#USWNT player profiles

[emotionalsupportsoccerball]

Player Profile: Alyssa Naeher

What? Did you think I was going to forget about uncle?

Position: Goalkeeper

Hometown: Stratford, CT

Age: 35

Jersey Number: 1

Previous World Cups: 2 (2019, 2015)

USWNT Caps: 90

USWNT Cleansheets: 53

Club Team: Chicago Red Stars

College: Penn State

Star Sign: Taurus

Nicknames: Uncle, Lys

Fun Fact: In true uncle fashion, Alyssa starts her day by doing crossword puzzles, and dreams of someday seeing her name as an answer in one.

[gunnerfc]

🎄WOSO FICMAS: Dec. 21- Hayley Raso🎄

Hayley Raso x Reader (USWNT & Real Madrid) | WC: 1120

Dec. 21 prompt - spending christmas together with your crush because you couldn't go home for the holidays

-> woso ficmas masterlist can be found here!

The last game of the year was four days before Christmas Eve which made finding a flight back to the States difficult. You eventually settled on not going home for the holidays, since you didn’t want to feel like you were in a rush the entire break. You weren’t the only player in this predicament, your teammate Hayley also was unable to make it home for the holidays.

The two of you became quite close when the Aussie signed in the summer, it helped that you two both spoke English and only knew certain phrases in Spanish. It was easy for the two of you to communicate during training which helped your friendship blossom on the pitch. You two knew of each other from the times your national teams played each other but now being in the same city, on the same team you were able to get to know each other.

You found out Hayley wasn’t going home for the holidays when you overheard her on the phone with her mom during one of your many outings in Madrid. When you sat down at the table she had gotten, you could tell how upset she was about not getting to spend some time with her family.

“You know, we could have an ‘orphan Christmas’, since neither of us is going home,” you said during lunch, letting Hayley know you had overheard her.

“We can do it at my place,” the winger responded, her mood lifting a bit at the idea of not spending Christmas entirely alone.

That’s how you found yourself standing outside Hayley’s apartment door, a small duffle bag in hand as the Aussie had asked if you wanted to stay the night on Christmas Eve. In the duffle bag sat a neatly wrapped polaroid camera since you always saw how Hayley was stopping to take pictures during your outings. You raised a hand to knock on the door, only having to wait a couple of seconds before the door was pulled open, Hayley’s bright smile greeting you.

You returned the smile as she moved to the side to let you in. Leaving your shoes by the door, you followed the Aussie to her living room. She had a medium-sized Christmas tree set up in the corner of the room which provided most of the lighting in the room.

“You can sit your bag over here,” the winger said, gaining your attention and pointing by the end of the couch.

You nodded and moved to sit your bag down but stopped, remembering the camera in your bag. You unzipped your bag and pulled the present out before zipping it back up and sitting it down in the spot Hayley had pointed to.

“I thought we said we weren’t getting gifts,” Hayley whined, seeing the wrapped gift in your hand.

“We did, I just didn’t listen,” you laughed, sending her a smile. You moved towards the tree to sit the gift under it before turning back to face Hayley.

She rolled her eyes at your statement but wasn’t actually upset knowing she had a present for you hidden in her bedroom.

“We can watch some movies or something if you want,” you couldn’t hear the nervousness in the Aussie’s voice as she spoke but she knew it was there.

“Yeah, that sounds nice!” you nodded as you sat on the couch, jokingly stretching to take up all the space as you did so.

Hayley laughed as she pushed your feet back to the floor to give herself somewhere to sit down. You threw your feet up to rest on the coffee table in front of you as the Aussie picked up her remote to open Netflix. She settled on the first Christmas movie she found as she leaned back into the couch to make herself comfortable.

You tried to keep your focus on the TV screen in front of you but your eyes kept drifting to Hayley’s side profile. The two of you had spent the night together before, but something about tonight felt different. You could feel your feelings for your teammate starting to become too much but you didn't want to say anything that might ruin the friendship.

Deep in thought you didn’t notice Hayley’s head turning to look at you. You shook your head to snap out of it when you heard her call your name.

“Yeah?” you spoke, your voice cracking a little.

“Are you okay?” Hayley’s voice was full of worry.

“Yeah! Yeah, I'm good. I think I'm just tired from the game and recovery,” you lied, not ready to tell the winger your feelings. It was late, so you were hoping she wouldn’t suspect anything else.

Hayley nodded, but you could tell she didn’t fully believe you. “We could call it a night if you wanted, so we can get up early tomorrow.” She offered, not wanting to push you to talk about something you didn’t want to.

This felt like an opportunity to say what you've known for a few weeks and you wanted to be honest with Hayley. You cleared your throat before speaking, “Actually, there's something I wanted to tell you.”

Hayley didn’t speak but turned her body to face yours, watching you fidget with your hands.

You took a long breath before you started speaking. “I’m hoping this doesn’t ruin anything but I need to tell you how I feel about you. In the past few weeks, I've started feeling things for you, more than a friend should and it was nerve-racking. I was scared to tell you before because I didnt want to scare you off or make things awkward at training.” you rushed out, hardly stopping to catch your breath.

Your eyes were locked on the floor, not wanting to see Hayley’s reaction. You felt her scoot closer to you, her hand reaching out to lift your head to look at her. Before you could say anything, her lips were on yours in a kiss. Your eyes closed immediately, moving your lips with hers before you both pulled away for air.

“I’ve wanted to do that for a while,” the Aussie said, a light blush coating her face.

A large smile graced your features at her words, grateful that she felt the same way. You pulled her slightly into a tight hug, your arms wrapped around her waist as hers went to your neck. You mumbled a small “best christmas present ever” in her ear, feeling her laugh at your statement.

While you were originally upset you couldn't spend the holidays at home with your family, you were grateful that it meant you were here, with Hayley. You couldn’t wait to see what happened with your relationship.

[wileys-russo]

OKAY the sparknotes lore is as follows:

abby dahlkemper was the first signing from nc courage. she came back from back surgery last august (she had like really bad sciatica, i would suggest listening to her snacks episode it’s an insane story). a real solid defender, i believe she is a vice captain.

alex morgan and kailen sheridan (canadian minister of defence) were also huge signings/trades before the first season.

they drafted some big talent in naomi girma (in girma we trust 🫡) and jaedyn shaw, who are both ballers.

kyra carusa has been a solid forward for us as well, she has a couple of bangers under her belt and plays for republic of ireland.

if you want i can give you a rundown on other player profiles but here’s the good stuff (tea):

jill ellis is the president 🫠 of course, as much as i hate to say it, she was extremely successful as uswnt coach but also that program ran several players into the ground, partially under her watch. players playing through pain etc.

casey stoney is an icon. she has been fined many a time for talking about refs. most iconic moment imo is when she was sitting on a cooler and got a red for allegedly kicking the ball when it went out of bounds and delaying the game. hilarious stuff.

there’s the angel city vs wave rivalry because california and this offseason during free agency, wave signed former angel city midfielder savannah mccaskill. there’s the rivalry aspect, but the additional wrinkle of not many wave fans wanting her and it’s kind of funny. she’s not a terrible player per se, but she’s made some less than clean tackles in her time and sometimes makes very questionable decisions on the field. there’s a running bit on twitter about fans of both teams kindly offering savannah mccaskill to each other.

but really san diego has good vibes overall and is wildly successful for a team that has only existed for two seasons

THANK YOU i am caught up

[lovethelifeyoulive123]

I feel like woso journos and some of the hateful fans have created like a cognitive dissonance between Kristie’s actual reality with the USWNT and the public perception of it. Girl has been on literally every single roster for TWO years. I think maybe Rose is the only other player to have done that during this period? Other bubble players that cause a lot of question marks like Sonnet, Midge, Lynn have been in and out of the squad for injuries or lack of performance. Speculation made some sense when there was a potential for 4 midfielders to come back from injury, but we are beyond that now. If Kristie was dropped it would actually be shocking, it would be the first time she was dropped ever under Vlatko. But for whatever reason people seem to ignore this. No she doesn’t start every game but she has played significant mins in every tournament and the actual “must win” games for this team. Never mind the fact that she helped to incorporate a lot of the young players into the squad, and gives the team chants clearly showing her off field value. I honestly feel like if she was like a 27 year old and not in a high profile relationship doing the exact same things no one would question her position on this team. Which is just such BS.

