‘FIFA needs to do more for women football’

FIFA needs to do more to develop women's football, according to United States striker Abby Wambach. 

Speaking to the BBC on International Women's Day, the US' all-time leading scorer urged football's governing body Fifa to give more financial backing. 

"The growth of women's soccer and women's sports all around the world has been slow," Wambach, 34, said. 

"It [support] not only has to come from Fifa, it needs to come from specific federations around the world." 

Wambach, whose club side is Western New York Flash, also said she would be "open" to a future role within Fifa and would like to see more women in the governing body. 

The two-time Olympic medallist added: "Many [female] players, thousands of players are playing professional soccer, but then they have to have another job. 

"How do you expect them to be as good as they possibly can on the pitch if they are going to have to go and earn money nine till five doing something completely different? And then in their lunchtime, before or after work they have to go train? 

"I hope we can get to a point where women players are being paid properly all around the world so the only thing they have to worry about is playing football and playing football alone." 

— BBC