A history of over a century
The history of women’s football reflects the evolution of women position in society. The first pioneers were in the UK in late 19th century. After a golden age in the early 1920s, women soccer was banned in the 30’s in the UK (followed by other European countries such as France). The ban was only lifted in the 70’s in the UK and in France, in parallel of other social steps forward for women’s rights.
The pioneers in women’s soccer have raised general awareness and stood up for all women’s right to play. Clothing have always been a way to advance women’s empowerment.
We wanted to pay tributes to the courageous pioneers of women's football with our first shirts.
Find out who is behind each of the names.
Nettie Honeyball
She was the founder, the secretary and captain of the “British Ladies Football Club”, the first known women's association football club founded in 1894. In historic terms this was the first time women organised football for women.
The first game was in Crouch End in 1895 before 12,000 people. Defending women’s rights, on and off the field, she wishes : “I look forward to the time when ladies may sit in Parliament and have a voice in the direction of affairs, especially those which concern them most.”.
« The Honeyballers »: Women who fought to play football.
Are you a Honeyballer ?
Honeyball jersey
Alice Milliat
Alice Milliat is one of the iconic of women’s sport in France. Her favorite sport his rowing, which she practiced at Femina Sport.
President of the club Femina Sport in 1915, she helped form the Federation Francaise Sportive Feminine in 1917. In 1919, she asked the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to include women's tracks and field events in the 1924 Olympic Games.
However, they refused. She decided to form “La Fédération Sportive Féminine Internationale » the International Women's Sports Federation (FSFI) on March 21, 1921 and to organise the first Women's Olympic Games, the first edition of which took place in 1922 in Paris.
Given the success of the second edition of the latter organized in Sweden in 1926, the IOC finally decided to allow women to participate at official events at the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam.
Alice jersey
Mia Hamm
In the 1990’s Mia Hamm was the most famous footballer on the planet, and one of the most famous sportswomen in the United States, due to the rise of football among women. She was either an attacker or a midfielder. She alone has 276 selections on the national team, and 158 goals on selections, was also the youngest player in the national selection (at 15) and the youngest World Cup winner.
In 2004, Akers and Mia Hamm were the only women named to FIFA 100, a list of the 125 greatest live footballers compiled by the great Brazilian Pelé to celebrate the 100th anniversary of FIFA. Since 2010 she has been FC Barcelona’s ambassador to the United States.
“Many people say I'm the best women's soccer player in the world. I don't think so. And because of that, someday I just might be.” ― Mia Hamm
Ghislaine Royer Souef alias "Gigi"
A pioneer of women’s football in France, Ghislaine Royer-Souef took part in the revival of women’s football in the late 60s.
His career began in 1968 as part of the annual tournament organized by the newspaper l'Union, where journalist Pierre Geoffroy, had the idea of setting up a women’s team. “This team had to be ephemeral and disappear after this game. But Pierre was fooled, we never wanted to stop.”
“Sometimes, at the edge of the field, boys would throw crap like “go mend socks!” I didn’t care. I wasn’t there for feminism, but for the love of sport.”
Suzanne Liébrard
Suzanne Liébrard, is a French athlete and also an accountant by trade. She played on all fields. Twice national champion in 1917 and 1918, she held the French record in five events.
She was with her sister Jeanne and the sisters, Jeanne and Thérèse Brulé, one of the founders on July 27, 1912 of the sporting club Femina Sport, a Parisian omnisport club, one of the first to open a women's football section.
Suzanne jersey
Lily Parr
In 2002, Lily Parr was posthumously inducted into the “Hall of Fame” of the National Football Museum in England, the first woman to be inducted.
Lily was almost six feet tall and scored nearly 1,000 goals in three decades of career. In her first season for the Dick, Kerr Ladies, she scored 43 goals.
The local press wrote: "There is probably no greatest football prodigy in the whole country." She was feared by all the goalies!
Annie Bataille
Annie Bataille, born 17 February 1952 in Enghien-les-Bains and died 5 March 2014 in Bayonne is a French footballer playing as central defender. She flourished during her 12 team selections from France between 1972 and 1978.
Michelle Akers
Michelle Anne Akers is a great American player, who played in the historic Women’s World Cup wins of 1991 and 1999 by the United States. She won the Golden Boot as the top scorer of the 1991 tournament, scoring 10 times in the competition.
Did you know that? In 2004, Akers and Mia Hamm were the only women named to FIFA 100, a list of the 125 greatest live footballers compiled by the great Brazilian Pelé to celebrate the 100th anniversary of FIFA.
Since her retirement from USWNT in 2000, she has also continued to promote football as a spokesperson, lawyer and leader on various platforms.