Women's World Cup was great success in all kinds of ways, but the work isn't over

It is fair to say that the FIFA Women's World Cup was an astounding success.

It was full of group-stage drama, underdog stories of jubilation and moments that will be forever etched in history. Some teams weaved stories of joy, while others suffered disappointment. There were tears and heartbreak, and there was success and exquisite soccer. And there was drama on and off the pitch.

Canada's early exit from the Women's World Cup meant that I returned home from Australia after the group stage, but I watched and covered the rest of the tournament. I got up in the wee hours to watch the Round of 16 and then the quarterfinals, semifinals and final. Along with the rest of the world, I witnessed new teams grab headlines, storied players make exits that weren't foreseen, co-hosts Australia create a momentum and, perhaps most importantly, discussions off the pitch. 

The reality is that while soccer is beautiful, and this tournament was stunning, electric and addictive, some of the most important work is not done with the ball. It is done alongside it. 

Some of the most pressing issues happened during the trophy presentation to Spain, who gifted the world a majestic game and completely outplayed England to win the championship.

The Spanish women's national team has been the centre of attention and not only for their tiki taka style of passing. They were embroiled in a dispute with the federation, which supported head coach Jorge Vilda despite his having been accused of a toxic management style and controlling the team so much that it affected the state of their health.

A letter from the team to Luis Rubiales, president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), resulted in a few veteran players being left off the squad and saw tensions that were obvious to spectators at the tournament. Vilda was booed at the final by fans while players were given loud supportive cheers. Spain won this trophy in spite of Vilda, not because of him.

Much to the horror of many watching, Rubiales grabbed Spanish player Jenni Hermoso on the podium and kissed her aggressively on the mouth. The gesture received widespread criticism from the media in Spain and all over the world. Many called for his firing. It was disgusting and inappropriate and he has since apologized.

The most upsetting thing at last year's Men's World Cup was the Emir of Qatar placing a bisht on the shoulders of Leo Messi as a cultural sign of respect. I cannot fathom a male player's face being grabbed and kissed by the head of a  federation. Initially, Hermoso stated that she "didn't like it" but later said it was a "natural gesture of affection."

Spain winning the World Cup means that there are eyes on the federation and the team. While it feels heavy and that change is not inevitable, the joy of the players and the people they will inspire is encouraging. While soccer is a very popular sport in parts of the world, it is dominated by men. So many countries, including in Europe, still have a long way to go to create space for women.

Of course, there are movements and initiatives led by women seeking to have conversations about equity, anti-racism and how to combat oppression. 

Throughout the tournament there were panels, symposiums, discussions and activations led by women and community organizations. My friend, Assmah Helal, is the COO of Creating Chances, a non-profit in Australia that organized and led Festival 23, an event that gathered young leaders in community engagement and soccer from all over the world. 

I went to the Sydney Academy of Sport and Recreation, where Festival 23 was being hosted. It was wonderful to see people from so many different communities coming together from a love of sport and a willingness and determination to use sport for positive impact through sport diplomacy. Helal has been directly involved with the growth of soccer in Australia and is a representative of sport for a marginalized community. She's one of the unsung heroes we don't hear about. 

Speaking of heroes, I participated in a panel at The Wheeler Centre on equality in soccer alongside legendary Australian players Julie Dolan and Emma Checker, brilliant author Fiona Crawford, and sports ambassador Azmeena Hussain. Listening to their stories and sharing our information and resources was an incredible experience. It's part of how the sport grows and how we solidify community. 

There was a summit hosted by Angel City Football Club of the NWSL. Of course, FIFA president Gianni Infantico took the opportunity to be condescending in his remarks at a conference for women and encouraged us to "pick the right battles."

Being totally out of touch with women in soccer is Infantino's speciality but this was ridiculous. He was immediately mocked and criticized by thousands, including former Ballon d'Or winner Ada Hederberg of Norway. But I suppose men in soccer will continue to talk, and sadly the president of FIFA is not an exception. 

On the bright side, one of the most incredible appearances was by Malala Yusufzai, who came to support the Afghanistan women's team who have not been recognized by FIFA but are used selectively by FIFA (their kit is in the FIFA Women's Football museum). Malala was there to support a team that has survived trauma and despite fantastic support from Melbourne Victory football club, are largely ignored by the higher-ups at FIFA. 

A Change.org petition has been circulated and has garnered more than 167,000 signatures. The plight of these women to be recognized and play in peace with support is critical to the soccer landscape. 

There are so many issues including equal pay, support of survivors of abuse and LGBTIQ rights in sport and there are silver linings. 

There are women who are still brutally excluded from the pitch, like hijab-wearing women in France, and despite the success we've witnessed, there is a way to hold those joys but continue to demand change, growth and foster change for the better. 

We can celebrate the wins as we create more opportunities for girls and women in soccer. We can be optimistic and unfailing in our commitment to contribute positively to the soccer ecosystem. If this Women's World Cup has taught us anything, it is that there is room for growth and among that growth is joy and possibility. The key is to keep supporting women's soccer at all levels — professional and collegiate levels — support existing leagues and the promise of new ones. 

One of the main goals was to increase the support of women's football on a global scale and inspire nations, and that has happened and is happening; there are more eyes on the women's game.

The tournament may be over but the growth of women's soccer continues. We are so lucky to be a part of it.