Ireland Embraces Underdog Status for Their Debut in the Women's World Cup

 

The underdog Republic of Ireland is approaching their historic Women's World Cup debut just as they have approached every victory in their improbable journey to the global women's showcase: by "outbelieving" their opponents.

Vera Pauw's team, ranked 22nd, knows they face a tough challenge against 10th-ranked Australia in Thursday's tournament opener at Stadium Australia, where a record crowd of 82,500 is expected, creating a sea of green and gold.

Sky Ireland's campaign for Ireland is centered around "Outbelieve," a motto that has deeply resonated with The Girls in Green.

"We truly believe that the word 'outbelieve' will end up in the dictionary because we outbelieve in our ability to achieve something special here," said the Dutch coach. "Our journey brought us here because we outbelieved ourselves and did something that nobody expected."

Ireland secured their World Cup spot with a nail-biting victory over Scotland in a playoff at Hampden Park, with Amber Barrett scoring the decisive goal. Her poignant tribute to the victims of a gas explosion in her home county of Donegal touched hearts.

Recently, a friendly match between Ireland and Colombia was abandoned due to excessive physicality. However, captain Katie McCabe emphasized that the Irish team does not fear such challenges, as their hardworking nature makes physicality a natural aspect of their play.

Ahead of their debut, the Arsenal player, now 27, refrained from revealing her specific motivational message for her teammates, but she stressed the importance of keeping their love for the game at the forefront of their minds.

"We started playing football out of love and the joy it brings to play with each other," McCabe expressed during a press conference. "Our journey has been challenging, but we have worked really hard to get here. We'll cherish every moment, take it all in, and be ready when the whistle blows."

McCabe shared the team's arduous journey in her piece for The Players' Tribune titled "The Story of an Irish Underdog."

"To truly understand us, you have to know about the days when we had no money, no respect, nothing," she wrote. "The times when we weren't paid, when we trained on rough pitches, and borrowed tracksuits, changing in airport toilets to return them."

Drawing inspiration from the men's World Cup debut in Italy in 1990, McCabe hopes that people back home will remember the women's debut in a similar manner, creating memories that will be fondly recalled, akin to "Italia '90."

"'The Irish girls in Australia and New Zealand 2023. Ahhh, remember that summer?' That's what we're fighting for," she conveyed. "Back home in Ireland, I know many young girls will be watching us...I sincerely hope that some of them will be sitting there thinking, 'One day, I'm going to do that.'"