Who are the best women's national teams ever?

I suppose the obvious candidates have got to be the teams that won consecutive World Cups - Germany in 2003 and 2007, and USA in 2015 and 2019. I suppose all the World Champions are worth considering, as the women's World Cup has only existed since 1991.

Let's see if we can come up with a Top 5 that nobody particularly disagrees with.

On Monday, January 31, 2022 at 12:26:42 PM UTC-5, Mark wrote:
> Who are the best women's national teams ever?
>
> I suppose the obvious candidates have got to be the teams that won consecutive World Cups - Germany in 2003 and 2007, and USA in 2015 and 2019. I suppose all the World Champions are worth considering, as the women's World Cup has only existed since 1991.
>
> Let's see if we can come up with a Top 5 that nobody particularly disagrees with.

You have to consider that in the women's game the Olympic tournament is essentially equivalent to the WC, as all teams send their best players.

So, if you look at the combination of results at both the WC and the OG, I think you would get the following candidates:

Norway 1995-2000 (1 WC, 1 Gold medal, two other top-4 finishes)
Germany 2000-2008 (2 WCs, three bronze medals)
Japan 2008-2015 (1 WC, 2 second-place finishes, 1 fourth place)

Sweden (2016-2021), Brazil (2004-2008) and China (1995-1999) get honorable mentions for consistently placing in the top 4, even though they never won the whole thing.

I have deliberately left out the USA, because they have obviously the dominant team throughout this whole period, and it's difficult to demarcate where one "team's" period begins and where another one ends.

On Monday, January 31, 2022 at 4:58:07 p.m. UTC-5, Futbolmetrix wrote:
> On Monday, January 31, 2022 at 12:26:42 PM UTC-5, Mark wrote:
> > Who are the best women's national teams ever?
> >
> > I suppose the obvious candidates have got to be the teams that won consecutive World Cups - Germany in 2003 and 2007, and USA in 2015 and 2019. I suppose all the World Champions are worth considering, as the women's World Cup has only existed since 1991.
> >
> > Let's see if we can come up with a Top 5 that nobody particularly disagrees with.
> You have to consider that in the women's game the Olympic tournament is essentially equivalent to the WC, as all teams send their best players.
>
> So, if you look at the combination of results at both the WC and the OG, I think you would get the following candidates:
>
> Norway 1995-2000 (1 WC, 1 Gold medal, two other top-4 finishes)
> Germany 2000-2008 (2 WCs, three bronze medals)
> Japan 2008-2015 (1 WC, 2 second-place finishes, 1 fourth place)
>
> Sweden (2016-2021), Brazil (2004-2008) and China (1995-1999) get honorable mentions for consistently placing in the top 4, even though they never won the whole thing.
>
> I have deliberately left out the USA, because they have obviously the dominant team throughout this whole period, and it's difficult to demarcate where one "team's" period begins and where another one ends.
Uhmm current holders maybe

On Monday, January 31, 2022 at 9:58:07 PM UTC, Futbolmetrix wrote:
> On Monday, January 31, 2022 at 12:26:42 PM UTC-5, Mark wrote:
> > Who are the best women's national teams ever?
> >
> > I suppose the obvious candidates have got to be the teams that won consecutive World Cups - Germany in 2003 and 2007, and USA in 2015 and 2019. I suppose all the World Champions are worth considering, as the women's World Cup has only existed since 1991.
> >
> > Let's see if we can come up with a Top 5 that nobody particularly disagrees with.
> You have to consider that in the women's game the Olympic tournament is essentially equivalent to the WC, as all teams send their best players.
>
> So, if you look at the combination of results at both the WC and the OG, I think you would get the following candidates:
>
> Norway 1995-2000 (1 WC, 1 Gold medal, two other top-4 finishes)
> Germany 2000-2008 (2 WCs, three bronze medals)
> Japan 2008-2015 (1 WC, 2 second-place finishes, 1 fourth place)
>
> Sweden (2016-2021), Brazil (2004-2008) and China (1995-1999) get honorable mentions for consistently placing in the top 4, even though they never won the whole thing.
>
> I have deliberately left out the USA, because they have obviously the dominant team throughout this whole period, and it's difficult to demarcate where one "team's" period begins and where another one ends.

We've still never agreed on how many players teams have to have in common to still be considered the same team. The USA had at least 6 players in the 2011 World Cup squad that were still in the squad at the 2019 World Cup. If that's enough, I nominate USA 2011-19 (2 World Cups, 1 x runners-up, 1 x Olympic gold medalists, 2 CONCACAF Women's Championships).

So we've got 4 candidates so far.

