“Last year I died, but this year I won’t die.” The verses of “Sujeito de Sorte”, by Belchior, became the hallmark of Botafogo fans in 2024. Unquestionable, but they could also be adopted by the women’s football team. In 2023, Brazil was eliminated by Jamaica in the group stage of the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. A disappointment, as what was expected was to see Brazil at least advance to the final stages of the competition. In September of the same year, the technical change that replaced Arthur Elias in place of the Swedish Pia Sundhage already established a new game plan, but in 2024 it was the consecration of the work of the technical committee of the women’s team with the celebrated silver medal at the Olympic Games from Paris. Best result in Brazil in 16 years. It is worth highlighting in this commission the entry of Cris Gambaré into the coordination of women’s football at the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) in March 2024. Gambaré and Arthur resumed the victorious double that elevated the women’s Corinthians to the power of the sport in South America .
Internally, the team believed in the Olympic podium, but favoritism was more directed towards European teams and the United States. The turning point of Brazil’s epic route in France began precisely against the hosts, in the quarter-finals, in the 1-0 victory over the French. In the semi-final, Brazil met a Spain to which they had already lost in the groups. And, once again, the Brazilian athletes were surprising, beating the world champions by 4 to 2. The unprecedented Olympic gold was very close to reality in the final against the United States. Therefore, the meager 1-0 defeat for the Americans suggested, at first, a disappointment, but soon the silver medal was very well received for once again bringing prestige to Brazilian women’s football.
IT’S SILVER! 🥈
We fight to the end! The Women’s Team is a silver medalist at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games! You are a source of pride! 💚💛
Thank you so much for everyone’s support and support! We continue together for more! 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/xX2FmQ6New
— Women’s Football Team (@SelecaoFeminina) August 10, 2024
Confirmation of the new level were the international nominations and awards. In the FIFA The Best Award, presented in December, striker Gabi Portilho was chosen for the ideal selection. The then Corinthians player, a key player in winning the silver medal, also ended the year as the 18th player in the Ballon d’Or ranking of the French magazine France Football, presented in October. Furthermore, the Brazilian was announced on the penultimate day of 2024 as a new signing for the award-winning Gotham FC, a team from the city of New Jersey that competes in the North American league.
Also for the FIFA award, Marta received the trophy for the most beautiful goal. Yes, the Marta Award from football’s highest entity went to Marta. Nominated among the sport’s coaches, Arthur Elias came in third place, while in the Ballon d’Or he was considered the second best women’s football coach in the world behind the British Emma Hayes, who leads the United States national team, and who also secured the FIFA awards.
ETERNAL 👑#OlympicGames #TimeBrasil #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/OB8xWGXug8
— Team Brasil (@timebrasil) August 10, 2024
The post-Olympic trajectory remained positive due to Brazil’s victories against Colombia and Australia in friendlies. Of the four matches, the Brazilian team won three and drew one, this one against the Colombians, their main South American opponents. The renewal implemented by Arthur Elias has found consolidation and now attention turns to the 2025 Copa América, which will be played between July and August in Ecuador.
World Cup in Brazil
Before the Olympic consecration, in May 2024, Brazil was chosen during the FIFA Congress, in Thailand, to host the 2027 Women’s World Cup. The Brazilian candidacy beat the European proposal formed by the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium. This will be the first time that the Women’s World Cup will be held in South America and in the country. Brazil, as the host of the event, is already classified. The tournament will be the second with 32 participating teams, repeating the format of the 2023 World Cup, which had Spain as champion. The CBF proposal, aligned with the National Women’s Football Development Strategylaunched by the Ministry of Sports, in 2023, is to invest in the evolution of the sport so that Brazil can be among the sport’s references in the coming years.
The 2027 #FIFAWWC will be hosted by Brazil! 🤩🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/iPAISNUZmc
— FIFA Women’s World Cup (@FIFAWWC) May 17, 2024
National and Libertadores Championships
While the women’s team is renewed, Corinthians has established itself in 2024 as a force in women’s football. The team, which was captained by Lucas Piccinato this year, won the A1 Series of the Brazilian Championship (one of several women’s football competitions that had matches broadcast by TV Brasil) and the women’s Libertadores. In both competitions, the fierce Corinthians remained in the lead from the beginning. In the A1 series, Timão won its sixth title, while in the South American competition it lifted the cup for the fifth time.
🦅🖤🤍 They are BAD! @SCCPFutFeminino five-time CONMEBOL champion #LibertadoresFEM 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆#GlóriaÉDelas pic.twitter.com/QKokaPlatg
— CONMEBOL Libertadores Femenina (@LibertadoresFEM) October 19, 2024
Still in Series A1, Santos, Botafogo, Atlético-MG and the traditional Avaí Kindermann were relegated to series A2. There are rumors that the CBF will change the rules of the women’s calendar and return to having 20 clubs in the first division. There are currently 16 teams competing in the main national championship. If the changes are confirmed, those relegated this year will be able to return to play in the elite in 2025. To be seen in January.
In the A2 series, the champion in 2024 was Bahia, which guaranteed access to the A1 series alongside those classified for the semifinals Instituto 3B, Juventude and Sport.
