RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazil have been World Cup and Olympic runners-up in women’s football but has accepted it should do far more to encourage its domestic development writes KEIR RADNEDGE.

Sports Minister Aldo Rebelo has acknowledged that FIFA has addressed its concerns about the women’s game in the land which produced Marta, four-times women’s world player of the year.

Rebelo never wastes an opportunity or a stage to talk up the value of the World Cup as a vehicle for social development.

He returned to that theme during a wrap-up FIFA/LOC press conference to review events during the Confederations Cup.

Rebelo, replying to FIFA’s pressure for a domestic women’s league, said: “The social development accompanying the new infrastructure assists all of our clubs whether small, average or major.

Platforms

“It also means our children can have a platform to grow, socially speaking, through football and thus we can also value women’s football .

“I have been talking with president Blatter in Zurich about this and we have been talking with the CBF and trying to find ways to improve the presence of women’s football .

“Football in Brazil is played not only by children from very poor environments but the same happens with women’s football. They come from very poor environments, from the poorest areas in our countries with the smallest index of human development. We have to value football for women as well.”

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