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Sporting Witness: The forgotten Women's World Cup

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The forgotten Women's World Cup

08/06/2024 GMT

BBC World Service - Sporting Witness, The forgotten Women's World Cup

In 1971, an unofficial Women's World Cup took place in Mexico

In 1971, a group of footballers were catapulted from obscurity to stardom in Mexico when record crowds turned out as the country hosted a forerunner of the Women’s World Cup.

In August 1971, a group of footballers were catapulted from obscurity to overnight stardom in Mexico when record-breaking crowds turned out as the country hosted a forerunner of the women’s World Cup.

With women’s football still in its infancy after being suppressed in many parts of the world for decades, players got a taste of the sport’s potential popularity when they appeared in front of 100,000 fans in Mexico’s biggest grounds.

One of the English team, Trudy McCaffery, tells Ian Youngs what it was like to go from playing in empty parks to the packed Azteca Stadium – and back.

(Photo: Trudy McCaffery with scrapbox. Credit: Trudy McCaffery)

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