Fun Walkouts, Fast-Paced Action and a Chelsea Trophy Lift define London’s World Sevens
World Sevens Football made its London debut this week and did not disappoint. From fun walkouts to goals galore, the tournament went from success to success in front of sold-out crowds at the GTECH Community Stadium.
Eight Barclays Women’s Super League clubs starred in the tournament: Aston Villa, Chelsea, Everton, Leicester City, London City Lionesses, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United. Chelsea lifted the trophy at the home of Brentford FC after a tight final win over the Red Devils, ending a challenging season for the club in high spirits.
However, this is much more than a competitive football tournament. World Sevens is a fun event that brings together the women’s football community, champions women in sport, and showcases the personality behind the players and staff. Nothing else compares!
Co-Founder Jennifer Mackesy and CEO Sarah Cummins experienced the success of the competition in both series one in Estoril, Portugal and the second series in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Therefore, bringing the magic to London was the perfect destination to follow.
Tournament Debrief
To debrief the World Sevens Football London edition, there are countless highlights and memorable moments to revisit. However, understanding what makes the competition thrilling and unparalleled is vital to become fully immersed in the values of World Sevens.
There are several unique rules to World Sevens that create a complete contrast to the typical football match: no offsides, rolling substitutes, smaller goals, and above all chaotic and entertaining walkouts!
To avoid total confusion, each squad consisted of player pairings, who always switched in and out of the action. With substitutions occurring every few minutes, players were able to meet the demands of a fast-paced and intense seven-a-side match, with periods to breathe on the sidelines. For Tottenham Hotspur, each first team player was partnered with an academy talent, allowing them to mentor the next generation and help them adapt to the demands of a place in the senior squad. An example of the benefit of a relaxed tournament to nurture youth players and provide them with vital experience and exposure to the senior setup.
Days one and two consisted of group stage matches in a round-robin system, featuring all eight teams. With three fixtures each, fans experienced six 30-minute matches a day: including twelve fun walkouts, friendly rivalries, and goals galore! On Saturday, Aston Villa faced Chelsea, and Everton faced Manchester United in the Semi Finals. Before Chelsea secured a narrow 6-5 victory in the Final to lift the trophy.
Stars of the Show
Lionesses Jess Park and Aggie Beever-Jones fought closely for the Player of the Tournament award with clinical finishes and intelligent seven-a-side football. Beever-Jones rounded off the tournament with the Blues’ winning goal in the last 30 seconds, beating her England teammate to the Golden Ball and the Golden Boot: eight goals and five assists to her name. The two WSL stars epitomised the excitement of World Sevens, providing a balance between flawless football and sensational celebrations.
Honourable mentions to Villa’s Rachel Maltby and Sabrina D’Angelo. Maltby secured the Breakout Player award for her incredible skills and powerful finishes, with her acrobatic celebrations also impressing fans. D’Angelo secured the Golden Glove with 27 saves throughout the tournament, proving a challenge for her opponents.
Ruby Mace, Cathinka Tandberg, Melvine Malard, Veerle Buurman and Rachel Daly are also worthy of praise for their 7-a-side capabilities, having picked up Player of the Match awards across the three days. All players able to read the game and adapt well to the high intensity and accuracy demands to match the smaller goal sizes.
Post-Match Interviews
Tottenham Hotspur’s Tandberg has high praise for World Sevens Football as a fan herself, and added that it brings the squad and staff together as a collective, but most importantly allows them to have fun together:
“I remember I watched it last year and was like I want to join in. So, I think we enjoy it a lot. It’s a nice time for us to stay together as a team. And we’re around each other 24/7 so it brings us together and yeah, we have a great team and a great staff, so we just have a lot of fun and try to bring that on the pitch as well, so it means everything.”
Following Aston Villa’s progression to the Semi Finals, Captain Daly admitted she much prefers seven-a-side to the typical eleven-a-side match. As a versatile player, she suits the freedom to defend and attack, whilst enjoying every moment:
“I can help with the back. In the last few minutes of that game, I’m playing centre back. So yeah, I just do or die for the team. That’s my character.”
Manchester United’s Elisabeth Terland added that her highlight of the tournament was impossible to pick:
“It’s hard to pick one thing. I think every game is a highlight.”
Why World Sevens is so successful
Above all, World Sevens adds elements of fun that reveal the personalities behind the players and staff. Whilst ultimately football tournaments are played to be won, this competition overshadows the desire to win with pure enjoyment and fun both on the pitch and behind-the-scenes.
It is also extremely important to mention the Player Advisory Council for World Sevens Football: Tobin Heath, Kelley O’Hara, Anita Asante, Caroline Seger and Laura Georges. The five former international football stars are passionate about advancing the women’s game and draw on their own experiences to ensure the tournament reaches their expectations and wider ambitions. In London, their presence provided fans with an opportunity to take inspiration from some of the best in the business and truly connect with their values.
Another successful element is the investment in women’s football. With the prize pool for the tournament sitting at $1.5 million, with $500,000 awarded to Chelsea as Champions, this is a huge sign of investment in the women’s game.
However, this goes far beyond the financial benefits of bringing World Sevens to London. The shorter and more frequent matches built upon foundations of fun and excitement, featuring teams from both ends of the WSL, attracts fans from across the nation and even further afield. With previous successes in Portugal and Florida, crowds turn up to this tournament to experience the magic that can only be fully understood from the stands.
World Sevens Football is only just beginning. Stay tuned for news about series four where the thrilling, fast-paced and most importantly fun action can be experienced all over again!