I think you said it pretty well anon🤷‍♀️ I think people should have been more concerned when there was a chance of both Sam Mewis and Macario coming back. Plus when he called in Coffey and DeMelo. Pretty sure Kristies still here and none of those players are. So why panic now? Because some fake woso journalists don’t like the idea of Kristie getting in over these young players. It comes down to who Vlatko trusts. It’s Kristie and it has been since she stepped back on that field and scored that goal against the Netherlands.

[orlandospride]

i know alex morgan would have gotten booed, i’m saying when people are defensive over pinoe, it’s more often than not defensive over her position as a person, not an athlete. i think you’re misunderstanding what i’m saying which is that for pinoe, specifically, it’s more complicated, because she is a political figure, so there will always be some people mad at her for her politics and not her uswnt player status. i’m not saying that means she shouldn’t get booed, i’m saying that’s why some people are going to take note of it in a different way than of alex morgan or some other us (or any high profile player) player getting booed. you just can’t unintertwine the two parts of why pinoe may get booed. especially because international matches are inherently a tad nationalistic.

people are defensive over women’s football and particularly certain players. I get it. some get more insults/abuse than others and it’s not for justifiable reasons (not that any abuse is justified) so fans naturally push back equally as hard in the other direction

i think it’s fine to think/say “if you’re booong rapinoe because you don’t like her on account of her off field/political behaviour, you’re a bellend, should shut up and also never step foot inside a women’s game” and I agree

but otherwise it’s a bit weird to call out something that happens every week in loads of stadiums across the world and to all sorts of different players because you can’t pinpoint the exact reason for it or think it may be something it is/isn’t

[possibilistfanfiction]

I'm more annoyed that privileged players didn't speak up on Christen's behalf when her complaints were swept under the rug. I'm positive that all the players in the NWSL and the National Team knew about the abuse and mistreatment of Christen and other players. If a privileged player like Alex Morgan had spoken up, there would've been an uproar, immediate firing of the abuser, and change would've happened much sooner.

i mean i see ur point but tbh this is way way off the mark for me. facts first, we have no idea if cp ever wanted ANY of this to be public, let alone which teammates she told in 2014 & subsequently in 2018; i guarantee that she & tobin, another high profile white player, had a ton of convos abt this which i trust were very loving & supportive & tobin never said a word. we have absolutely no idea what role press wanted any of her teammates to play, & the fact that she herself never came forward publicly with any of this until last year is very telling. beyond that, it shouldn’t require a(n even more) famous teammate saying she believes you for the people who are supposed to protect you to do something.

which brings me to the MUCH bigger point in that it’s 100% the fault of the coaches & everyone who protected them. people in power, especially men, who abuse it are the people i’m angry at. women, even those with say & influence like alex, feeling scared or not speaking out is, imo, kind of a misdirection of anger. tobin didn’t speak out either, & there is quite literally no one closer on the uswnt or in the world to cp than her (lol but u know). uswnt players on crs as the report notes also did corroborate what cp said abt rory.

so yah i mean i’m basically choosing to place blame on the systems that perpetuate deep harm, & the men, tbh, who did that harm. for women’s sport to change & for sport itself to change, the mentality of those in power has to shift deeply. i’ve worked w ussf & usys in the past year & at an upper level it hasn’t really changed much, even after the 2021 athletic report. i’m curious to see how they/if actually respond to this

& i think i just mean at a deeper level it’s pretty simple to connect the lack of bodily autonomy + subsequent abuse in us womens sport, especially soccer (overall an extremely privileged space to gain entry to, both domestically & globally) with, like at a surface level, what’s happening w spain’s nt. but beyond that, of course it’s about women & dfab ppl having say over their bodies — what we wear; how we move; who we want, & don’t want, to touch us; how we deserve to be spoken to; the spaces we go to for work, or school, or to have fun — that’s what’s at stake, & those are the things that continue to be harmed.

globally the issues are on an even more violent & terrifying scale, if you look at iran, india, even roe being overturned in the us — it isn’t safe to be anything but a cis man, anywhere. there’s 100% more that we could all be doing, & players like alex, players like tobin, can & probably should speak out more. but the issue isn’t individual women speaking out, or being believed or not being believed. it’s a system of white supremacy that deeply & violently continues to harm women & dfab ppl everywhere, in horrendously awful ways, that is making me angry & sad. to see it laid out in 172 pages, & to know a player (& person) i rly admire played basically in hell for like five years is deeply disheartening, obviously.

but i think the more we focus on the systemic issues & like, honestly, bringing in the questions of: ‘what does abolition look like? what does justice — transformative & restorative — look like?’ to sport, just like we do to our own politic, to communal care around covid, to disability justice, queer spaces, international solidarity & radical movements, etc — that’s the only way real change will happen. i care much less about one coach being fired — men, under this violent system of patriarchy & white supremacy, will always feel entitled to women’s bodies, to women’s lives. we see it everywhere, all the time; we see it on the streets in iran & we see it on the biggest stages in pro sports. one coach being fired, or one uproar even, doesn’t do anything to shift entire systems, ways of thought, & ecosystems of healing: even after complaints into 2021, lisa baird was still trying to make sure riley didn’t quit!!

so anyway, sure, alex, pinoe, becky, kelley, tobin — any of those players could & possibly should have spoken up in support. but i have no idea what conversations they as a collective had, or individually had with christen. it seems to me pretty futile to hold any deep anger with individual players & not with those in positions of power that, for at least 20 years in pro leagues in the us, have perpetuated abuse and/or protected abusers. & in terms of global solidarity, this isn’t at all a different fight. i do think, as one of my deepest core beliefs, that we protect us — because it’s clear that those in power won’t. but that responsibility, space, & ability looks different for a lot of people. i’m angry with people who blatantly disregard & continue to perpetuate harm, especially in this situation

anyway here’s charli loafing about in her new puppy couch (memory foam), keeping us all sane

[scrapesaladofficial]

Hometown hero Tierna Davidson wins Olympic gold

The USA Women’s Soccer defender brought home her first Olympic gold medal - HOUSTON, TX – JUNE 10: Tierna Davidson #12 of the USWNT dribbles during a game between Portugal and USWNT at BBVA Stadium on June 10, 2021 in Houston, Texas. - Team USA women’s soccer celebrates its gold medal win on Aug. 10, 2024. Courtesy U.S. Women’s National Team. - HOUSTON, TX – JUNE 10: Tierna Davidson #12 of the USWNT dribbles during a game between Portugal and USWNT at BBVA Stadium on June 10, 2021 in Houston, Texas. - Team USA women’s soccer celebrates its gold medal win on Aug. 10, 2024. Courtesy U.S. Women’s National Team. HOUSTON, TX – JUNE 10: Tierna Davidson #12 of the USWNT dribbles during a game between Portugal and USWNT at BBVA Stadium on June 10, 2021 in Houston, Texas. The U.S. women’s national team center-back Tierna Davidson, a Menlo Park native, helped Team USA secure the gold medal after a nail-biting 1-0 win over Brazil on Saturday. While the first half of the game ended with Brazil on its heels, with its game-winning goal coming in the 57th minute, according to a press release from her alma mater Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton, on Aug. 10. The team credited the self-proclaimed “Triple Espresso” forward line — Mallory Swanson, Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman — for the win, according to statement from the team. It’s our mission to inform the community through fact-based journalism, hold government accountable, and build deeper relationships through coverage that makes a difference in people's daily lives. We rely on community support to continue our mission. Support local news today. https://twitter.com/NBCOlympics/status/1822320457044877346?ref_src=twsrctfwtwcamptweetembedtwterm1822320457044877346twgr68ff7358f440055844d3fc36611a7219ba5bd399twcons1_&ref_url=httpswww.almanacnews.comnews20240810hometown-hero-tierna-davidson-wins-olympic-gold “We are so excited and, of course, extremely proud of Tierna,” said her father, Greg Davidson, who is also a math teacher at Sacred Heart, in a statement. “To fight back from her injuries and challenges during the past couple of years is quite impressive and says a lot about her.”  Davidson left college a year early to become the first-round draft pick for the women’s professional soccer team, the Chicago Red Stars, according to a United States Soccer Federation profile of Davidson. During her high school career at Sacred Heart, Davidson’s three seasons remain unparalleled for SHP soccer, according to the school. Each year her team advanced to Central Coast Section Championship games. Twice her team captured section titles. Tierna Davidson, a center back for the U.S. women’s soccer team, signs an autograph for Logan after a school assembly where she spoke to students on Nov. 22, 2019. Photo by Magali Gauthier/The Almanac At Stanford, she led her team to the 2017 NCAA Championship. She was also the youngest player on the champion USA team at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France. Davidson signed with NJ/NY Gotham FC in January of this year after playing for the Chicago Red Stars for five seasons, according to the Sacred Heart press release. This is the second Olympic gold medal won by a Sacred Heart alum in eight years. Women’s water polo player KK Clark brought home the gold in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro summer Olympics, according to the school. Read the full article

[emotionalsupportsoccerball]

Player Profile: Kelley O'Hara

Returning to lead the youths for her fourth world cup, Miss Kelley

Position: Defender

Hometown: Fayetteville, GA

Age: 34

Jersey Number: 5

Previous World Cups: 3 (2011, 2015, 2019)

USWNT Caps: 157

USWNT Goals: 3

Club Team: NJ/NY Gotham FC

College: We’ve got our second Stanford Cardinal!

