True story. USWNT icon Tobin Heath was once in the UK, watching one of those retro Premier League games. Yes, fun to watch, and boy, isn’t it great to reminisce about the good old days of the beautiful game? But somehow, that led her to just one thought.

“There’s no women’s retro international games being played!”

Well, Heath isn’t alone in making it a debatable topic. She was joined by her significant other and former national teammate, Christen Press on the latest episode of the RE—INC podcast. “When you think about football classics, you think of a grainy picture, a great goal, and men wearing little shorts. But what do you think for women? There is no football classics!” said Press, who also co-hosts the show alongside Heath.

Sadly, the truth of the matter is that all those greatest games—be it from the World Cup or the Olympics—aren’t getting replayed. That would surely make many question whether they even exist. Heck, let’s give you a classic example narrated by Heath. When Pia Sundhage was appointed as the US Women’s National Team head coach, everyone was excited.

After all, those on the national team viewed the Swede not just as a great tactician but as a dynamic and brilliant forward. So, naturally, someone like Heath, who was part of the team, wanted to dig into how her then-coach played in her prime. Guess what the former American attacker was able to find on YouTube regarding Sundhage?

“Nothing!”

Even someone like Hege Riise—an iconic Norwegian No. 10, by the way, known for her “incredible vision”, as Heath described—had virtually no footage of her playing days available online. Search for her, and you’ll find nothing from the legendary playmaker’s career. That only made Tobin just one ultimatum. “We need archives. We need history.”

Citing the example of ‘hardcore or hardwood classics’, like the NBA has, the former Seattle Reign star added, “We need everything around women’s sports and we need it now. I don’t want this history to get lost.” Technically, she isn’t wrong. When there’s nothing to broadcast, TV channels often end up showcasing those classic domestic games on the men’s side.

Not only this; from 1900s hero Sir Stanley Matthews to Alan Shearer’s wonder strikes—you can find everything on the internet today. But the same cannot be said for the women’s game. No wonder this makes Heath more than scared about the future generations!

Tobin Heath wants to ‘reclaim’ the history of women’s game

Of course, there’s an argument that the women’s game has faced numerous challenges. Despite emerging in 19th-century U.K., early matches encountered social resistance and were eventually banned. Though the ban was lifted around the 1970s, it took years for the sport to gain proper recognition. The rest is history. However, the harsh reality is that while progress exists on paper, there’s little visual evidence to showcase its journey.

This is exactly what Heath argues. She wants the upcoming generations to see someone like Lotta Schelin. The German icon, by the way, not only mastered the No. 9 spot but was known for her dynamic runs. We should preserve and pass down archives of all the greatest women stars for the sake of the future. But how would young girls who might be aspiring to become the next No. 9 like Schelin be able to see this great player?

A sad reality—one that Tobin is determined to change. “I want everyone to be able to see it, and I want it to be passed down,” she said. “Sports is rooted in storytelling, in history. I want to reclaim our history because it’s not there. I want it to be replayed in front of all this next generation, because that’s really important to me,” concluded the US icon.

It’s sad to see that the history of the women’s game lacks the visual evidence it deserves. However, it’s never too late as the future doesn’t have to comprise. One can hope that women’s soccer deserves a history that isn’t just recalled on paper, but in moments that will be seen, remembered, and celebrated!