Coach Vlatko Andonovski announced his 20-woman USWNT Olympic qualifying roster on Friday with a few surprises.
Mal Pugh, who competed at the 2016 Olympics as an 18-year-old and helped the U.S. win the 2019 Women’s World Cup, was left off the roster. Pugh was one of five players on Jill Ellis’ squad last summer omitted from the USWNT Olympic qualifying roster.
The SheBelieves Cup is an invitational women’s football tournament held in the United States. It began its campaign in 2016 after the 2015 Women’s World Cup to continue the hype for women’s soccer. Inspired by the USWNT players, the #SheBelieves campaign brings together the world’s most talented female football players to encourage both athletes and non-athletes to follow their dreams and accomplish all of their goals both on and off the field. This week, the SheBelieves Cup 2020 schedule was announced.
The International Olympic Committee announced guidelines limited free speech during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics this summer. The parameters, released Thursday, codified previous rules barring athletes from making political statements during competition or medal ceremonies by specifying what actions are not allowed.
As this decade is coming to an end, we reminisce over the successes of the USWNT. The spotlight, the hate and emotional rollercoaster of the 2019 USWNT team in particular is one that definitely tops the decade off at an all time high.
Coach Vlatko Andonovski announced his first USWNT roster of 2020 on Friday with 22 Women’s World Cup winners and one new face. Stanford sophomore Sophia Smith was given her first senior-team call-up as the U.S. prepares for Olympic qualifying.
Two days before Christmas, Heather O’Reilly announced via social media that she will be expecting a baby boy in June.
Look out world.pic.twitter.com/rF4MKRQZgA
— Heather O'Reilly (@HeatherOReilly) December 23, 2019
Former USWNT goalkeeper Hope Solo has just revealed that she’s pregnant with twins. The World Cup champion and her husband Jerramy Stevens (a former NFL player) are expecting the best of both worlds: a boy and a girl.
Two-time World Champion @hopesolo makes a special announcement on Weekend Winners. We join her in this ‘magisterial’ phase of her life. pic.twitter.com/jEDS4FHxuS
U.S. Soccer announced Julie Ertz as the 2019 USWNT Player of the Year on Friday morning, the 27-year-old powerhouse beating out teammate Megan Rapinoe, who had been honored by FIFA and the Ballon d’Or as the best in the world.
Ertz has dominated wherever she plays for five years now, whether it’s anchoring a back line as a powerful center back or holding down the middle of the park as a box-to-box midfielder. Ertz was named to the Women’s World Cup team of the tournament as the USWNT won a second straight world championship.
Tired of hearing about Megan Rapinoe? Yeah, me neither.
Rapinoe has had herself quite the year and to add on to her standout persona, Nike honored her with a pair of cleats designed specifically to commemorate her triumph at Monday’s Ballon d’Or ceremony.
She’s known for her pink hair, her activism and her recent World Cup performance with the USWNT, where she earned herself the Golden Boot and Golden Ball awards. Now if you had to describe Rapinoe by customizing a cleat, it would look a lot like Nike’s design.
Julie Ertz, a two-time World Cup winner, and Christian Pulisic, a one-time Gold Cup runner-up, were named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list for 2020, announced Tuesday. The annual list recognizes high-performing individuals under the age of 30. Last year, Crystal Dunn was the lone soocer player selected.