Star Sign: Leo

Nicknames: Miss Kelley, Frat Daddy, Kels, Worms, Flying Squirrel, Keppy, Kevin

Fun Fact: If she wasn't a professional soccer player, Kelley would be a professional surfer

[captain-pou-blog]

I'm going to be making some player profiles!

Inbox me some players you would like to see!

[gamergirl929]

Would It Kill You To Smile? (Yeah, Probably) (Kristie Mewis x Reader)

When the former Australian Women’s National Team’s hardest hitter transfers to the NWSL, she finds herself being invited to the USWNT camp, much to the consternation of the remainder of the USWNT veterans, but one player isn’t as fazed by you as you’d like, and that player is Kristie Mewis. 

If you were being honest with yourself, you knew you were hard to get along with, a conversation with you was really just the other person speaking while you silently nodded along, leading them to believe you weren’t listening at all, and truthfully, sometimes you weren’t.  

You were brash, and bold, the epitome of the strong silent type.  

Though, things were about to change for you in a way that you’d in no way expected, and that was when you joined the USWNT.  

                                                            ***

The moment you’d stepped into the hotel’s conference room, a bag slung over your shoulder, everyone winced, nearly all of them had once been on the receiving end of a hard tackle from yours truly, a number of them being carted off the field because of it.  

You had a penchant for getting red cards, even getting into arguments with the ref occasionally, one that ended with you eventually being fined.  

You’d mellowed out after that, at least somewhat.  

You drop your bag on the hotel’s carpeted floor, crossing your arms across your chest as you lean against a nearby wall, all eyes on you.  

You give the team a wave.  

“G’day.” You say, your Australian accent particularly thick.  

The entirety of the USWNT stare your way, though only one of them cracks a smile, that smile coming from Kristie Mewis.  

“Umm, g’day?” Emily Sonnett waves earning a slap in the arm from Lindsey Horan.  

You stare at the blonde for a moment, one brow arched, your intense stare causing her to turn away.  

“Sorry sir, won’t happen again.” She says nervously, your lips pursing as you fight back a smile.  

Y/N Y/L/N wasn’t the type to smile.  

Everyone reluctantly turns away, a number of them whispering amongst themselves, though you only catch what those closest to you are saying.  

“Wait, why are you so afraid of her?”  

Sam scoffs.  

“Have you SEEN how she plays!? She’s a tank.”  

“Scary as hell too.” Emily whispers.  

“She doesn’t seem that scary to me.” Kristie shrugs and you snort, softly so you go unheard.  

It looked as if you’d have to change that.

                                                            ***

No matter how hard you tried, Kristie Mewis was in no way phased by your glares, or your somewhat brutish tackles, you’d tried to reign it in considering the women around you would be your teammates if you made the USWNT that was. 

“Why must you be so violent?” Emily asks as she’s helped off the ground by Lindsey, the former’s bottom lip jutted out in a pout.

You hold your hands up, though remain entirely silent, you’re stepping around the two when you nearly run straight into Kristie Mewis.  

“Hey.” She grins, your brows quirked in question.  

You stand stock still for a moment, though when you try to move around her, she steps in front of you.  

You sigh.  

“Hi.”  

The older Mewis steps out of your way, the blonde wearing a satisfied grin.  

You roll your eyes.  

You weren’t sure what she was up to, but you didn’t like it.  

Or at least you thought you didn’t.  

                                                            ***

You weren’t about to say, but since you joined the NWSL, you’d been hoping for a USWNT call up, and you’d apparently impressed the right people, because now, you were on the USWNT roster and well on your way to your first game against Japan.  

You were focused, your music blaring in your ears as you stared out the window, going over Japan’s playstyle in your head.  

You were so lost in your thoughts that you hadn’t noticed the fact that a number of players were staring your way.  

“Wait, do we like her?” Emily asks, her teammates turning towards her in question.  

“I mean, she’s a great player.” She shrugs and Kelley scoffs.  

“I’m pretty sure we got into a shoving match before.”  

Alex nods.  

“You did, and you lost it.”  

Kelley scoffs.  

“I never lose.”  

Kristie shrugs.  

“I think she’s just, intense.” She says, the woman looking at your profile with a small smile.  

Sam’s brows furrow, the woman snapping her fingers in front of her sister’s face. 

“Are those heart eyes?” She asks, recoiling and Kristie scoffs.  

“NO! They aren’t!” She growls, though her cheeks betray her.  

"Oh my god they are.” Sam gasps, her head on a swivel as she looks from her sister, to you and then back.  

Kristie rolls her eyes.  

“They aren’t heart eyes, you’re just seeing things.” She turns away abruptly, her arms crossed across her chest.  

“Well, if they were, Y/N literally hates everyone, I don’t think I’ve ever seen her smile.” Megan says, resting her chin on the bus’s seat in front of her.  

Christen shrugs.  

“I agree with Kristie.”  

Tobin coughs, sucking a bit of her drink down her throat.  

“About what!?” Tobin asks, hoping she didn’t also have heart eyes for their newest player.  

“She just intense.” She gives Tobin a nudge, the forward letting out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding in.  

“Yeah, she intensely hates us.” Sam mumbles and Kristie shrugs.  

“I don’t think so.”  

Sam snorts.  

“Of course, you don’t, you have a thing for her.”  

“I do not.”  

“Did your mums ever tell you it’s not nice to stare?” You ask, your eyes narrowed as you glare at your teammates.  

The youngsters abruptly turn away, while the older players whisper amongst themselves, slowly turning away.  

You huff, about to turn away when you catch Kristie’s eyes on you, the blonde smiling softly.  

It’s then you find yourself abruptly turning away.

You give your head a shake.  

You had to focus, and not think about your teammates, Kristie Mewis in particular.  

                                                            ***

Japan, though tough, had done their best to avoid you, but seeing as you were a defender, that wasn’t really an option.  

After a particularly hard tackle the whistle blew, and you shook your head, an amused smile on your face as you drew a yellow card.  

“Get stuffed.” You growl angrily as you move past her, the ref turning around to berate you, but before she can Kristie makes her way towards you, placing her hand on your back.  

“Chill.” She whispers, glancing at the ref out of the corner of her eye.  

Your mouth falls open, a curse about to leave you, but one look into Kristie’s eyes and it snaps shut.  

“Whatever.” You grumble, stomping off to your place on field.  

Kristie smiles as she jogs to her own place on field.  

At least you hadn’t swore at her.

                                                            ***

Much to her surprise, later in the game when she’s taken down by a particularly hard tackle, you’re there, holding your hand out to her, the blonde looking up at you with wide eyes.  

“C’mon.” You say, wiggling your fingers.  

Kristie takes your hand, the skin-to-skin contact making your eyes widen, a spark shooting up your arm before spreading throughout your entire body.  

The blonde whose hand is currently still in your own feels the exact same thing, her heart racing in her chest.  

You clear your throat before dropping her hand and abruptly turning away, jogging to get to your place on field.  

Kristie meanwhile stands stiff, her eyes dropping to her still tingling hand.  

The ref’s whistle blows loudly, pulling the blonde out of her trance, the woman quickly running to her place on field.  

She turns her head, finding her sister’s smirking face staring back at her.  

She sticks her tongue out at the younger girl, earning only a laugh in return, just as the whistle blows and play resumes.  

                                                            ***

The game eventually ends, a score of 5-3, another win for the USWNT.  

You’d noticed with a smirk that only a few Japanese players came to shake your hand, which in all honesty, you hadn’t minded.  

A hand on your back makes you freeze, your brows arching as you turn towards Emily Sonnett, the blonde grinning.  