On Wednesday, February 2, 2022 at 5:54:02 PM UTC, Mark wrote:
> On Monday, January 31, 2022 at 9:58:07 PM UTC, Futbolmetrix wrote:
> > On Monday, January 31, 2022 at 12:26:42 PM UTC-5, Mark wrote:
> > > Who are the best women's national teams ever?
> > >
> > > I suppose the obvious candidates have got to be the teams that won consecutive World Cups - Germany in 2003 and 2007, and USA in 2015 and 2019. I suppose all the World Champions are worth considering, as the women's World Cup has only existed since 1991.
> > >
> > > Let's see if we can come up with a Top 5 that nobody particularly disagrees with.
> > You have to consider that in the women's game the Olympic tournament is essentially equivalent to the WC, as all teams send their best players.
> >
> > So, if you look at the combination of results at both the WC and the OG, I think you would get the following candidates:
> >
> > Norway 1995-2000 (1 WC, 1 Gold medal, two other top-4 finishes)
> > Germany 2000-2008 (2 WCs, three bronze medals)
> > Japan 2008-2015 (1 WC, 2 second-place finishes, 1 fourth place)
> >
> > Sweden (2016-2021), Brazil (2004-2008) and China (1995-1999) get honorable mentions for consistently placing in the top 4, even though they never won the whole thing.
> >
> > I have deliberately left out the USA, because they have obviously the dominant team throughout this whole period, and it's difficult to demarcate where one "team's" period begins and where another one ends.
> We've still never agreed on how many players teams have to have in common to still be considered the same team. The USA had at least 6 players in the 2011 World Cup squad that were still in the squad at the 2019 World Cup. If that's enough, I nominate USA 2011-19 (2 World Cups, 1 x runners-up, 1 x Olympic gold medalists, 2 CONCACAF Women's Championships).
>
> So we've got 4 candidates so far.

I make it 5 players in USA's 1999 World Cup squad that were in the 1991 World Cup squad. Is that enough for them to classed as the same team? If so, I nominate USA 1991-99 (2 World Cups, 1 Olympic Gold, 1 3rd place at the World Cup).

Well that gives us 5 candidates and it's beginning to look unlikely that we'll get more (and I think we've got all the World Champions now). What order do we put them in?

On Monday, February 7, 2022 at 5:37:26 PM UTC, Mark wrote:
> On Wednesday, February 2, 2022 at 5:54:02 PM UTC, Mark wrote:
> > On Monday, January 31, 2022 at 9:58:07 PM UTC, Futbolmetrix wrote:
> > > On Monday, January 31, 2022 at 12:26:42 PM UTC-5, Mark wrote:
> > > > Who are the best women's national teams ever?
> > > >
> > > > I suppose the obvious candidates have got to be the teams that won consecutive World Cups - Germany in 2003 and 2007, and USA in 2015 and 2019.. I suppose all the World Champions are worth considering, as the women's World Cup has only existed since 1991.
> > > >
> > > > Let's see if we can come up with a Top 5 that nobody particularly disagrees with.
> > > You have to consider that in the women's game the Olympic tournament is essentially equivalent to the WC, as all teams send their best players.
> > >
> > > So, if you look at the combination of results at both the WC and the OG, I think you would get the following candidates:
> > >
> > > Norway 1995-2000 (1 WC, 1 Gold medal, two other top-4 finishes)
> > > Germany 2000-2008 (2 WCs, three bronze medals)
> > > Japan 2008-2015 (1 WC, 2 second-place finishes, 1 fourth place)
> > >
> > > Sweden (2016-2021), Brazil (2004-2008) and China (1995-1999) get honorable mentions for consistently placing in the top 4, even though they never won the whole thing.
> > >
> > > I have deliberately left out the USA, because they have obviously the dominant team throughout this whole period, and it's difficult to demarcate where one "team's" period begins and where another one ends.
> > We've still never agreed on how many players teams have to have in common to still be considered the same team. The USA had at least 6 players in the 2011 World Cup squad that were still in the squad at the 2019 World Cup.. If that's enough, I nominate USA 2011-19 (2 World Cups, 1 x runners-up, 1 x Olympic gold medalists, 2 CONCACAF Women's Championships).
> >
> > So we've got 4 candidates so far.
> I make it 5 players in USA's 1999 World Cup squad that were in the 1991 World Cup squad. Is that enough for them to classed as the same team? If so, I nominate USA 1991-99 (2 World Cups, 1 Olympic Gold, 1 3rd place at the World Cup).
>
> Well that gives us 5 candidates and it's beginning to look unlikely that we'll get more (and I think we've got all the World Champions now). What order do we put them in?

Why is this thread getting so little response? Is it lack of interest in women's football, or just lack of knowledge?

