Those who compete in the National Women’s Soccer League consider it the most competitive league in the world. Those outside of it? Their views vary greatly, and they are not always positive.
In England on Tuesday, Manchester United head coach Marc Skinner reflected on a physical 1-1 draw in the Champions League with Paris Saint-Germain by saying, “That was most like an NWSL game I’ve experienced. That was an NWSL opponent.” The implication in his remark wasn’t a compliment.
Skinner, who coached the NWSL’s Orlando Pride from 2019 to 2021, went on to talk about the transitional nature of the NWSL and “how there wasn’t really a love for the build-up of the ball.”
His opinion — and his use of the word “transition” as if it is some kind of slur — is not unique. Critics of the NWSL loathe the fast pace of games in the league and view it as inferior to the possession-based style preferred by the best teams in Europe, with Barcelona being the most extreme example.
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Spain‘s triumph at the World…
