Thai female goalkeeper Sukanya Chor Charuin will never forget her World Cup debut five years ago, a record-setting 13-0 loss to the United States.
FIFA will meet in Bangkok on Friday to decide on the host country for the 2027 Women’s World Cup. It brings back painful memories for Sukanya and captain Kanjana Sunggon, who turned the nightmare of 2019 into inspiration for the future.
Sukanya, 36 and now teaching sports at a university in Bangkok, said she cried all the way back to the team hotel after the crash in France in 2019.
“We were ready to play against them. We really believed they would give us a tough game,” she told AFP.
Instead, Sukayana was on the receiving end as Megan Rapinoe’s all-conquering U.S. team suffered its heaviest loss in a World Cup final, men’s or women’s.
“I couldn’t accept it,” Sukanya admitted.
“For years I refused to watch footage of that game. I never talked to my family about it.”
Thailand suffered a 3-0 loss in their preliminary match against hosts France, giving them confidence going into their first match against the defending champions.
Reims trailed 3-0 at halftime, but things got even worse as the Americans went on a rampage, scoring 10 goals in the second half to win their fourth trophy.
“You know what was really sad? That was because I knew everyone was at home watching over me,” Sukanya said, fighting back tears.
“On that day, we were heartbroken that we had let the Thai people down.”
Sukanya and his teammates were subjected to cruel ridicule online after the loss.
However, there was fierce criticism of the U.S. team’s treatment of Thailand, which was playing in the World Cup for the second time.
– “morning Call” –
Some pundits and fans said the Americans’ wild celebration after the goal was vulgar and unsporting.
The U.S. players supported their actions, and Thailand’s captain, Kanjana, insisted he had no complaints.
“I think it would be more disrespectful if they cut us short,” Kanjana, who scored Thailand’s only goal in the tournament, told AFP.
“The way to play professional soccer is to not hold back.”
The 37-year-old, currently a player and coach at Bangkok FC, said the U.S. loss was a “wake-up call” for the women’s game in Thailand.
“We realized that to be on the same level as them, we have to put in just as much effort in development,” she said.
“Being a professional soccer player wasn’t a career back then.”
Kanjana said the Thai women’s game is now better structured and run more efficiently, but the lack of top clubs means the First Division season lasts only a few weeks. He said he is doing so.
Teams must contend with poor facilities and the most high-profile men’s competition.
– “It was an inspiration” –
“Many people don’t know about women’s football… so we will be able to provide more information,” Nuenrutai Srathongvian, who was the national team coach in 2019, told AFP.
Kanjana is hopeful for the future after the Thai FA’s first female president, insurance tycoon Nuarphan Ramsam, was elected in February.
Nuarfan has set her sights on competing in the Women’s World Cup in 2027.
The FIFA General Assembly, to be held in Bangkok on Friday, will choose to host either Brazil or a joint bid between Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Sukanya, who is currently retired, is also keeping an eye on the team, and hopes that the current team will take advantage of the lessons learned from 2019 and aim to qualify.
After the 13-0 loss, American Carli Lloyd, one of the greatest women’s players of all time, was one of the first to console the Thai players.
“She told me to keep going and not quit. Those words really made me feel good,” Sukanya said.
“It was an inspiration, but it wasn’t to keep playing. Instead, I thought, ‘We didn’t win today, so let’s go back and train the younger players so they can win.’ ”
And I still feel a burning sense of pride in representing my country at the World Cup.
“Just being able to play there against the best team in the world, I can talk about it until the day I die,” she said.
Bartakua/PDW/DH