directly compare men’s and women’s football results?
A: Direct comparisons can be misleading. While both genders play the same sport, biological differences create a natural variance in athletic performance. Comparing specific scores/metrics should be done cautiously with an acknowledgement of the limitations.
Q3: What are the main barriers to the growth of women’s football?
A: Historically, barriers involved limited resources, lower pay, fewer opportunities for training and advancement, and societal perceptions. Attitudes are shifting, funding is increasing, but structural reforms and increased investment are required.
Q4: What is being done to address pay inequality in football?
A: Players and organizations are advocating for equal pay, similar to the call for “complete” equality across all aspects of society [[2]]. This involves negotiating collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), increasing sponsorship and revenue opportunities, and challenging historical biases.
Q5: How can I support women’s football?
A: You can support women’s football by attending matches, watching games on television, following women’s teams and players on social media, buying merchandise, and advocating for increased media coverage and investment.