“Nice job fellow defender.”  

Your brows arch even further, nearly burying themselves in your hairline.  

Emily nods, giving your back a pat.  

“Great talk.”  

You shake your head, your eyes on her back as she moves across field, an extra pep in her step.  

“Well, you didn’t kill her.”

Your eyes narrow as you turn to Kristie, the blonde standing behind you with a cheeky grin.  

“That’s a start, right?” She asks and you huff.  

“No.”  

Kristie rolls her eyes, watching as you move across field towards the benches.  

She crosses her arms across her chest.  

“It is too.”  

                                                            ***

After that day you noticed Kristie smiling at you more often than not, which irked you to no end, why wasn’t she as afraid of you as everyone else was?  

“Look out!”  

You remain expressionless when a soccer ball flies out of nowhere and hits you in the back, your eyes narrowing as you turn to glare at the person who’d fired the ball in your direction, which in this case was Mallory Pugh.  

“Don’t let her kill me.” Mallory mumbles, leaping behind Christen and Tobin, the two protecting their ‘child.’  

You shake your head, kicking the ball into the air and into your waiting hands before you make your way across the field and hold the ball out to Mallory, the smaller girl peeking over Christen’s and Tobin’s shoulders.  

“Here.” You say, the corner of your mouth ticking upwards when she warily takes the ball.  

“Is that a smile?”  

You turn towards Kristie with a glare.  

“No, it’s not.”  

Kristie gives you a nudge, your eyes narrowing as you look at the spot she’d just touched.  

“It totally is.”  

You growl, abruptly taking your leave, only for Kristie to follow behind.  

“Come on, it was a smile, admit it.”  

“It wasn’t, go away.”  

The remainder of the team gathers, watching curiously as Kristie trails after you, the two of you bickering.  

“Y/N totally likes her, doesn’t she?” Megan asks, the purple haired woman leaning against Alex.  

Julie hums as she leans against Crystal.  

“I don’t know, it seems like she wants her to go away.”  

Tobin snorts, watching as you basically run away from Kristie, the blonde hot on your heels.  

“Why are you running!? WHY are you running!?” Kristie asks, quoting the legendary Vine and you groan.  

“To get you away from me, rack off!”  

Kristie simply grins.  

“Well, that’s not about to happen.”  

Alyssa chuckles.  

“What gave it away Ertz?” She asks, earning a glare from her Chicago Red Star’s teammate.  

Rose leans towards Sam.  

“Your sister is totally into Y/N.”

Sam nods.  

“Oh, I know.”  

                                                            ***

“You’re kidding, right?”  

Vlatko shakes his head, whereas Kristie only grins.  

“No, it says the two of you are rooming together.” He shrugs and you groan, turning to Kristie with a glare, a glare that you don’t realize is completely harmless.  

“Come on, it won’t be THAT bad.” She slips an arm around your shoulders and you huff, turning your glare towards Vlatko, the man quickly turning away so he doesn’t have to face you.  

You sigh in defeat.

“Fine, but don’t talk to me.”  

Kristie smiles.  

“But you talked to me first.”  

You throw your head back with a growl, taking your keycard and making your way out of the lobby.  

“Be careful, she might kill you in your sleep.” Kelley cringes and Kristie shakes her head.  

“She won’t.”  

                                                            ***

“You know I now have the ability to off you in your sleep, right?” You say as Kristie flops into the bed beside your own.  

“I’m not too worried about it.”  

You roll your eyes, letting out a loud huff.  

“Besides, I’m the only one you really talk to on the team.” She shrugs and you huff again in response.  

Kristie sighs, rolling over to her side to look at you, her head propped up on her palm, which is being supported by her elbow.  

“Also, I think you kind of like me.”  

You look up from your phone with a snort, your brows nearly buried in your hairline.  

“And what on Earth gave you THAT idea?”  

Kristie shrugs.  

“Just a feeling I guess.” She grins and you roll your eyes.  

“Well, you’re wrong.”  

                                                            ***

It was the following night that Kristie Mewis would indeed be proven right, in the most broadcasted way possible.

For some reason, Kristie Mewis had a rather massive target painted on her back, going down more often than not during the game against Nigeria.  

Kristie had a knack for getting the team out of sticky situations, and seeing as Kristie already had one goal under her belt, and was currently begging for more, the Nigerian’s decided it was time to deal with her.  

The more she went down, the angrier you got, you hadn’t wanted to admit that the blonde was certainly growing on you, which became more apparent, the more she went down.

You crack your neck loudly, angrily scowling at the Nigerian player closest to you, the woman recoiling in fear.  

Moments later Kristie is down yet again and you growl, wanting more than anything to march over towards the Nigerian player who’d fouled her and scare the life out of her.  

You wanted it so bad, that you were currently marching across field to do just that.  

Kristie, as well as the remainder of the USWNT and Nigerian team watched as you stopped in front of the player who continued to foul her, the woman noticeably fearful as you whispered something in her ear that made her visibly pale.  

You gave her one last glare before you made your way towards Kristie, extending your hand out to the downed Mewis who takes it with no hesitation.  

You pull her to her feet, your hand resting on her shoulder.  

“You alright?” You ask, giving her shoulder a squeeze and she nods, her eyes glazing over as she stares at your sweat covered face.  

“Ye-Yeah.”  

You glance over your shoulder, sending the same player a glare, the woman abruptly turning away from you.  

You nod.  

“She won’t do it again.”  

You give her shoulder a pat.  

“Trust me.”  

Kristie blinks rapidly, watching as you strut across field, your eyes never leaving the woman who’d continued to foul her.  

“What just happened?” Sam asks as she dusts her sister’s jersey off and Kristie shakes her head.  

“No idea.”  

                                                            ***

The shit-eating grin that stretches across Kristie’s face the second she makes her way onto the bus makes you roll your eyes.  

Instead of falling into her usual seat, beside Sam, she takes a seat instead, beside you, wearing that same grin.  

“What?” You bite, only for Kristie’s grin to widen further.  

“You stuck up for me.”  

You growl, shaking your head back and forth.  

“I felt bad for you.”  

Kristie snorts.  

“No, you were angry.”

You sigh, exhale loudly, glaring at the blonde out of the corner of your eye.  

“Come on, admit it Y/N.”  

You throw your head back with a groan.  

“Fine, I got sick of seeing her foul you, so I did something about it, happy?” You ask in annoyance and Kristie giggles, wiggling happily in her seat.

“Very.”  

                                                            ***

Kristie was basically your shadow after that, and with her sunny disposition, she’d attempted to clear up the dark cloud that hung over you wherever you went.  

“Come on, smiling won’t kill you.” She nudges you and you roll your eyes.  

“It will.”  

Kristie rolls her eyes as she jogs after you.  

“It will not.”  

“Aww, come on Y/N, just oneeeeee.” She whines and you grumble.  

“No.”  

Sam crosses her arms across her chest, the girl only one of the USWNT players watching as Kristie chases behind you, attempting to get you to smile.  

“I’m surprised your sister is still alive.” Alex giggles when she sees the glare you’re shooting Kristie’s way.

“Me too.” Sam snorts.

“I think she’s got a soft spot for Kristie.” Christen shrugs and everyone turns her way.

“Y/N?” Rose asks incredulously.

“Y/N has no soft spots.” Sam scoffs and Christen hums, nodding across the field to where you’re currently trying to outrun her older sister, a massive grin stretching across your face as you start to laugh.  

You slap a hand over your mouth, but seemingly too late because Kristie giggles.  

“SEE! You smiled and laughed! And look you’re still alive!”  

You skid to a halt, your eyes widening when Kristie runs right into you, the woman saved from embarrassingly falling on her ass by your hands, which had found their way to her waist.  

The two of you fall silent, your eyes widening before you abruptly turn away from one another, your hands leaving her waist.  

With your back to her, you completely miss the small, bashful smile that stretches across her face, which also means that she misses the smile that stretches across your own.  

The remainder of the USWNT turns to Christen, the forward shrugging.  

“Told you so.”  

                                                            ***

Anytime the USWNT and Sweden locked horns, it was a nail-biter, the two teams giving it their all for the entire 90 minutes.  

Sweden had their foot firmly on the gas, and had yet to let up.

That momentum faltered near the end of the second half when the ball ended up at your feet.  

You pick your head up, catching sight of Kristie, the woman in perfect place for a cross, the blonde pointing at her feet.  

You fire the ball high in the air, everyone’s eyes skyward as the ball falls to the earth and right to Kristie Mewis.

