Last month, thirty-two soccer teams began their quest to win the World Cup. Some results worth noting:

►Chile lost in the round of 16 to Brazil.

►Brazil, host of the tournament, lost in the semi-finals to Germany.

►Argentina lost in the final game to Germany.

►Germany won it all.

What do these counties have in common, other than a love for soccer and a desire to win it all?

Their heads of state are female: Dilma Rousseff (Brazil), Michelle Bachelet (Chile), Angela Merkel (Germany) and Cristina Kirchner (Argentina).

According to the Centre for Women and Democracy, there are currently eighteen women around the world who occupy the position of president or prime minister. This means that over 20% of them were represented at the Cup, and that the final game pitted two countries with female leaders against each other, in a country also governed by a female leader.

Looks like women were the real winners here – Parabéns! Felicitaciones! Glückwunsch!