Tuesday’s victory over Scotland by the Republic of Ireland women’s soccer team brings with it more than just qualification for next year’s World Cup. The spotlight thrown on Vera Pauw’s team by breaking down such a momentous barrier has more upsides than downsides, albeit they got a rapid taste of the latter when a video emerged of them chanting “Up the Ra” as part of their dressing room celebrations.
While no fair-minded person can argue that the Irish players were deliberately glorifying violence, it was a very bad mistake to make. It was also a mistake they owned up to and apologised for without delay. The sincerity and humility with which Pauw faced the cameras less than 12 hours after her triumph was particularly striking. It was maybe even her finest moment of the campaign.
Pauw has taken Ireland to a place now that was never imagined possible before. While the team has been on an upward curve in recent years, supporters still went into this qualifying campaign more in hope than in confidence. Of the 11 European teams that have now qualified for the World Cup, 10 went into the campaign as one of the top 11 seeds. Ireland are the outlier, having gone in seeded 21st. It is a landmark achievement by a group of players who have had to forge their own path in what is still a distinctly unglamorous sport.
Women’s soccer is professional but it won’t make many of them millionaires. Yet the game is growing at an encouraging rate, especially in England where the bulk of Pauw’s side are based. This would have been a particularly bad time to miss out on a World Cup. The upside of the spotlight is obvious. Clubs and schools all across the country will see an influx of young girls wanting to play soccer now, inspired by the goal of emulating their heroes. It is vital that the FAI and the grassroots of the sport seize this opportunity and put girls’ soccer on a sustainable footing. Do that and there is no reason women’s World Cups can’t become a regular feature of the sporting landscape.