She catches it midair, the ball ricocheting off her head, passed the goalie and into the netting.  

“YEAH!” You yell as you throw a fist in the air, grinning when you see Kristie running across the field towards you.

She jumps in the air, her legs wrapping around your middle, her arms slipping around your neck.  

You hold her with one arm, your fist still held high as you celebrate.

The remainder of the team joins in on the celebration, some ruffling your hair, as well as Kristie’s.

Sam kisses her sister’s cheek, all the while, slipping an arm around your shoulders.  

“Of course, it would be the two of you to score.” She grins and you chuckle, your cheeks dusted pink when you realize Kristie’s still firmly wrapped around you.  

You pick your head up, your eyes doubling in size when your nose brushes Kristie’s.  

The two of you remain motionless, neither of you pulling away, your eyes firmly locked.  

The ref’s whistle pulls the two of you out of trance, Kristie reluctantly unwrapping herself from around you.  

“Uh...” You swallow hard, realizing for the first time in a long time, that you’re speechless.  

The ref blows her whistle again, and you scowl, shooting the woman a glare, the woman clearing her throat as she turns away from you.  

The second your eyes meet Kristie’s they soften.  

“Great finish Kris.” You smile, giving her shoulder a pat before you jog to your place on field.  

Meanwhile, Sam turns to her sister, the blonde wearing a cheeky grin.  

“Yeah, great finish Kris.” 

“Fuck off.”  

                                                            ***

“You like her, don’t you?”  

Your brows arch as you turn towards the source of the voice, finding a smirking Alex Morgan standing beside you.  

“Pardon?” You ask, brows furrowed.  

“Kristie.”

Your eyes narrow, the forward rolling her blue orbs.  

“You like her.”  

You scoff.  

“I do not.”  

Alex simply stares at you for a moment, as if sizing you up, before her lips split into a grin.  

“You do, or you would’ve killed her already.”  

Your eyes widen slightly when she gives you a nudge.  

“In fact, I think she’s the reason you’re starting to like the team a little more.”  

You snort.  

Alex shakes her head, the woman cutting you off.  

“Admit it, we’re starting to grow on you.”  

“Like a tumor.”

                                                            ***

The second Kristie flopped down in the seat beside you, you knew it was going to be a long ride.  

She turns to you with a grin.

“Don’t look so happy to see me.”  

You crack a smile.

“I’ll try to tone it down.”

Kristie huffs, her bottom lip jutted out in a pout.

“Smart ass.”

A smile stretches across your face.

“Now you’re catching on.”  

                                                            ***

You’re quite far into the bus ride when you feel Kristie slump against you, the blonde’s mouth hanging open as she snores loudly.  

You shake your head, unable to bite back the smile that stretches across your face.  

“Such elegance.” You mumble under your breath.  

“Oh my god, who’s gargling their spit?” You hear a raspy groan, realizing that Kelley had been woken by the sound of Kristie’s snoring.  

You hold your arm up, using your index finger to point down at the sleeping blonde.  

“Sam, suffocate her.” Emily grumbles, leaning against Lindsey, her own eyelids heavy.  

“Imagine what it was like sharing a room with her.” The tall blonde rolls her eyes and you smile, imagining what it was like sharing a room with a much smaller Kristie Mewis.  

You turn towards her, your smile widening when Kristie snuggles into your shoulder.  

Alex’s words run through your head as the woman, unbeknownst to you, gazes at the back of your head with a smile, the forward giving the defender beside her a nudge.  

“Look at them.” She whispers to Kelley, the defender’s eyes reluctantly cracking open, though when she sees you lean your head against Kristie’s she smiles.  

“She really does care for her, doesn’t she?” Kelley whispers, glancing at Emily and Lindsey who are grinning your way.  

Suddenly, Emily’s grin turns malicious, the blonde turning towards Sam.  

“You know what this means?” She asks, Sam’s brows knitted in confusion.  

“What?”  

"Y/N needs the shovel talk.”

                                                            ***

From that day forward you noticed Sam’s reluctance to be near you, the youngest of the Mewis sisters glancing your way nervously every once in a while, the blonde abruptly turning away when your eyes would meet.  

“What’s your sister’s deal?” You ask, Kristie’s eyes narrowing as she stares at her sister, the blonde glancing your way before turning away when she sees her older sister looking her way.  

“I mean, I’ve been wondering that for a long time.” Kristie shrugs and you snort, your bottom lip trapped between your teeth as you try to stave off a grin.  

Kristie, as per usual, is quick to notice that you’re biting back a smile, the blonde nudging you.  

You shrug, your small smile shifting into a grin.  

“Maybe she’s just scared...?”

Kristie rolls her eyes.  

“Well, I’m not.”  

You huff, your head hanging in defeat.  

“I’ll have to work on that.”  

Kristie growls.  

“Well, it won’t work.”  

Your head hangs lower as you shuffle onto the field.

“That’s a shame.”  

Kristie rolls her eyes, the woman trailing behind you.  

“Admit it, you like me.”  

You snort.  

“Only if I’m under extreme duress.”

Kristie begins to jog, her lips splitting in a grin.  

“That can be arranged.”  

Before you can ask what, she means, she’s jumping on your back, her arms around your neck.  

“ADMIT YOU LIKE ME.” She yells, applying barely any pressure around your neck.  

“You call this EXTREME duress?” You scoff, Kristie’s chin resting in your shoulder.  

“Cut me some slack, I’m trying my best.”  

Your eyes widen minutely, your cheeks dusted lightly pink.

“Fine, I hate you less than most people.”  

Kristie, despite your unenthusiasm grins.  

“Seeeeeeeeeeeee.”  

You grunt.  

“I mean it was a half-assed-OW!” You grunt when Kristie gives you a headbutt, the blonde in no way effected.  

“Shut up, you admitted it.”  

You groan, rolling your eyes in annoyance, though you can’t help but smile.  

“I guess I did.”  

                                                            ***

Kristie had become a constant in your day-to-day life, more so than any of your other teammates.

You traveled together, you ate together, shared a room together, but at this very moment, you weren’t together, instead, you were on the sidelines, watching as she ran downfield, a black and white ball at her feet.  

“You know...”  

You turn away, coming face to face with none other than Sam Mewis.

“Hmmm?” You hum, noticing the way she visibly pales.  

“Ummm…”  

Your brows arch when Sam receives a nudge in the back from Emily, who feigns innocence immediately after.

Sam swallows hard.

“I know she’s older than me, but she’s still my sister…”

Sam turns away from you finding the courage to speak when she wasn’t looking you in the eye.

You meanwhile stare intently at her profile.

Was this what you thought it was?  

“And if anyone ever hurt her… I would-“  

Sam falls silent, the blonde's throat bobbing.

“ I would be incredibly upset.”  

You couldn’t believe what you were hearing, did Sam REALLY think you were into her sister?

“I’m not into Kristie.” You mumble, your voice sounding uncertain to your own ears.

Sam abruptly turns to you, a brow arched.

“Wait… Really?” She asks, her eyes narrowed.

The stadium erupts and you turn back to the field, watching as Kristie celebrates her goal will your teammates.

Kristie’s blue orbs find yours and you stiffen, your heart thumping wildly in your chest.

Kristie frowns when you turn away, choosing to turn your focus away from her and your teammates, though not before you whisper something to Sam, the blonde frowning when you make your way down the benches, putting as much distance as you can between you and the youngest of the Mewis sisters.   

                                                            ***

Kristie Mewis was baffled.

One moment you were inseparable, and the next you were giving her the cold shoulder, as if all the progress she’d made was erased and you were back to your; hard, unsociable self.

“Seriously, what happened?” Kristie frowns as she takes a seat beside her sister on the bench, a pit forming in her stomach.  

“She won’t even look at me now Sammy.” She frowns sadly, earning one in return from her little sister.  

“What did I do?”  

Sam takes a deep breath.  

“Nothing Kris, you didn’t do anything.”  

“Then why’s she ignoring me?” She pouts.  

Sam’s mouth opens and closes a few times, the blonde remembering how a few days ago you’d told her that you, REALLY weren’t interested in Kristie, it was right after that you started putting distance between the two of you.  

The pair watch as you knock a goal in passed Alyssa Naeher, your face impassive as you tug your shirt up, using it to wipe the sweat from your face.  

Kristie swallows hard, the woman shamelessly ogling you, that is until your eyes meet hers and she abruptly turns away, her cheeks flushed bright red.  

