The Women’s World Cup is here. Are you ready to be a true American and cheer on the Red, White, and Blue? Wai Sallas has you covered with The Beginner’s Guide to the Women’s World Cup.
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If there’s one thing Americans are really, really good at, it is cheering on fellow Americans in sport. Every two years, people from Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon huddle around their television sets and cheer on people they had no idea existed a few weeks before in the Winter and Summer Olympics.
In 1999, the nation fell in love with the Women’s National Soccer Team thanks to their amazing run on home soil to a World Cup championship. Since then, the women of USA have held a special place in the hearts and minds of America.
More recently, the USA Men’s Soccer team has wiggled its way into the national bandwagon thanks to two consecutive “successful” World Cup runs into the knockout rounds.
This Saturday marks the start of the Women’s World Cup in Canada. While some names may sound familiar from four years ago in Germany, plenty has happened since the US lost in penalty kicks.
So to make you feel like a true patriot, here are 3 things you need to know to be the best American you can be this Summer.
The women are much better than the men
We all remember this scene from Kansas City when Jon Brooks netted home a game winning goal for the US in last year’s opening match against Ghana.
That was an opening match.
The women of the red, white, and blue are legitimate title contenders every year. This World Cup will not be a success unless they win it all. In the history of the Women’s World Cup, the Yanks have won two World Cups, finished second last year and third three times. They are basically the Connecticut Women’s Basketball team of Women’s Soccer. Or, in more mainstream terms, they are the Meryl Streep of soccer.
The stale stench of discrimination will ruminate the World Cup
For the first time in the history of the World Cup, the participants will be playing on artificial turf. Earlier this year, a group of high-profile women’s soccer players withdrew a lawsuit that fought FIFA and the Canadian Soccer Association’s plan to use artificial turf at this summer’s Women’s World Cup. Stars such as Abby Wambach, Homare Sawa of Japan, and Marta of Brazil had backed the suit claiming discrimination.
U.S. Midfielder Megan Rapinoe wrote last month for the Player’s Tribune, “This will be the first global football tournament played entirely on artificial turf. FIFA made a $338 million profit on the 2014 Men’s World Cup. To say that it’s not logistically possible to install real grass at all the stadiums is not acceptable, in my opinion. We have played on grass all our lives. Now we’re going to compete at the highest level on a different surface. I think it has a lot of implications.”
The game’s the same but the names have changed, kind of
Christine Rampone anchors the team as the lone remaining member from USA’s last World Cup title in 1999. This team is full of veterans, 15 players have World Cup experience, and the team averages 103 appearances, or caps, per person. You’ve heard the names Hope Solo, Abby Wambach and Alex Morgan; here are some names making their debut at the World Cup and are expected to make a splash.
Sydney Leroux is both Canadian and American, and lucky for us she chose to suit up for the Yanks. She has a lethal combination of power and speed and can strike at any moment.
Christen Press bursted on the scene from professional soccer in Sweden and now is one of the more important playmakers on the US team. You should also check out her blog, where Press holds nothing back about her journey from California to Sweden to the Stars and Stripes, and ultimately Springfield.
Julie Johnston is the second youngest player on the team, but her appetite to listen and be coachable has her threatening to start after just two years on the national team. She has shown a knack for being at the right place at the right time, as well as providing an aerial presence making her a threat from all set pieces near the goal.
The Americans take the field for the first time on Monday against Australia. So say it with me..
I
I Believe
I Believe That
I Believe That We
I Believe That We Will
I Believe That Will Win!
And Repeat…
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Photo Credit: ussoccer.com
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