Anyway, here's my proposal for the top 5:

1 USA 2011-19 (2 World Cups, 1 x runners-up, 1 x Olympic gold medalists, 2 CONCACAF Women's Championships)
2 Germany 2000-2008 (2 World Cups, three olympic bronze medals, 2 European Championships)
3 USA 1991-99 (2 World Cups, 1 Olympic Gold, 1 3rd place at the World Cup, 3 CONCACAF Women’s Championships)
4 Japan 2008-2015 (1 World Cup, 1 x runners-up, 1 x olympic silver medalists, 1 olympic fourth place, 1 Women’s Asian Cup)
5 Norway 1995-2000 (1 World Cup, 1 Olympic Gold medal, 1 olympic bronze medal, 1 World Cup Semi-Final)

Can we declare this an official rss-sanctioned top 5?

On Wednesday, February 9, 2022 at 8:12:24 PM UTC, Mark wrote:
> On Monday, February 7, 2022 at 5:37:26 PM UTC, Mark wrote:
> > On Wednesday, February 2, 2022 at 5:54:02 PM UTC, Mark wrote:
> > > On Monday, January 31, 2022 at 9:58:07 PM UTC, Futbolmetrix wrote:
> > > > On Monday, January 31, 2022 at 12:26:42 PM UTC-5, Mark wrote:
> > > > > Who are the best women's national teams ever?
> > > > >
> > > > > I suppose the obvious candidates have got to be the teams that won consecutive World Cups - Germany in 2003 and 2007, and USA in 2015 and 2019. I suppose all the World Champions are worth considering, as the women's World Cup has only existed since 1991.
> > > > >
> > > > > Let's see if we can come up with a Top 5 that nobody particularly disagrees with.
> > > > You have to consider that in the women's game the Olympic tournament is essentially equivalent to the WC, as all teams send their best players..
> > > >
> > > > So, if you look at the combination of results at both the WC and the OG, I think you would get the following candidates:
> > > >
> > > > Norway 1995-2000 (1 WC, 1 Gold medal, two other top-4 finishes)
> > > > Germany 2000-2008 (2 WCs, three bronze medals)
> > > > Japan 2008-2015 (1 WC, 2 second-place finishes, 1 fourth place)
> > > >
> > > > Sweden (2016-2021), Brazil (2004-2008) and China (1995-1999) get honorable mentions for consistently placing in the top 4, even though they never won the whole thing.
> > > >
> > > > I have deliberately left out the USA, because they have obviously the dominant team throughout this whole period, and it's difficult to demarcate where one "team's" period begins and where another one ends.
> > > We've still never agreed on how many players teams have to have in common to still be considered the same team. The USA had at least 6 players in the 2011 World Cup squad that were still in the squad at the 2019 World Cup. If that's enough, I nominate USA 2011-19 (2 World Cups, 1 x runners-up, 1 x Olympic gold medalists, 2 CONCACAF Women's Championships).
> > >
> > > So we've got 4 candidates so far.
> > I make it 5 players in USA's 1999 World Cup squad that were in the 1991 World Cup squad. Is that enough for them to classed as the same team? If so, I nominate USA 1991-99 (2 World Cups, 1 Olympic Gold, 1 3rd place at the World Cup).
> >
> > Well that gives us 5 candidates and it's beginning to look unlikely that we'll get more (and I think we've got all the World Champions now). What order do we put them in?
> Why is this thread getting so little response? Is it lack of interest in women's football, or just lack of knowledge?
>
> Anyway, here's my proposal for the top 5:
>
> 1 USA 2011-19 (2 World Cups, 1 x runners-up, 1 x Olympic gold medalists, 2 CONCACAF Women's Championships)
> 2 Germany 2000-2008 (2 World Cups, three olympic bronze medals, 2 European Championships)
> 3 USA 1991-99 (2 World Cups, 1 Olympic Gold, 1 3rd place at the World Cup, 3 CONCACAF Women’s Championships)
> 4 Japan 2008-2015 (1 World Cup, 1 x runners-up, 1 x olympic silver medalists, 1 olympic fourth place, 1 Women’s Asian Cup)
> 5 Norway 1995-2000 (1 World Cup, 1 Olympic Gold medal, 1 olympic bronze medal, 1 World Cup Semi-Final)
>
> Can we declare this an official rss-sanctioned top 5?

Anyone agree with this? Anyone disagree with this? Surely there's not that little interest in women's football on rss? Maybe I'll just declare it an unofficial (because there's been far too little discussion to regard it as official) rss-sanctioned top 5 if nobody's agreed or disagreed by the end of next week.

