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Marta versus Neymar: the “war of the sexes” at the 2016 Olympic games in the narratives of sports journalism in Brazil
This study analyzes the media coverage of Brazil’s men’s and women’s national football teams during the 2016 Olympic Games, focusing on how gendered narratives shaped public perception. By examining articles from Brazil’s two largest newspapers, O Globo and Folha de São Paulo, researchers found that coverage framed the tournament as a symbolic "war of the sexes" between Neymar, the men’s team captain, and Marta, the women’s team star.
Exploring the determinants of women football players’ Instagram popularity
This study examines the factors that influence the Instagram popularity of women’s football players, focusing on how team branding, media recognition, and market size impact follower count and engagement. Using data from 1,386 professional women’s football players across five major European leagues, researchers found that account verification and a large team audience positively influenced a player's social media following and engagement.