The United States women’s national team is the most successful international side in the history of the women’s game.

They lifted the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the third time in 2015, with an empathic 5-2 victory over Japan, adding to their triumphs from 1991 and 1999.

They’re also the favourites to win the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup ahead of France and Germany.

Jillian Ellis’s side take on Russia in two friendlies on Thursday and Sunday, but before those fixtures, they played the FC Dallas’s Under-15s boys team in a friendly.

Considering the ages of their opponents, and the fact they’re the best female footballers in the America, you might expect the USWNT won the friendly convincingly. But that didn’t turn out to be the case…

Here's what happened

Goals from Kameron Lacey, Giggs Adames, Ivan Juarez and a brace from Nathan Hayes secured a 5-2 victory for the Under-15 Academy team at SMU on Sunday, per the club's official website.

What does this tell us?

Embarrassing result for the ladies, a sign of how strong FC Dallas’s U-15 side is, or an indication of the current gulf in quality between men’s and women’s football?

The women’s game has undoubtedly come on leaps and bounds over the past decade and many female players are wonderfully talented.

But ultimately, they’re always likely to have certain disadvantages over their male counterparts - particularly when it comes to power.

Birgit Prinz almost joined a Serie A team in 2003

That’s not to say that some female footballers couldn’t hack it in a male league.

Indeed, back in December 2003, the great German World Cup winner Birgit Prinz considered the opportunity to become the first female player in Serie A.

"We met one week ago," Prinz was quoted as saying by BBC Sport. "He'd like to sign me. But it was nothing more than an informative talk. Everything else will come later."

Perugia’s then president Luciano Gaucci added: "We met last week in Rome, and she took a few days to think about it.

"Next week, we'll define the details of the agreement.

"I hope to have her practising with the team before Christmas, and then in January she would be available to play.

"She is very beautiful, and has a great figure. I can assure you that as a player, she's very good."

Sadly, the move failed to materialise, and Prinz continued in the women’s game up until her retirement in 2011.