The women's soccer coordinator for the Confederation of Brazilian Football, Marco Aurelio Cunha, recently told Canada's Globe and Mail that women's soccer could gain popularity because the players are "getting more beautiful."
With shorter shorts and more makeup on the field, "It's not a woman dressed as a man," he said.
The official also tweeted his thoughts on the new feminine-cut uniforms. "Feminine, with an adequate shape," he wrote.
Uniforme super bonito. Feminino, com corte adequado, elegante, cor e desenho elogiado por todas. Venderia muito aqui!
Translation: "Super pretty uniform. Feminine, with an adequate shape, elegant, color and design are praised by all. Would sell a lot here."
Right away, many zeroed in on his comments:
Just. Can we talk about this?
Features some amazing, Blatteresque comments from Marco Aurelio Cunha, the co-ordinator for the women’s game for the CBF.
In the case, CBF as Brazilian football federation needs to fire their woso coordinators, Marco Aurelio Cunha for his sexist comment.
Cunha defended his comments, saying they were taken out of context.
Nunca tive medo de opinar. A matéria em questão foi posta em um contexto todo diverso do conteúdo. Falo de aprimoramento de estilo, uniforme
Translation: "I never feared having an opinion. The issue was posted in a context with diverse content. I'm talking about appropriation of style, uniform."
On the latest segment of ESPNW's Daily W, former USWNT midfielder Julie Foudy and former Boston Breakers defender Kate Markgraf responded to Cunha's comments.
"This is still the attitude," noted Foudy. "There is so much that has to change in [Brazil] for women to be accepted as soccer players and just be allowed the opportunity."
Markgraf pointed out what really matters — the actual game being played, not the aesthetic of those playing.
They also likened Cunha's comments to former FIFA president Sepp Blatter's 2004 remarks in which he suggested the women should wear tighter shorts.
It's not clear if Brazil's own Marta, five-time world player of the year, has caught wind of the controversy — she was probably too busy snagging her 15th career World Cup goal and becoming the all-time leader in tournament history.
