The year in women's football

The significance of Gary Lineker's quip about football being "a game played by 22 players - and then Germany win" was not lost on those countries and clubs who again failed to prevent the Germans claiming the significant silverware of 2005.

EURO glory
World champions in 2003, Germany entered UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2005™ as overwhelming favourites and did not disappoint in the north-west of England, winning a fourth successive UEFA European Women's Championship crown and a third under outgoing coach Tina Theune-Meyer. "What makes us a winning team is that we have a tough-minded group who play hard and want to win everything," she said upon handing the reins to assistant Silvia Neid.

Record crowd
The tournament had opened in spectacular fashion, England's 3-2 victory against Finland at the City of Manchester stadium on Sunday 5 June attracting 29,092 fans, a record for a women's international match in Europe. The hosts were unable to build on that victory, however, as Sweden and Finland qualified from Group A, ousting Denmark too. In the other pool, Germany opened with a tight 1-0 defeat of Norway, who also subsequently progressed at the expense of France and Italy.

Grings leads way
Finland's adventure was to end in the semi-finals as nerves told in a 4-1 loss to Germany, while Norway edged the game of the tournament in defeating Sweden 3-2 after extra time. Exhausted from their exertions in Warrington, the Norwegians battled gamely in the final before going down 3-1 in front of over 21,100 fans in Blackburn. Birgit Prinz, who lifted the trophy, received yet another award in December as she was named FIFA Women's World Player of the Year for the third time running.

Development
"The crowds and the TV figures were excellent," said UEFA CEO Lars-Christer Olsson of the two-week tournament. "The fact we were successful in the homeland of football will also have positive effects in all other countries around Europe." UEFA had taken a significant step in January by moving women's football out of the development division and into professional football, alongside the likes of the UEFA Champions League.

Three competing
As such, the 2009 UEFA European Women's Championship will be backed by blue-riband companies. The hosts will be picked next year after Finland and the Netherlands submitted bids. By then, the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup will have been played in China. Qualifying is well under way, with Germany, Norway and England boasting perfect records. Sweden and Denmark top the other pools.

Potsdam joy
At club level, nine German internationals helped 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam win the UEFA Women's Cup, defeating Sweden's Djurgården/Älvsjö 5-1 on aggregate. "This is simply the most thrilling feeling you can get at club level in our sport," said victorious captain Ariane Hingst. Potsdam added the German Cup by overcoming a 1. FFC Frankfurt side who had previously wrested back the Bundesliga title.

'A wonder'
Germany's two premier clubs will also contest the 2006 UEFA Women's Cup final after surviving testing semi-finals in November. Frankfurt were beaten 1-0 at home by Montpellier HSC before winning 3-2 in France, while Potsdam also had to come from behind having lost their home first leg 3-2 to Djurgården/Älvsjö; a 5-2 victory in Sweden ensuring normal service was resumed. "Considering the score in the first leg, this result is a wonder," said Potsdam coach Bernd Schröder.

Russia on top
German dominance did not extend to the 2005 UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship in Hungary as Maren Meinert's side were undone by a semi-final hat-trick from Russian sensation Elena Danilova. France also won through after seeing off Finland 1-0. The stage was set for a titanic final and so it proved as Russia won their first women's title at any level 6-5 on penalties following a 2-2 draw. "A wonderful advert for the women's game," said UEFA technical director Andy Roxburgh at the 5th UEFA Women's Football Conference in Oslo in October - a symposium which left delegates from all corners of the globe with plenty to ponder about the future direction of the game.