Are men better soccer players than women?

Great Debates
41

Hey MC Master of Ceremonies,

This is obviously and demonstrably false. As I have already stated, I never had problems stealing crosses away from fowards half a foot taller than me. This is because I have a couple useful appendages called ‘arms.’ If your “semi-pro” friend feels disadvantaged by his height, I suggest he try jumping.

As a keeper, I know the hardest shot to save is the one that is aimed at either of the lower corners. I also know that a tall keeper is at a disadvantage when it comes to diving for such shots.

-Apoptosis

42

A semi-pro is someone who receives an appearance fee for playing matches for a club in a senior division (i.e. one that means the club is eligble to enter the FA cup qualifying competion), our goalkeeper received fees for playing for Reading Town and has also been offered a paid goalkeeping coach postion.

43

Hey MC Master of Ceremonies,

My interest in this hijack is dwindling. Once again, I repeat: “I suppose we’re just going to agree to disagree.” I suggest we leave it at that.

-Apoptosis

44

Actually, that will be equivalent to a .78 second difference gap in the 100 meters. This is interesting though.

I wonder if the ratio stays the same with short and long distance records between men and women.

Michael Johnson’s 200 meters at Atlanta was beyond unbelievable, creating a equivalent 1 second gap/100 meters difference between his and Koch’s record that RickJay mentioned.

400 meters=44.63 women, 43.18 men, a 3.45 second, or .86 gap per hundred meters difference.
1 mile: 4:12 for women, 3:43 for men.

29 second difference, or about a 1.28 second difference.

At 60 meters indoors, the records are 6.92 and 6.39 respectively, a .54 second gap at 60, equivalent to a .9 second 100 meter gap.

I have to think that, equal conditioning aside, the men get an exploive start with the help of slightly less swivel needed from their upper bodies. That slighly less swivel is enough to help the men maintain momentum so they go further ahead as men and women deceelerate at about equal rates. A woman for now cannot run like Michael Johnson can, who had virtually no upper body swivel to make up for unusually choppier and shorter strides.

45

As for men and women soccer players: the foot strength is about equal. Women have more of a tendency to actually do something with the ball, as opposed to just dumping it or just passing it around north and south like the men do, causing riots among the bored fans. Again, however, the running is the difference; the women’s ideas are alas much more advanced than their ability to run towards a good pass; that is why there are a lot more out of bounds plays from potentially good passes that the men usually get inbounds, if they only would set their minds to it.

46

Capacitor, I disagree ther major thing lacking in th women’s game is what is called the ‘footballing mind’ which comes from a stronger footballing tradition among men and the fact that in soccer-playing countries men get to play more football at a younger age.

This may not be the case in the US as from what I understand football is played equally by boys and girls at younger ages.

47

“As a keeper, I know the hardest shot to save is the one that is aimed at either of the lower corners. I also know that a tall keeper is at a disadvantage when it comes to diving for such shots.”

Disagree. Top corner is hardest. And even if lower corner is hardest: a) last time I checked, the gravitational constant is equal for short and tall keepers alike; b) taller keeper has greater reach when diving so as to get those balls in the lower corners.

48

Remember the World Cup women’s finals a year or two ago, when the U.S. won?

Remember how that one member of the U.S. team, in her elation, threw off her shirt?

If that’s not reason enough to believe that women are better soccer players than men, I don’t know what is.

49

Hey schplebordnik,

Ask a real keeper- they will tell you lower corner is much tougher. Jumping up is a lot faster than hitting the deck. As for gravitational constants, you’re missing the point. Imagine the extremes: a seven foot keeper and a five foot keeper. Who’s going to hit the deck quicker? The answer should be obvious.

-Apoptosis

50

Agree that drivers & jockeys skill depend on what they are sitting . Are darts ,snookers & pool sports, or “games.” Haven’t seen a good lady juggler lately either. Take that back, many guys I know are good at juggling women.

51

:dubious: There’s no such thing. However, I know why women will tend to possibly be better at the long distance swimming. It’s all about the fat. The more fat you have the more you float and over the long run it is easier to keep swimming. This is why they do not allow swimmers to wear body suits that help with bouyency.

The longest record, at least for FINA is the 1500 meters. I know of no other records. Yes there are things for the English Channel swim, which also does not allow wet suits, and other swims, but they don’t mean. In an open water swim you can go anyway you want, plus ocean swells etc will change every result.

Here are the records for the 1500 LC meters

men
1500 FREE Grant Hackett AUS 14:34.56 July 29, 2001 Fukuoka, JPN

women
1500 FREE Janet Evans USA 15:52.10 Mar. 26, 1988 Orlando, USA

It’s interesting to see that Hackett’s first 100 was 0:54.19, while the women’s world record 100 is Inge de Bruijn NED 0:53.77. That means that the top man can swim 1500 meters at the same pace the top woman can swim her best 100.

I also know of no woman that has won an ultra-marathon. For the ones that I have done and know something about men have always come out on top.

52

FINA also holds open water competitions in 5, 10 and 25K distances.