On Wednesday, February 16, 2022 at 5:07:46 PM UTC, Mark wrote:
> On Wednesday, February 9, 2022 at 8:12:24 PM UTC, Mark wrote:
> > On Monday, February 7, 2022 at 5:37:26 PM UTC, Mark wrote:
> > > On Wednesday, February 2, 2022 at 5:54:02 PM UTC, Mark wrote:
> > > > On Monday, January 31, 2022 at 9:58:07 PM UTC, Futbolmetrix wrote:
> > > > > On Monday, January 31, 2022 at 12:26:42 PM UTC-5, Mark wrote:
> > > > > > Who are the best women's national teams ever?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > I suppose the obvious candidates have got to be the teams that won consecutive World Cups - Germany in 2003 and 2007, and USA in 2015 and 2019. I suppose all the World Champions are worth considering, as the women's World Cup has only existed since 1991.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Let's see if we can come up with a Top 5 that nobody particularly disagrees with.
> > > > > You have to consider that in the women's game the Olympic tournament is essentially equivalent to the WC, as all teams send their best players.
> > > > >
> > > > > So, if you look at the combination of results at both the WC and the OG, I think you would get the following candidates:
> > > > >
> > > > > Norway 1995-2000 (1 WC, 1 Gold medal, two other top-4 finishes)
> > > > > Germany 2000-2008 (2 WCs, three bronze medals)
> > > > > Japan 2008-2015 (1 WC, 2 second-place finishes, 1 fourth place)
> > > > >
> > > > > Sweden (2016-2021), Brazil (2004-2008) and China (1995-1999) get honorable mentions for consistently placing in the top 4, even though they never won the whole thing.
> > > > >
> > > > > I have deliberately left out the USA, because they have obviously the dominant team throughout this whole period, and it's difficult to demarcate where one "team's" period begins and where another one ends.
> > > > We've still never agreed on how many players teams have to have in common to still be considered the same team. The USA had at least 6 players in the 2011 World Cup squad that were still in the squad at the 2019 World Cup. If that's enough, I nominate USA 2011-19 (2 World Cups, 1 x runners-up, 1 x Olympic gold medalists, 2 CONCACAF Women's Championships).
> > > >
> > > > So we've got 4 candidates so far.
> > > I make it 5 players in USA's 1999 World Cup squad that were in the 1991 World Cup squad. Is that enough for them to classed as the same team? If so, I nominate USA 1991-99 (2 World Cups, 1 Olympic Gold, 1 3rd place at the World Cup).
> > >
> > > Well that gives us 5 candidates and it's beginning to look unlikely that we'll get more (and I think we've got all the World Champions now). What order do we put them in?
> > Why is this thread getting so little response? Is it lack of interest in women's football, or just lack of knowledge?
> >
> > Anyway, here's my proposal for the top 5:
> >
> > 1 USA 2011-19 (2 World Cups, 1 x runners-up, 1 x Olympic gold medalists, 2 CONCACAF Women's Championships)
> > 2 Germany 2000-2008 (2 World Cups, three olympic bronze medals, 2 European Championships)
> > 3 USA 1991-99 (2 World Cups, 1 Olympic Gold, 1 3rd place at the World Cup, 3 CONCACAF Women’s Championships)
> > 4 Japan 2008-2015 (1 World Cup, 1 x runners-up, 1 x olympic silver medalists, 1 olympic fourth place, 1 Women’s Asian Cup)
> > 5 Norway 1995-2000 (1 World Cup, 1 Olympic Gold medal, 1 olympic bronze medal, 1 World Cup Semi-Final)
> >
> > Can we declare this an official rss-sanctioned top 5?
> Anyone agree with this? Anyone disagree with this? Surely there's not that little interest in women's football on rss? Maybe I'll just declare it an unofficial (because there's been far too little discussion to regard it as official) rss-sanctioned top 5 if nobody's agreed or disagreed by the end of next week.

Last call for agreement/disagreement on the above list before it's declared the unofficial list.

Mark wrote:
>
> Last call for agreement/disagreement on the above list before it's
> declared the unofficial list.

It is already an unofficial list, nobody here needs to declare it thus.

It will always just be Mark's list ... as nobody else on RSS is bothered.

On Wednesday, February 23, 2022 at 6:28:20 PM UTC, Mark wrote:

> Last call for agreement/disagreement on the above list before it's declared the unofficial list.

OK, here is the unofficial rss-sanctioned Top 5 best women's national teams of all time:

1 USA 2011-19 (2 World Cups, 1 x runners-up, 1 x Olympic gold medalists, 2 CONCACAF Women's Championships)
2 Germany 2000-2008 (2 World Cups, three olympic bronze medals, 2 European Championships)
3 USA 1991-99 (2 World Cups, 1 Olympic Gold, 1 3rd place at the World Cup, 3 CONCACAF Women’s Championships)
4 Japan 2008-2015 (1 World Cup, 1 x runners-up, 1 x olympic silver medalists, 1 olympic fourth place, 1 Women’s Asian Cup)
5 Norway 1995-2000 (1 World Cup, 1 Olympic Gold medal, 1 olympic bronze medal, 1 World Cup Semi-Final)