Soccer coaches are faced with countless unenviable problems every day: How to go about training, how to set the team up for matches, how to meld personalities into a single unit. But one problem every coach would love to have is what Vlatko Andonovski is facing ahead of this summer’s Olympics: How to cut some of the best players in the world.
The NWSL Challenge Cup is in full swing and these lady ballers are here to show what makes them the best of the best. They are showing class both on and off the field; from their pre-game outfits to their goals and celebrations, you do not want to miss a single second.
As NJ/NY Gotham FC leads the East Division and the Portland Thorns hold the No. 1 spot in the West Division, there has been great play and amazing moments during tournament play.
Vlatko Andonovski is trying to form an unstoppable USWNT squad and several young players have clearly been on his radar. While many of these youngsters have worked their way into the senior squad, they've bumped off some familiar faces in the process. Competition at the national team level is fierce and the best of the best will earn their spot, but for those that have not made the cut they must now work their way back under immense pressure.
Hopefully USWNT fans haven't forgotten about a few of these players that've not been consistent additions to Andonovski’s roster.
As much as we at The18 love women’s soccer, it’s a sad fact that the men’s game receives far more attention, whether it’s from FIFA, other media companies, potential sponsors or the fans themselves. (We could spend hours debating why this is the case, but that’s for another story.) Despite this, there are still a large number of women’s footballers who are far more famous than their partners, who are themselves professional soccer players.