Former Uganda national Women football team coach Majidah Nantanda has hailed USA national women team coach Jill Ellis after guiding her side to the 2019 France FIFA Women World Cup.
Veteran winger Megan Rapinoe penalty in the 61st minute after VAR review and Rose Labelle low shot eight minutes later were enough to give defending champions a 2-0 win over the Netherlands in the final played on Sunday in France.
Barcelona defender Stefanie van der Gragt’s high boot caught USA striker Alex Morgan and French referee Stephanie Frappart pointed to the spot after assessing VAR replays.
Rapinoe’s goal also meant she won the golden boot after finishing with six goals and three assists, while she also took the Golden Ball award for the tournament’s best player.
Victory for the USA saw their English-born boss Jill Ellis, from Hampshire, become the first coach to lift the trophy twice. Her side’s second consecutive world title was a hard-fought one, but they have been the best side in a 24-team tournament.
The European champions, reaching the final in only their second World Cup, kept the favourites at bay in the first half as former Arsenal goalkeeper Sari van Veenendaal produced four excellent saves.
But the USA, playing in their third consecutive final, continued their reign as the world’s finest side as they added to their titles of 1991, 1999 and 2015.
Nantanda said that while it was joy to watch the world cup, there is a lot to learn for coaches most important is player recruitment/ scouting. “While working with her during my mentorship in the US soccer women development camp in California, it was supposed to be online but she invited me from colorado paid my ticket for under 17 development camp for a week. First thing she said to me I did not invite you coz you are a national coach but only that you a Fomer player who ‘wants to be the change you would like to see’ by then she was not the US National coach, but also a fomer player devoted and working for US soccer women technical development. She is the reason I choose football development than being a mere coach…Ellis as calm as she looks, less talking but sensible she is among the few best football technocrats all over the world,” said Nantanda. Jillian Anne Ellis is an English-American football coach. She coaches the United States women’s national soccer team and is the development director of the United States Soccer Federation, overseeing the national youth teams development program.