With her gaze no longer on you, she misses the twitch at the corner of your lips, your small smile on display, that is until you realize Sam’s eyes are on you.  

Sam hums, the blonde turning towards her sister.  

“Maybe you should try and talk to her?” She shrugs and Kristie huffs.  

“She won’t even let me get close to her.”  

Sam leans her head on Kristie’s shoulder, her older sister’s head resting against hers.  

“You’ve got to try Kris, trust me.”

                                                            ***

Kristie spent the following week doing just that, but no matter how hard she tried you always slipped away, always had an excuse that would lead to you putting as much distance between the two of you as possible.  

After an entire week, if not more, of trying to speak with you, Kristie Mewis, snapped.

Just as you were about to take your leave, she roughly grabbed your wrist, pushing you into a nearby alcove within the arena.  

“What in the fuck-

“Shut up.” She growls, and your eyes widen, the outburst surprising you.  

“What are you playing at?”  

Kristie smacks the wall beside your head.  

“What are YOU playing at!?” She growls and you shake your head.  

“What do you-

“You’ve been ignoring me for WEEKS! FOR NO REASON!” She yells and you swallow hard.  

“I-

“NO, BE QUIET!”  

Uncharacteristically, you find your mouth snapping shut.  

“WHAT DID I DO TO YOU!?” She asks and you shake your head.  

“N-Nothing.”  

“Then WHAT is your problem!?” She yells, smacking the wall beside you and you swallow hard, your mouth opening and closing as you try to find the words to convey exactly what you’re feeling, but before you can, Kristie takes a step back.  

“You know what? Fucking forget it, when you decide you want to speak to me like a normal fucking human being, you know where to find me.” She growls as she marches off, leaving you to watch her go with a frown.  

“What did I just do...?”  

                                                            ***

The tables were turned after that, every time you tried to speak to Kristie, she would simply turn her back on you and walk away, leaving you to watch her go with an ache in your heart.

The more distance she put between you, the worse you felt, you’d never felt this way about anyone, and to have the woman you did have feelings for pulling away, it took its toll on you.  

You were soon back to your, old, anti-social self as you had been at the beginning of camp, a permanent scowl on your face, your arms crossed across your chest in a defensive gesture.  

“I don’t like seeing that again.” Emily nods in your direction, watching as you angrily walk across the field, the muscle in your jaw jumping.  

“What even happened?” Kelley asks, earning a shrug from the blonde.  

“Beats me.”  

Sam meanwhile frowns, her head on a swivel as she looks from Kristie, to you and back.  

She couldn’t help but feel guilty, seeing as it was after her ‘shovel talk’ that you’d put distance between the two of you.  

You spot Kristie out of the corner of your eye, your scowl turning into a frown, you weren’t sure how you were going to fix things between the two of you, but you knew you had to, your sanity depended on it.

                                                            ***

You tried and tried and tried, but no matter what you did you couldn’t get Kristie to talk to you, unless of course it was absolutely necessary.  

The longer she spent ignoring you, the more visible the cracks in your walls became, the closer they got to crumbling.  

It was at practice one day that things came to a head.  

“Kris-  

“Sorry, I’m busy.”  

“But-

Your mouth snaps shut when Kristie moves away from you, and further onto the field, despite it being time for a break at practice.  

You sigh, shoving your hands in your short’s pockets.  

“WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO GET YOU TO TALK TO ME!?” You cry, surprising literally everyone with your sudden outburst.  

Kristie turns on her heels, her eyes wide when she realizes in fact that the cry had come from you, the glassy sheen of tears in your eyes.  

“I CAN’T TAKE YOU NOT TALKING TO ME ANYMORE! JUST TALK TO ME.” You yell.

“Y/N-

“NO!” You yell, waving off the remainder of your teammate’s as you make your way towards Kristie, shocking the blonde when you rest your hands on her shoulders.  

“Just TALK to me.” You plead, your head hanging.  

“Please.” You beg, tears streaming down your cheeks.  

You’d never been reduced to this, you’d never broken down in front of anyone, but the thought of losing the woman who meant so much to you was too much to bear, and you couldn’t, you wouldn’t let the distance between the two of you grow so vast that you became a pinprick on her horizon.  

“Y/N...” She whispers and you shake your head, realizing you’d just entirely let your walls down in front of the entire team.  

Your hands leave her shoulders, instantly moving to cover your face.  

“I-I’m sorry.” You stutter, about to take a step back but before you can Kristie grabs your wrists.  

“Hey, hey, don’t be sorry.” She whispers, giving your wrists a squeeze before pulling your hands away from your face.  

“We’ll talk after practice, just you and me, okay?” She releases your wrists in favor of cupping your cheeks and you nod, inhaling softly, her touch causing the air to leave your lungs.  

“Okay?” She whispers again and you nod, the prospect of a conversation between the two of you leaving you not only frightened, but hopeful.

“Okay.”  

                                                            ***

You were embarrassed, how could you not be after your outburst in front of the team?  

You briefly thought of putting distance between yourself and Kristie again, but quickly shook your head, it was what had gotten you into this mess in the first place.  

You remained seated on the bench as everyone gathered their things, Kristie’s blue orbs on you as she made her way over, taking a seat beside you.  

On their way by, a number of your teammates patted you on the back in a calming gesture, Emily choosing to ruffle your head instead, something that got a chuckle out of you, despite the situation.  

Kristie smiles, the sound of your laugh making her heart lighten in her chest, she hadn’t heard it often, but anytime she did the butterflies in her stomach would flitter their wings.  

Once the two of you were entirely alone, the stadium empty around you, you turned to one another, albeit, slowly.  

You swallow hard, your mouth opening and closing as you try to find the words you want to speak, in the end you say what you’d been wanting to say since the two of you had stopped communicating.  

“I’m sorry.”  

You lick your lips your gaze dropping to your feet.  

“I shouldn’t have put distance between us in the first place, I was just scared.”

Kristie scoots closer, causing you to stiffen.  

“Scared of what?” She asks and you exhale.

“Y-You.”  

Kristie’s brows furrow.

You clear your throat, your cheeks flushing.

“How I-How I feel about you.”

Kristie’s eyes widen.

You swallow, attempting to rid yourself of the lump in your throat.

“I’ve never felt this way about anyone, ever, except for you.”  

You shake your head unable to look at her.  

“I tried to ignore it, but I can’t. I think I’m-

Suddenly you fall silent, your eyes as wide as saucers as Kristie’s lips tenderly press against your own, her hands cupping your cheeks with a gentleness you had yet to experience before.  

Your eyes flutter shut, your hands finding purchase on her waist, the woman straddling the bench as you pull her closer, your knees brushing.  

Kristie smiles against your lips as your hands run up her sides, your fingers wrapping around her wrists as the two of you, with much reluctance, part.  

Kristie’s forehead rests against your own, your eyes still hidden behind closed eyelids.  

A wolf whistle pulls the two of you apart and you find yourself glaring into the nearby tunnel, which is packed full of your entire team, all watching you with massive grins, the widest coming from Sam Mewis.  

“GET IT!” Emily yells and you shake your head, unable to bite back a grin.  

Kristie giggles, your brow arching when you turn to her, seeing the cocky grin on Kristie’s face.  

She bites her tongue between her teeth.  

“I knew you liked me.”  

You roll your eyes, though you can’t help but smile, your heart lightening in your chest.  

"Admit it.” She nudges you and you exhale loudly, your nose brushing hers as you again lean in, your lips ghosting hers.  

“I guess you could say that.”  

Kristie closes the gap between you, her lips meeting yours in another, ever softer kiss.  

“I guess you could say that my ass.”  

[wsl-chelsea]

https://t.co/9Jj8i5GlPv

Another Kristie Mewis article!! An interview from Jenna Tonelli.

thank you so much!!! for those who are lazy:

Kristie Mewis is ‘having an OK time’ at NJ/NY Gotham FC.

The USWNT midfielder and Olympic bronze medalist joined the New Jersey-based team for the 2022 season and made an immediate impact on the field. The soccer pitch isn’t the only place where Mewis is making her mark. The 31-year-old is partnering with Six Star Pro Nutrition, “The Athlete’s Choice” and a leading maker of scientifically formulated premium supplements, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Title IX, the landmark ruling that forever changed American education and sport.

To honor the occasion, Six Star will give away 50 jerseys of female athletes during the month of June. For Mewis, being part of this innovative giveaway to raise the profile of female athletes is extremely meaningful.

