Football

Thai women's football goalkeeper Sukanya Chor Charoenying's World Cup debut in 2019 was an unforgettable experience, albeit a painful one. The team's record-breaking 13-0 defeat to the United States left a lasting impact on Sukanya and captain Kanjana Sungngoen.Despite their initial confidence, Thailand found themselves overwhelmed by the American juggernaut. Sukanya, now 36, recalls the devastating loss with tears in her eyes. "We were heartbroken that we had disappointed the Thai people," she says.The defeat sparked a wave of online mockery, but also criticism of the Americans' behavior. However, Kanjana, who scored Thailand's only goal in the tournament, defended the US players. "To not hold back, that's the way of professional football," she says.The loss served as a wake-up call for Thai women's football. "We realized that we had to put as much effort into development as them to be at the same level," Kanjana says.Since then, the Thai women's game has made strides in organization and efficiency. However, challenges remain, including a shortage of top clubs and limited facilities.Despite these obstacles, the election of Nualphan Lamsam as the Thai FA's first woman president has raised hopes for the future. Lamsam has set a target of qualifying for the 2027 Women's World Cup.Sukanya, now retired from playing, believes the current team can draw on the lessons of 2019. "I couldn't beat you today, so I will go back and train our young players so they can," she says.The pride of representing her country at a World Cup still burns bright for Sukanya. "Just to have played there against the best in the world I can talk about it until I die," she says.