Much has been written about the wild success of the Women’s World Cup as a cultural phenomenon, but what about the play on the field? No doubt play is better than it was in China eight years ago, but the gap between the top teams and the rest of the world is widening. Whatever the outcome of the final, it’s clear that the United States cannot rest on its laurels. The success of teams like China, Brazil, Norway and Germany is due to their developmental efforts. China has 200 soccer schools for girls across the country where young players, like 18-year-old debutante Pu Wei, are discovered. Brazil’s rapid rise is due in no small part to the professionalism of the women’s game. Top players in Brazil are reported to make as much as $8,000 a month, far more than any U.S. player makes from U.S. Soccer. Norway won the title in 1995, but chose to rebuild the team for ’99. Just seven players returned from the championship team. After Germany failed to advance to the semifinals at the ’96 Olympics, the German federation, which pours more than $2 million into women’s soccer, scrapped the two-division Bundesliga and started a new elite league. The problem is, women’s soccer is largely a joke outside Europe and the United States. Look at the scoring margins of the continental champions in qualifying for USA ’99: Brazil (66-3), Australia (49-1), Canada (42-0), China (39-1) and Nigeria (28-0). A few European countries are starting to move up. The English FA has started a school of excellence program for girls, just like it has for boys. France has two teams in full-time residency at Clairefontaine, its national training center. The challenge is for other countries to take the game as seriously. FANS, LET’S HEAR YOUR VIEW Click here to log onto (Soccer) American Graffiti. Then click on the topic titled “YOUR VIEW: Narrowing the gap” and respond to Paul Kennedy in 200 words or less. Best responses may be reprinted in Soccer America Magazine. If YOUR View is selected, we’ll send you a cool T-shirt and pin… Because You’re FANATIC.