NWSL

Abusive behavior, racist jokes, homophobic slurs — Richie Burke, it seems, is no Ted Lasso, and he appears to be on his way out of the NWSL after a damning report and some confusing reactions from his Washington Spirit club.

There's no doubt that footballers create a special connection with each other since there's such a strong bond between two people that understand the game and everything it entails. It's no secret that many professional women’s players are dating teammates or even opponents. The most recent rumored couple that had fans wondering if they're official or not was the relationship status between Sam Kerr and Kristie Mewis. 

When you hear her teammates talk about her, Olivia Moultrie isn’t just a 15-year-old gimmick, she’s a contributing member of the Portland Thorns. And now that the NWSL has allowed her to become the youngest player in league history, she’s making an impact on the pitch.

In her first career start, Moultrie provided the game-winning assist, sending in a peach of a cross for Simone Charley to head home as Portland held off Washington 1-0 on Saturday night. 

As the USWNT showcased one of its worst Olympic performances, it did walk away with a bronze medal, which is better than nothing. Although, it was expected to win it all, the USWNT fell short and struggled to outplay its opponents. Despite the team difficulties, one USWNT player overcame more than just struggling to win.

Carli Lloyd was not good enough. Megan Rapinoe was not good enough. Alex Morgan was not good enough. Crystal Dunn was not good enough. Tobin Heath was not good enough. The USWNT was not good enough. 

Carli Lloyd running sprints alone after defeat may be the lasting image of the USWNT’s 2020 Olympic run, but her questionable inclusion on the team will be a talking point for years to come. 

Athletic apparel company Title Nine gifted the USWNTPA $1 million on Wednesday — the largest sum the players association has ever received — saying it’s to help solve the pay gap between the men’s and women’s national soccer teams. It’s an awesome gesture similar to when LUNA Bar made a large donation in 2019. What does it really mean for how much the USWNT is paid for the Olympics? Let’s dig in.

Cleaning toilets, mopping floors, 10-hour days packing Amazon boxes, working at least two side jobs, living with parents. These are the lengths many NWSL players have gone through just to be “professional” athletes. The NWSLPA hopes to ensure a living wage for all NWSL players with its new No More Side Hustles campaign launched this week.

Trinity Rodman scored the best goal of her rookie season on Sunday, but it wasn’t enough as the Washington Spirit fell 3-2 to Gotham FC at Segra Field. 

The Spirit looked doomed as early as the seventh-minute after Sam Staab was issued a straight red card for committing a foul as the last defender, but six minutes after her dismissal, Rodman shocked NJ/NY. 

The 19-year-old used her pace to get on the end of a ball out wide, but with support arriving in the middle, Rodman elected to drift inside before unleashing a right-footed effort that flew inside the far post. 

Our glorious summer of soccer has reached its halfway point with both the Euros and Copa América consigned to history, but there’s still a lot to look forward to with the Gold Cup in full swing, the Olympics starting soon and then the beginning of the 2021-22 European club season. 

If you’re looking for an August 2021 soccer calendar with every game on USA TV (including EPL, LaLiga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1, MLS, NWSL and other competitions) here’s your ultimate guide.