Hyundai Motor Company released a special video dedicated to women’s soccer in celebration of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup™. This story is about the 130-year history of women’s soccer in the face of prejudice and oppression in the world. Modern soccer, which originated in England in the 19th century, could be enjoyed by anyone with just a ball, and quickly became a sport for everyone - but not for women. At the time, people thought football was not suitable for women. The introduction of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup™ video released by Hyundai Motor Company introduces the background of this era.
Human history is a record of the struggle against stereotypes; And Nettie Honeyball also kept tackling stereotypes. In 1895, she placed an advertisement in a newspaper recruiting players for a women’s soccer team. About 30 women gathered, and they founded the world’s first women’s soccer team, ‘British Ladies’ Football Club’.
Women’s soccer quickly became popular in England. Many teams were formed and the popularity of men’s soccer exceeded that of men’s soccer. In 1918, the world’s first women’s versus men’s soccer match was held in London; But trouble soon came. In 1921, the English Football Association banned women’s soccer teams from playing on its fields, for the absurd reason that ‘football is not a sport suitable for women’. In the video, the scene in which the women’s soccer match is stopped symbolizes this historical event.
Dark times have arrived, but women’s soccer hasn’t stopped. In the 1960s, women’s soccer teams were created in many places in Europe, and in 1969, the ‘Women’s Football Association’ was established in England to raise the voice of anti-discrimination. In response, the Football Association removed restrictions on women’s football, and in 1971 the first ever FIFA-sanctioned international women’s football match was held between France and the Netherlands. The color of the uniform in the video symbolizes this historic match.
In 1991, 20 years later, the first FIFA Women’s World Cup™ was held, and this year is its ninth round. The video now returns to 2023 and shows the finals. Her breathless run through the field now stands before her scoring opportunity, and her fans cheer for her as she shares women’s soccer history. This scene is a tribute to not just the history of women’s football, but to all who have supported it.
The video ends with the messages ‘See how far we’ve come’ and ‘Watch how far we’ll go’. There is a lot of meaning here; It contains both respect for the players who have worked hard for the development of women’s soccer and support for future female soccer players.
As the 130-year history of women’s football shows, gender restrictions should not exist. Everyone should be given the opportunity to realize their dreams. Just as women’s football has grown by breaking prejudice, we must fight more prejudice and discrimination. This is why Hyundai Motor Company is continuing the ‘Goal of the Century’ campaign in celebration of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup™. The Goal of the Century campaign aims to share Hyundai Motor Company’s vision for future generations and to attract greater participation. Just as soccer players work together as a team to score a goal, everyone should join in to achieve this goal. Together we can make the world a better place.
Hyundai’s efforts didn’t start today; Hyundai Motor Company has been with the history of the FIFA Women’s World Cup™. Hyundai Motor Company has sponsored the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ since 1999 and has been providing the players’ transportation by providing official vehicles for the tournament. In addition, the automaker sponsors women’s teams in various sports including Indian Women’s Cricket, Australian Football League Women’s Competition, and The Australian Surf Championships.
Hyundai’s brand vision is ‘Progress for Humanity’, and it’s not just about mobility. As a member of our society, Hyundai Motor Company is committed to making the world a better place. This is the same in the automobile industry - like ‘Women @ HACC (Hyundai Auto Canada Corp), a club for Hyundai Motor Canada executives and employees, for example.
Joined by women in the automotive industry, Women @ HACC organized education, mentoring, philanthropy, and conferences, which led to larger campaigns. From 2022, they started holding large-scale conferences through Empowering Auto, a Canadian non-profit organization that supports women workers in the automotive industry. Hyundai Motor Company is fully supporting the conference as its title sponsor.
As such, Hyundai Motor Company is striving to create a world where everyone is given equal opportunities and can develop their talents. Let’s pay attention to the Goal of the Century campaign that continues through the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup™. Changing the world isn’t easy, but together we can make a difference. This is why Hyundai Motor Company is stepping out on the road to a better world.
HMG Journal Operation Team
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