Lessons from the 2006 Men's World Cup

*Watch individuals. There are all sorts of ways to look at a game. One of them is through the individual flair and personality of great players. There were so many fabulous players in the World Cup, who were distinctive for a variety of reasons, but I will focus on one, Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal. Tune in to your recorded World Cup games (I hope you recorded them, or a friend did!) and watch his ability to face pressure and run at defenses. Also, watch his ball activity. Whenever the ball is at his feet, it is always moving. He is also always moving above it to create deception. This makes it very difficult for defenders to know when and how to step in and challenge him.

Many girls and women play with the ball static at their feet, and play with little deception, using athleticism or brute strength to beat defenses. Ronaldo is an inspiration and a worthy role model for developing quick feet, and remarkable skill with the ball.

*Notice the team chemistry. While you look at various individuals, you can also see the team chemistry and the way it impacts on the group. For example, Germany came into the Cup with very low expectations, given the graduation of so many of its former greats, and the young roster that took the field. Yet you could see the joy with which the Germans were playing. And largely because of this positive chemistry, those youth were incredibly successful. This was highlighted in Germany’s final game, in which Bastian Schweinsteiger, just 21 years old, basically scored three goals. Throughout the tournament, you could see the joy and excitement of coach Jurgen Klinsmann, when he frequently jumped off the bench. There appeared to be no resentment when a German player was substituted. He would pat his replacement on the back. There was no sulking on the bench. It really seemed to be a team not just playing for each other, but for their coach and their country. Never underestimate the value of loyalty and kinship within the team. This is a very powerful force in athletics.

*Beware of the dark side. Watching this tournament reminded me of the dark side of the sport. Probably the most memorable issue of this competition will be the record number of yellow and red cards that were given out in FIFA’s attempt to bring order to the game. Maintaining sportsmanship can change the fundamental way the game is played. After FIFA sent referees to work the first Women’s World Championship in 1991, when I was the coach of the USA team, they reported that they were exhausted from their efforts. That’s because the women played within the rules—less fouling, less effort to get away with something, less time-wasting—basically less stoppage and more cooperation. So the game rarely halted, and the refs had to run all the time.

This is the final theme on which I will leave you. There is something fair in the way the women play the game. Through the highest levels, they still play with that positive spirit, which is a wonderful statement of the sport. Let’s hope that even with the increasing growth and popularity of girls and women’s soccer, we can maintain the fair—and beautiful—game.

Anson Dorrance is the legendary coach of the University of North Carolina women’s soccer team, the 18-time National Champions. This article is written with the assistance of Gloria Averbuch, co-author with Dorrance of the award-winning The Vision of a Champion—Advice and Inspiration from the World’s Most Successful Soccer Coach. Averbuch’s is also the author of the recent children’s soccer book A Turn for Lucas.