“These past 50 years have been so influential in the women’s sports world and I think it’s an amazing step in the right direction,” Mewis told AllForXI. “I want to do anything and everything I can to help [Six Star Pro Nutrition] and to be a part of something that is so cool. It’s very, very important that we get jerseys out there and keep promoting the women’s game. It’s growing so much, and we want it to keep growing. It deserves to keep growing.”

Even now, jerseys of female athletes can be difficult to acquire. Six Star will work with winners to get the jersey of their choice, regardless of who the player is or when they played. Fans can register here to win.

The month of June also marks another occasion important to Mewis: Pride Month

“To me, Pride means being proud of who you are and, it’s so cliché, but recognizing that love is love,” Mewis said. “It’s a time where we can celebrate how far we’ve come but also recognize how much more work still needs to be done. Pride Month is a really cool way for everyone to express themselves and be who we are, but of course, we want that to be all year long.”

“We need to use our platforms as much as we possibly can to give [young fans] someone to look up to, and to be a safe space for them. I think it is super important,” Mewis said. “It has been such a great community for me to be a part of and I want to help and do whatever I can to make everyone feel really safe and really special in their own way.”

In fact, this Saturday, Gotham FC is hosting their annual Pride Night game. For Mewis, having clubs host Pride Nights is very special and a great way for everyone to feel connected, no matter how you identify.

“I think it’s just a great night to show your support and to have some fun with it,” she said. “But it’s also for the fans to see that we can be who we are so that they also feel that they can do that, too.”

Mewis is loving her time at Gotham

The Massachusetts native praised the organization for all the work they are doing behind the scenes, and is looking forward to contributing to the club’s success. “They’re really going in a great direction. I’m so excited to be a part of it and to have a future here,” she said. “The players, the staff, and head coach Scott Parkinson have been so amazing and welcoming. I feel at home here, so I’m very happy.”

Adding to that happiness was Gotham FC’s recent win over expansion side Angel City FC out in Los Angeles. With the added stress of coming off two tough losses, six hours of travel, and playing in front of nearly 20,000 fans of the opposing team, the win was even more meaningful for the club. The accomplishment has given Gotham renewed confidence.

In addition to playing for Gotham, Mewis is currently a mainstay on the U.S. Women’s National Team. She joined the squad last summer at the Tokyo Olympics and helped the team earn the bronze medal.

These recent calls-ups are not Mewis’ first brush with the USWNT. Early in her career, she earned a handful caps for the national team between 2013 and 2014, but would not be called into camp again until 2019. Now, after a career filled with twists and turns, and more years of professional soccer under her belt, she is back with the team and has seen her role evolve.

“My role has dramatically switched very quickly. When I was with the national team before, I was a young, up-and-coming kid. Nothing was really expected of me. Now I am a little bit of an older player and we have a lot of young players coming in. I have felt more of a sense [of responsibility] to be a leader, to be disciplined, and to be wise on the field. I don’t think that I have ever experienced that on the national team before. I’m trying to embrace it and be the player that the team needs as best that I can. It definitely is a shift, but I’m enjoying it,” she said, adding with a grin: “I think I’m doing an OK job!”

[lovethelifeyoulive123]

the criticism of kristie is very interesting bc i think it’s like a perfect storm of she’s very popular which always invites criticism but she also does not fit nicely into a player profile box she’s unique and as Becky said on the men and blazer pod the stuff she does is not obvious to an untrained eye, in addition she has played for under preforming teams basically her entire nwsl career so she hasn’t been racking up goals and assists to showcase her skill but honestly the uswnt coaches being able to differentiate that is really good imo have to be able to locate the hidden gems 

Exactly!!

[socksnstuff00]

Not to get in a back and forth but yes Tostito can be added at anytime to this fifa23 release if she has a pre-existing profile which she does with the USWNT already on the platform. These types of patches and downloads happen through out this game because players get swapped in transfer windows or traded (in basketball and baseball) As long as an image is available then it is possible. Toasty also played last season in the league so they can use even partial stats. If she plays in the nwsl this season she will be available to add to that roster.

#game designer though not for EA

yasssss 🙌🏽 thanks Annie!

[cadopan]

Soccer in the US is a sport that is hard to play because after like very young youth leagues and beyond like high school teams, it’s a huge financial burden. So economically, it is mainly richer white people who play it. Culturally, soccer is also a sport that when organized (so not street soccer) is less diverse in the US than baseball or basketball often are. That’s the main contributor to the lack of diversity, not specific picking. Of course, Christen Press was overlooked for years partially because of her race, and so were other players, but the rapid diversification isn’t due to better and less racist leadership, it’s simply that there are more diverse college teams and more diverse youth club teams.

Thank you for the insights! Love reading these bc it's not something I could easily search up from an article or get a feel for if someone who knows first-hand hadn't explained it :)

I defo see how underlying race and financial differences come into play, but it’s also quite fascinating to find out that the cost of playing football/soccer in America is so high and ends up being an un-maintainable pathway as it gets to the higher levels. Especially for woso, since the USWNT has been at the forefront for a good many years and it’s so high profile there (from the impression I get). 

In my country — I guess because the football population is so huge — it’s simply everywhere from youth up to senior and is especially fostered well through school/institutions as you progress through each level (even as working adults, many companies have semi-pro teams etc, even for the women). Other than basic things like your own gear, the systems are in place to make it accessible to all athletes as long as you have the passion and determination for it. 

[awildgingeishere]

https://equalizersoccer.com/2021/03/05/christen-press-forward-position-training-profile-uswnt/

Christen Press is known for scoring world-class goals. The onlooking public swoons over the final product which is so often a picturesque finish bent into the side netting or hammered into the upper corner. Press often does this with such confidence that she makes the extraordinary look easy, even though it is anything but.

That final product, though, is in some ways the simpler part of the process. Press’ training habits and approach to the game embody the notion that most of an athlete’s work is done away from the public eye, on training fields and when nobody else is watching. Her unique approach to the game starts with individual training, where her focus on off-ball movement and manipulating tight spaces — rather than shooting for the sake of it, or individual dribbling drills — develops her ability to distinguish herself from any other forward. More than most, she can seamlessly transition between wide and center-forward roles.

“I think especially in the U.S., we don’t have as many players that manipulate space with off-ball movement,” Press said in an interview last year. “[It’s] something I learned in Europe and I think all European forwards do this, but we don’t often have players who do that. We typically have had players who are using strength to create space. So, I think when I play in the nine specifically, but even wide, my strength is off-ball movement, being very unpredictable, hard to mark, being dynamic and being kind of like blindside, off-ball so that I’m always stretching the line. And I think that’s a huge strength because it gives the midfield more room to play.”

All goal-scorers require a certain level of selfishness to be successful, which Press recognizes. What sets her apart is the execution in those moments. To paraphrase her teammate, Megan Rapinoe, you can always make a selfish decision to shoot and not pass… as long as you score.

“In the final third, I think I’ve always had a goal-scorer’s mentality,” Press said. “Once I’m in range of shooting, I don’t think about anything else. If I happen to pass, it’s because I couldn’t have shot. And I think that there’s a breed of players that are just wired that way. And then there’s a breed of players that play the same position that aren’t. I am wired like that, and there’s also pros and cons to it, but my first thought is always setting my feet to score, setting my feet to take a touch and then score. And then anything else that happens in that space is just a second option, honestly.”

***

Press blazed her own path to being a United States women’s national team regular. She left the U.S. club scene in 2012 to play in Sweden, feeling as though she needed to make a change after largely being left out of the U.S. picture by then head coach Pia Sundhage. Her back story has been recounted ad nauseam over the past decade, but it is still essential to understanding the person and the player – a do-everything forward who has been shaped by these experiences. Her path is unique among her peers of the same generation, and it shows in her different approach to playing forward.

Press famously thrived in Gothenburg, becoming the first American to win the Damallsvenskan’s golden boot. That move abroad — at a time when U.S. internationals not only were not playing abroad, but were actively discouraged from doing so — ironically solidified her place in the United States team ever since. Her goal in last month’s SheBelieves Cup against Argentina was her 60th, tying her with Shannon MacMillan for ninth in U.S. history.

Press grew up as a pure No. 9, a goal-scorer. She carried on with that through college, lighting up the scoring record books at Stanford, and used that to her advantage during that glorious first stretch of her career in Sweden. Cracking the national team was a different story. Abby Wambach was the incumbent No. 9 at the time, often alongside Amy Rodriguez, and Alex Morgan — who graduated college the same year as Press — burst onto the scene as the U.S.’ up-and-coming No. 9, meaning Press was often relegated to wide positions.

