Fun Fact: Last season, the National Women’s Soccer League drew an average crowd of more than 11,000 per game. This clearly suggests that American fans have a strong passion for the women’s side of the game. Enter European leagues—a place where the beautiful game is worshiped. When making comparisons, one might argue that the latter boasts more popularity and glitz than the NWSL. However, Jonatan Giráldez thinks otherwise.
Yep, this is coming from someone who has not only coached a team like FC Barcelona Feminin but also achieved European glory with this legendary club. Two UEFA Women’s Champions League wins, including a treble and a quadruple—he has savored the pinnacle. Europe is a place known for its ardent fan culture. But now, having led the Washington Spirit for almost a year, Giraldez has felt a massive difference.
“The fan culture is completely different, being honest,” began the 33-year-old during an exclusive interview with the Guardian. “In Spain, people are very close. They have a high energy; they feel like they are playing the game. Here, people are enjoying entertainment. They go to the stadium one hour early. They enjoy it with their family. If you win, it’s OK; if you don’t win, I think they enjoy it too. They are, until the last minute, pushing.”
NWSL: Angel City FC at San Diego Wave FC, Sep 17, 2022 San Diego, California, USA San Diego Wave FC forward Alex Morgan 13 celebrates after her team s 1-0 victory against Angel City FC at Snapdragon Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ray Acevedo-USA TODAY Sports, 17.09.2022 21:09:08, 19070847, Angel City FC, NWSL, Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego Wave FC, Alex Morgan, San Diego Wave NWSL PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xRayxAcevedox 19070847
Surprising, isn’t it? Well, you should believe so. Giraldez insists that for American fans, it’s merely about the result, as they would rather focus on enjoying the moment. He further drew parallels by citing an example from his Barcelona days.
Every match, when Giraldez stepped on the dugout, fans had expectations from him to not just win each game but also to score a lot of goals. Failure to do so would make the European fanbase think that the manager isn’t doing well.
It’s not like success doesn’t matter for the Americans; it does—a lot actually. But Jonatan likes the country’s nature of doing so by having fun with the long-term process. “I’m happy,” added Giraldez, further commenting on his liking of the American audience and their culture. “It’s a new type of supporting the team, but I’m enjoying it a lot.”
Who would have thought that there exists such a difference between America and the rest of the European leagues in terms of the game’s popularity? Well, it doesn’t end here; there’s an extra bonus for you when spotting more differences in another key aspect.
Jonatan Giraldez shares another contrasting factor between NWSL and rival European leagues
Again, this one might be hard for you to believe, but Jonatan found the NWSL more competitive than Europe’s domestic scene. The Spaniard believes that only 25-30% of matches in the American league can be won by a difference of more than two goals. The rest of the fixtures are no less than hard-fought victories.
“The league is very competitive…very difficult if you compare it with my past with Barcelona in Spain because most of the games we won 4-0, 5-0, 6-0, easy, and in Europe other games too, but the level of tactics was very, very high,” he said.
But one distinction that also makes NWSL unique is that people watch the league here for entertainment. That made him question how he could make the game more engaging for fans, despite the fact that matches in America often feature rapid transitions and less control.
Either way, Giráldez is keen to change this and is committed to striking a balance between competitiveness and entertainment. We reckon he will be able to do that quite easily, especially given how he fancies the American audience and their support.
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