When Brazil's men missed all 4 of their penalties this evening I didn't sit here and say things like "yeah well they should stick to DIY" or "they'd be better off staying in the pub" - a) because it would be a completely ridiculous and irrelevant thing to say and b) because I'm not a total ass.

But apparently when it comes to commenting on women's football, being ridiculous, irrelevant and making yourself sound like an ass seem to be the three golden rules. This evening we've had such gems as "She can't run any faster cos she's tied to the kitchen sink", "Football's shit but the goalie's a bit fit" and "Women can't take penalties" - well they're no worse than Brazil's men, or England's come to that, and if I mention that Pique's a bit tasty during a match I'd get slated for being a 'typical girl'!

In fact the Women's World Cup Final this evening between USA and Japan was one of the best games of football I've seen in a long time (the Uruguay v Argentina game in the Copa America last night seemed quite a good game from the bits I saw between falling asleep on the sofa, but considering I missed the equaliser, both sendings off and the penalty shoot out I can't really count it).

The Women's World Cup Final was a great advertisement for the women's game and had everything the neutral  fan could have wished for; excitement, goals, a sending off, unpredictability, a penalty shoot out, the thoroughly likeable underdogs winning the World Cup. It amazes me how English football fans can spend  months complaining that they desperately need to see football and yet when it's there, free, on terrestrial  television, they'd rather resort to derogatory, sexist commentary than actually just watch it.

I remember 20 years ago having to beg our games teacher at primary school to start a girl's football team because we weren't allowed to play with the boys. We went on to win the Aston School Sports Girl's 5-aside Football Tournament in what is now the Aston Villa Academy building the following year and that girl's football team is still going strong and competing, which is something I'm very proud of. But little did I think that 20 years on there would still be so much negativity surrounding women's football.

So before making some ridiculous comment about Carli Lloyd's ability to take a penalty based on her gender, just remember, she's represented her country in a World Cup Final. Have you?