Yury Kudinov won the men’s 25K at the last World Championship, with a time of 5:02:20, while women’s champ, Edith Van Dijk, took 5:35:43 for the same distance.

Source: 10th FINA World Championships

53

PS-I meant to add that the above results call into question any theory that women might have an advantage in long distance swimming.

54

Having been involved with both male and female teams (at a non-professional, regional level), I have seen well-organized, talented female teams beat or tie male teams of the same age group. Since I’ve not witnessed such matchups at a post adolescent level, I will confine my observations to the 16 to 19 year old groups that I’ve watched.

For sheer physical strength and speed, most females will not be able to successfully compete with most males. And, if that’s all there was to soccer/football, then there would be little room for debate. But soccer, as much of life, is rarely about pure physical strength and speed.

Soccer is a game which, if properly executed, makes the most of teamwork and strategy. Women are generally better than males at exploiting teamwork and employing set plays (particularly during adolescence). A well-practiced, cohesive team of females relies more on short, accurate passes, as well as excellent verbal and non-verbal communication with teammates. They seem to be better at picking up each other’s cues and, as a result, are quite successful at placing themselves where they need to be on the field.

Far from shrinking violets, I’ve seen plenty of young women not back down from fast-approaching, larger male defenders. If they’re skilled, why should they? There’s no need to do so. Due to a somewhat better dexterity that affords them the opportunity to momentarily out-maneuver their opponent, they can get off a quick pass when pressured.

I recall studies that indicate that, at any given age, women hear better (facilitating onfield communication), have better peripheral vision (who’s coming at me?), and are better at visually picking up motion and detecting small objects in a large field of vision – all abilities that help them determine locations of teammates and opponents and size up their next move.

Not having the luxury of greater speed and strength, they draw successfully on other skills, such as knowing their teammates, drilling on what needs to be done under a given circumstance, learning how to shield the ball, employing more give and go, and developing higher technical skills.

Women’s soccer has advanced to such a level of elegance that i now prefer watching it to men’s games. Ten years ago I never would have said that.

Otoh, negative observations were formed about women’s soccer, but i’ve talked too much already. :slight_smile:

55

Hey Apoptosis

I am a keeper. A 6’2" keeper. Getting down on the far corner shots is not as hard as the top corners, and that’s coming from an arguably “tall” keeper. Keepers, even us tall ones, don’t stand up stock straight anyway, so knees bent, and waist bent, and arm outstretched slightly down reduces (if not eliminates) any relative difference in height between Schmiechel and Campos on getting shots down in the corner. That’s not true for having to jump up and out to grab (or deflect) one in the top corner.

If you think about the physics and geometry, it’s pretty clear: going up is against gravity, going down is with gravity; distance from top corner to GK’s center of gravity is much farther than from bottom corner to GK’s center of gravity (assuming GK is shorter than 8’ tall). Plus, you have the added benefit of low shots potentially losing velocity by contact with pitch, and more likely to hit a defender’s legs.

What that has to do with women’s vs. men’s football, I’m not sure. But having attended both men’s and women’s World Cup games live, there really isn’t a comparison in the skill level, much less the pace. Recall that US women’s world cup team worked out by scrimmaging the UVa men’s team. UVa men’s team is probably on level of a US A league team, which is nowhere close to the men’s national teams of powerhouses like Brazil and Germany, who would crush them.

56

Hey schplebordnik,

First off, apologies if I’ve come across as hot-headed. My keeper coaches always told me that the hardest shots to block are the ones in the lower corners. My many years of experience have taught me that, for me, this holds true. For what it’s worth, it has also held true for the fellow keepers I’ve asked.

I’m not buying your gravity argument. Gravity plays a very minor part in what we’re talking about. It is inherently easier to jump up than it is to “jump down.”

I’m obviously not going to convince you, and you’re obviously not going to convince me. I admit I didn’t know some keepers believe the high shots are the more difficult. I don’t think I have anything more to say on the subject.

-Apoptosis

57

Cite, please. I believe that men are better suited for following orders without question, and buying into a heirarchical structure, which is part of teamwork.

Makes sense.

Cite, please. I believe men have better vision and women have better hearing. (Extrapolated from men’s better spacial perception and women’s better language skills.) I find it hard to believe women have better peripheral vision, as I can easily see an evolutionary need for men to have better peripheral vision. (Who’s coming at me is a question for a hunter, not a gatherer.)

Sounds reasonable.

58

Yes FINA may hold open water events but there are no “world records” for them because as I said water temp, waves etc all change how long it would take. However it does seem to say that men are better at long distance swimming as well.

59

For the millionth time, it’s not the height of the keeper that is crucial it’s arm length. Yes, these are closely correlated but to act like they’re the same leaves out the notable exceptions. Who cares how tall the keeper is if his arms are long?

60

daniel801: You’ve overlooked the fact that a person’s reach is not solely dependent on the length of his/her arms, but also on how high above the ground their shoulder joint is, and (for lateral reach) how broad their shoulders are. Please stop repeating that arm length is the crucial part of the equation – other physical parameters are equally significant, including the person’s height.