Connect To The European Women’s Soccer Movement With WorldStrides Excel

European women’s soccer is not on the rise. We’re past that stage. European women’s soccer is basking in a glow that is only getting brighter by the month.

The young talent, from Vivianne Mediema to Caroline Graham Hansen, that has captivated the women’s soccer world has shown that these European teams present a rich soil from which promising hopefuls can bloom. Established stars too, like Sam Kerr and Deyna Castellanos, are drawn to European leagues like a moth to a flame. The chance to rep the crest of Manchester United? Train in world-class facilities and have access to the resources of some of the planet’s most prestigious clubs? Prospects who get a whiff of a chance to play on this fast growing women’s soccer-crazy continent are signing their names to paper faster than you can say “Messi.”

The European women’s soccer movement is not just a beautiful one for the pros who play. It’s a moment for all of us in this sport to seize and peer into. Considering that, how can WoSo communities thousands of miles away really see the special qualities that make European women’s soccer tick?

This is where WorldStrides Excel European soccer tours comes in. Acting as a link connecting soccer communities around the world, WSE tours pave the path for invaluable cross-(soccer)-cultural exchange. On a WSE tour, players and coaches alike are exposed to the elite development approach, facilities, and playing style that has seen European women’s soccer catapult to the forefront of the sport.

From Madrid to Munich, WSE offers many tours that tap into the enthusiasm around European women’s soccer right now. Here are a few of our favorites:

England

England’s FA Women’s Super League (FAWSL) is perhaps European women’s soccer’s brightest gem right now. Not only does it boast big name talent in Sam Kerr, Danielle Van de Donk, and Ellen White, but the league is competitive. Arsenal, Manchester City, and Chelsea are constantly vying for the FAWSL title and Champions League play. But it has still proven to be a league where anyone can beat anyone on their day. England’s 4th place World Cup finish in 2019 is another sign that English women’s soccer is among the best.

And a WSE trip to England is a sure fire way to get a taste of that “best.” Whether it’s London, Manchester, or Liverpool, these tours hit the nail on the head in three key ways. You’ll walk the grounds of England’s most historic clubs. You’ll play against prestigious academy teams like Arsenal, Chelsea, and others who have a physical, never-say-die kind of play. Finally, you’ll attend a soccer match in a city that’s downright soccer mad (as the Brits would say).

France

Though the hosts may not have gone as far as people expected in last year’s WWC, the lifeblood of women’s soccer runs strong through this country’s veins. France is home to one of the most successful sports teams (ya, not just women’s sports, sports in general) in the last decade, Olympique Lyon Fémenin.

In between unforgettable sites like the Eiffel Tour and the Louvre, WSE travelers will find themselves enraptured by a city that will forever hold a special place in the hearts of women’s soccer lovers. As the country’s capital, Paris was a buzzing hub during the 2019 Women’s World Cup. USWNT fans will remember it fondly as the destination of the quarterfinal victory over Les Bleus. The city is also home to one of the world’s best women’s teams in PSG. Whether you’re a coach or a player, to be in Paris is to experience a site that will go down in women’s soccer history and continues to blaze trails in the sport.

The Netherlands

If you’re a girl or women involved in soccer right now, or a parent of one, or a coach of one; let me just say, The Netherlands is a place you’re gonna wanna visit. Over the last few years, the Dutch national team has lit up the women’s soccer scene. A European Championship and a Women’s World Cup silver medal have shown that they are one of the best national teams in the world. Players like Vivianne Miedema and Danielle Van De Donk provide star power. But what’s really taken this program to the top is their focus on development through the youth systems.

WSE has got the connections to allow you to witness and engage with this important phenomenon. Your team will play three quality friendlies against clubs like SC Heerenveen and SC Buitenveldert, watch a professional match, and also tour Ajax Stadium, the home of the country’s most famous club.

Spain

Barcelona or Madrid? It’s perhaps the hardest decision a soccer lover has to make when travelling to Spain. They are two of the most important cities in the world when it comes to the beautiful game. In terms of the women’s soccer, Barcelona has been flying high domestically and in the Champions league while their rivals in the capital try to catch up.

Culturally, you can’t really go wrong on a WSE tour in either city. La Sagrada Familia and Museu Picasso in Barcelona. The Royal Palace and Plaza Mayor in Madrid. For American socceristas, playing against teams like Atletico Madrid and RCD Espanyol will expose you to a Spanish soccer style that might feel as foreign as the language is to our ears. Tika Taka — in its emphasis on little triangle passes, finesse, and creativity — is rather different from what we cultivate here in the US. And that is both a magical thing for American and Spanish teams alike, as one American coach explains.

Italy

After a 20 year absence, La Azzurri shocked the world and won millions of hearts with their Round of 16 run at the Women’s World Cup. Barbara Bonansea and Cristiana Girelli became instant heroines with their big time performances in the group stage. Meanwhile, the Italian women’s league, the Serie A, has slowly but surely been generating hype and gathering investment in recent years. It won’t be long before teams like Juventus and Fiorentina are seriously contending for a Champions League title.

With the energy of the women’s game on a crescendo, there’s no better time to ride the wave and take a trip to the land of amazing carbs, art, history, and soccer. From Milan to Rome to Florence, WSE provides trips to all the country’s richest areas of sport and culture. A Vatican City tour and a Trevi Fountain visit in the morning, a match against an Italian club at night. A professional coaching clinic on Day 6, a tour of the Colosseum and Roman Forum on Day 7. These are features from real life WSE Italy trip itineraries. Oh, and the teams you play in Bel Paese might just ring a bell. Heard of Inter? Juventus? Roma? Player of WSE trips have faced up against teams from these historic clubs.

From start to finish, a WSE Italy trip delivers a heavenly soccer-culture combo that will make you say “Mamma Mia! Che Bello!” (roughly.. “Oh Mama, how beautiful).

To learn more about how to take your team to these women’s soccer loving cities (and many more!), visit excelsoccertours.com.

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