For a long time, Press’ place there felt shoehorned, no doubt a contributing factor to a relatively quiet World Cup in 2015, when she was pegged by so many to be the breakout star. Slowly, however, she adapted, choosing to accept whichever role she was given if it meant playing for the best team in the world. Now, she thrives in both wide and central roles. The difference was tangible at the 2019 World Cup, where the wide role which once looked so uncomfortable for Press was the one which she stepped into for the semifinal against England, due to Megan Rapinoe’s injury. Press scored 10 minutes into that impromptu start, helping the U.S. reach (and win) a second straight final.

“I think that I have more of a responsibility than any other forward to play in all the roles as needed and I think that’s historically been because I’ve been a substitute coming on,” she said. “So, you kind of have to be ready for whoever’s coming out; you’re the first sub on. And now, I think it’s just flexibility because I’ve done it and I’ve done it okay in several positions that everyone’s like, ‘oh, well she can.’ So, I think that’s a blessing and a curse. It gets you on a roster to be versatile, but I feel like having a stake on the field is like you’re in one position and you’re always going to show up in that position. I think that that has its pros as well.”

Today, it is accepted as fact that Press can play across all three positions on the front line: center forward, wide left and wide right. For years, that versatility was a burden she carried, a struggle through the purgatory of being an elite player without a defined position. Now, however, she has leveraged this to her advantage. Press has for so long juggled different forward positions that she has mastered each of them. Her lack of a defined position contributes to the outside world’s inability to explicitly qualify her greatness, but it is also the very thing which makes Press such a singular talent.

Her shift throughout the front line illustrates how the forward position varies between certain roles, even if in nuanced ways. Press said the definitions are a little more blurred in this system, and that each forward shares the responsibility to get in behind and score, but the physical difference in where each position lines up on the field affects how she plays each position.

“I think technically it is very different playing in the different positions, because your orientation is just completely changed,” she said. “And I think my whole career, I played with the offside line behind me. That’s a nine. So, playing wide for the first time was really hard because you see the whole game through one eye. And your dominant foot and your mobility of your hips — I know it sounds crazy — really affects what you can and can’t do on each side. But now I’ve been passed around so many times, I feel like I’m like, okay, my second eye is — I can still see out of this one.”

***

Press views each offseason as a little book of its own. In past years, she would write a draft of what those figurative chapters would be, listing the things she wanted to improve in her game and designing drills to achieve those goals. Press said that she has had trainers in the past, but nobody knows what she needs better than her.

She tries to balance the design of her training sessions to work on skills she thinks she is exceptional at and areas where she thinks she is not very good. Anything in between gets lost. This is where those subtle foundations are formed daily.

“I have a very regimented way that I train, a flow of when I control practice, this is how it flows,” Press said. “Within each segment of my training, I’ll have specific things that I’m working on, and always starting in the beginning of training with the most simple drills that you would never actually see a professional do —really, really childish and then just working on the mechanics and growing from there.”

Press points to quick-release shooting as one of these simple things she trains: she starts as basic as lining up a bag of balls on the six-yard line and quickly shooting with only one step, to work on generating power. Press executes this better than any other teammate and that is because she has, through the years, taken what is seemingly a disadvantage and figured out a way to create an advantage out of it.

Instead of viewing the ball as stuck under her feet, Press sees an opportunity to catch a defender between steps or a goalkeeper flat-footed. Whereas many forwards are especially dangerous when barreling down the field at speed, Press might be the best goal-scorer in the world from a standing-still position in open play. She trains that — again, by beginning simply. Press will line up a bag of balls on the six-yard line and shoot in quick succession, taking only one step back to reset. This is the foundation of generating power.

“I think that if I look through the years [at] the space I train in, it’s in that exact ‘D,’” she said, referencing the arch at the top of the 18-yard box. “And I think the way that you most often score there is using your defenders as a shield and a little bit into negative space, and then bending the ball. I think that’s absolutely my best way of scoring.

“And I think that’s because of my strengths. I can get into the pocket with speed often. I don’t actually like dribbling around defenders very much. I don’t practice dribbling so I’ve got one way to get by them, but I often work on manipulating my defenders so they can’t block my shot, rather than working on manipulating them so I can get by them. And I think that’s why then I developed a shot that I can take basically with the ball under my feet and generate a lot of power, because it’s unexpected for the goalkeeper and it’s out of reach for the defender.”

Training this type of skill is very intentional. Even on a field by herself, with no active defenders, Press knows that if she takes four steps before a shot, she has failed. In a game, with real defenders, she will have been tackled or her shooting window will have closed.

Soccer is about a feeling, Press says. U.S. Soccer sends film to players after each training session so they can self-evaluate. Press says she does not look at how she performed technically, but rather what her body language said about her approach to a given training session.

She has not gone without dry spells or rough patches, from the more subtle grind of transitioning to wide roles and changing teams, to the more obvious and overt moments, such as the penalty-kick shootout miss in the 2016 Olympic quarterfinal against Sweden.

There is a notion that forwards need short memories, to not dwell on such misses. Press said she views things slightly differently, borrowing some inspiration from fellow teammates.

“I think instead of even a short memory, I always told myself since I was a young person: the more I miss, the closer I am to my next goal,” she said. “Because it’s almost like once you play long enough, you’ve missed so many times that it’s no longer emotional. I guess a certain miss in a certain moment might be, but even those, I’ve done it; I’ve missed as bad as you can miss and I’ve let the team [down]. So, life goes on and I feel like if I’m in a game and I’ve missed an easy goal, that means the next one, I’m gonna score. Because I’ve missed a million easy goals before, and I’ve always scored again. So, that’s kind of how I approach it and I actually think I see this a bit in Carli [Lloyd]. If she ever misses an easy chance, she kind of becomes ravenous. She hunts and hunts because she wants to replace that memory with something else, and I try to even embody that a bit, where I’m even more hungry in the final part of that field.”

Lloyd and Press combined for a goal against England at the 2020 SheBelieves Cup. The play was a microcosm of all these things: Press intentionally drifting into open space on the opponent’s back line before receiving the ball, opening her hips to face up to goal in one fluid motion, and firing a quick shot which caught England’s defenders and goalkeeper by surprise. The camera angle from behind Press showed just how much the ball bent to tuck into the side netting. ESPN announcer Sebastian Salazar screamed a phrase which quickly made its way to a t-shirt: “Christen Press, what have you done?!”

It was another spectacular goal from Press, one worthy of all the plaudits it received. What had she done? Well, it was the same she has been doing for a long time, drifting between forward positions and scoring a noteworthy goal from skills she has developed away from the public eye."

[whilereadingandwalking]

Soccerwomen: The Icons, Rebels, Stars, and Trailblazers Who Transformed the Beautiful Game is an absolute must-read for fans of women's soccer. Gemma Clarke highlights the women who got us here—their stories show us how far we've come but also how much is exactly the same. It is globally focused (not just the USWNT), and features both stars and lesser known players (some of which I had never heard of). 

By tracing women's soccer from its origins, Clarke shows that the game has always been tied closely with female selfhood and protest. Have you heard of Nettie Honeyball, the woman who started a British football squad in 1894? You can read about household names like Brandi Chastain, Marta, and Megan Rapinoe, and international players who should be household names but aren't, like Sissi, Nadia Nadim, and Homare Sawa, and players you may not have heard of, like Lily Parr, the iconic British forward who used to steal every match ball, or Azize Ay, the 48-year-old Turkish soccer icon. Not to mention coaches! 

Best of all, Clarke doesn't solely profile the careers of these women. She talks about their lives after the game as well—their accomplishments and their struggles—and in doing so, reveals the ways that sexism, racism, the sexist biases in medicine, dismissal, ignorance, substance abuse, and more, all impacted these women, and how they're continuing to fight. She doesn't back away from the more controversial topics, and in easy, readable language, talks about the double standards and painful realities of women's soccer around the world while maintaining an inspiring tone that made me cry several times over. 

My only critique is that sometimes, in unexpected fashion, Clarke would drop a fact, a complicating factor, or a description of an important game. In addition, some bios are puzzlingly short compared to others. My personal guess is that at some point, the book had to get shorter, but it shows. 

All that said, the book is fantastic, and the perfect read to accompany and inspire you as the women's soccer tournament continues in this Olympics. (Note, it was published in 2019 pre–World Cup.)