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USA icon Hope Solo 'offended and infuriated' by idea of changing size of women's goals
American goalkeeping icon Hope Solo says suggestions of reducing the size of women’s goals offend her on the eve of the 2019 Women’s World Cup.
Chelsea Women manager Emma Hayes earlier called for them to be scaled down due to ‘physical differences’ between men and women.
But when prompted for her opinion on Yahoo Sport presents: The Football Show 24/7, the 202-cap USWNT veteran vented her frustration.
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The American said: “I take great offence to that question to be quite honest with you. We have this debate every four years and every tournament, especially in the World Cup.
“That’s like saying if the goalkeeper can’t cover the goal, then they should also decrease the size of the field because women can’t run as far as men, they’re not as powerful, they don’t have as much endurance, but we’re not questioning the size of the field we’re only questioning the size of the goal.
“I think it’s sexist to be quite honest, I think it’s infuriating and I take great offence to that.”
Although the 2015 World Cup and two-time Olympic gold winner was bullish, she acknowledged the approach to the game had to be different to the men’s game on occasion.
And Solo added the quality of goalkeeper coaching in the women’s game must improve.
“There are physical differences of course. You don’t see it in the scoreline, if that was the case you would see more goals,” she added.
“But it is a little bit different, you have to play the position differently to perhaps a lanky male goalkeeper, a six-foot-four male goalkeeper.
“It’s still reading the game and you still have to know your positioning based off your height, based off your skill level, based off your speed, your agility and your power. and each goalkeeper is different.
“I really think we need better goalkeeper trainers throughout the world. I don’t think we have enough quality goalkeeper training.
“Where we are analysing the game we are very critical, we’re looking at technical issues, we’re looking a film, breaking down footage and that’s why I think in the women’s game the goalkeeping is not as strong as the men.”
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