ESTORIL, Portugal — Tobin Heath, two-time World Cup winner with the United States women’s national team, thinks football has become too professionalised and prescribed.
“We’re missing the fun, the feel of what football is, what I fell in love with,” she said. “I don’t see it enough anymore. It’s being coached out too young.”
Enter World Sevens Football (W7F), a three-day seven-a-side tournament, with a $5million (£3.7m, €4.4m) prize pot, the inaugural edition held in the seaside town of Estoril, a 30-minute drive from Lisbon, involving eight of the biggest European clubs.
The tournament includes rolling subs, no offsides, DJ sets, smoke cannons and a lot of personality.
Manchester United marked their on-pitch arrival with different walk-ons: forming a human pyramid, doing the limbo, cartwheels and sporting charades while Bayern Munich pulled off a 10-pin bowling stunt. Fittingly, the two teams that appeared to have the most fun made the final.
United players pose for a photograph prior to final match (Gualter Fatia / World Sevens Football via Getty Images)
Bayern were crowned champions after beating United 2-1, taking home $2.5million (£1.9m, €2.2m) while United cashed in $1m.
“We’re used to playing with a lot of pressure on our shoulders,…
