The England women's national football team represents England in international women's association football. Since 1993 the team has been governed by the Football Association (FA), having been previously controlled by the Women's Football Association (WFA) from 1972 until 1993. England played its first international match in November 1972 against Scotland. Although most national football teams represent a sovereign state, England is one of the United Kingdom's Home Nations, meaning that it is permitted by FIFA statutes to maintain its own national side that competes in all major tournaments, with the exception of the Women's Olympic Football Tournament.
England has qualified for the FIFA Women's World Cup three times, reaching the quarter final stage on each occasion in 1995, 2007 and 2011. They reached the final of the UEFA Women's Championship in 1984 and 2009. In May 2009 central contracts were implemented, to help players focus on full-time training and playing, without having to fit it around full-time employment. Initially 17 players signed contracts.
Hope Powell became the team's first full-time head coach in July 1998, succeeding Ted Copeland. As of June 2012, England is ranked No. 9 in the FIFA Women's World Rankings.
Famous quotes containing the words football team, england, women, national, football and/or team:
“...I’m not money hungry.... People who are rich want to be richer, but what’s the difference? You can’t take it with you. The toys get different, that’s all. The rich guys buy a football team, the poor guys buy a football. It’s all relative.”
—Martina Navratilova (b. 1956)
“I believe that water is the only drink for a wise man: wine is not so noble a liquor; and think of dashing the hopes of a morning with a cup of warm coffee, or of an evening with a dish of tea! Ah, how low I fall when I am tempted by them! Even music may be intoxicating. Such apparently slight causes destroyed Greece and Rome, and will destroy England and America.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That’s his.”
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900)
“The national anthem belongs to the eighteenth century. In it you find us ordering God about to do our political dirty work.”
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950)
“...I’m not money hungry.... People who are rich want to be richer, but what’s the difference? You can’t take it with you. The toys get different, that’s all. The rich guys buy a football team, the poor guys buy a football. It’s all relative.”
—Martina Navratilova (b. 1956)
“Imagination is a valuable asset in business and she has a sister, Understanding, who also serves. Together they make a splendid team and business problems dissolve and the impossible is accomplished by their ministrations.... Imagination concerning the world’s wants and the individual’s needs should be the Alpha and Omega of self-education.”
—Alice Foote MacDougall (1867–1945)