A Revenge Tour of Their Own
When the news broke that Alex Morgan would not be on the US women's Olympic roster, I (like many) worried that it would be a long time before the United States Women's National Soccer Team (USWNT) would make a comeback in international soccer. With a new coach, Emma Hayes, a young roster, and changes within the team heading into Paris, there were a lot of unknowns. Yet, these women set out on a revenge tour of their own - to bring back the gold medal.
Since 1995, the USWNT dominated the sport of women's soccer. The team has a history filled with many championship wins, gold medals, and rare finishes below 3rd place in the major world tournaments. These talented women took charge of the sport. In 2023, this changed as the team shockingly lost in the Round of 16 in the World Cup, causing many to wonder if it was the end of the USWNT reign.
Players reaction following the USWNT loss at World Cup - AP
During this time, the sport said goodbye to players like Megan Rapinoe, wife of WNBA star Sue Bird, and Julie Ertz. Vlatko Andonovski also resigned from his position as head coach. By November, a new coach, Emma Hayes, entered the scene and brought with her hope that one day, the USWNT would be back on top.
Coach Emma Hayes - Getty Images
Going into the Olympics, the greatest pressure the USWNT felt was not from fans or even themselves. It was from the history of the team's success. With their early exit from the World Cup in 2023 and not making the past two Olympic finals, the pressure mounted as the team traveled to Paris.
"I grew up watching this team for however long I can remember. And this team has always had a standard of winning -- and winning on the biggest stage. I know, for us, we take so much pride in that and want to uphold that,” said Sophia Smith who's playing in her first Summer Olympic Games.
Trinity Rodman celebrating her goal that sends the team to semifinal - Reuters
Yet Team USA wasn't going to let the pressure stop them.
Once the team landed in Paris, the USWNT revenge tour began. The team started with a smashing 3-0 win over Zambia in their Paris debut, followed by a 4-1 victory over Germany. A win over Australia sent them into the quarterfinals, where, after extra time, the US won over Japan. By this point, it was clear that the team had moved on from the 2023 World Cup. The women again spent extra time in the semi-finals, where they played against Germany once again. During extra time, Sophia Smith scored a goal, and Alyssa Naeher managed to stop all of Germany's attempts to score, sealing Team USA's win.
Celebrating a goal against Germany in Olympic semifinals - Reuters
Their incredible victory over Germany punched these women's tickets straight to the gold medal match against Brazil. And it's the match that means the most to many of the players.
“We have one more game, and it's the most important game," Smith said. "But I'm so proud of us for just finding a way these past few games to get the win."
While the gold medal is not theirs yet, the Paris Olympics feels like a step in the right direction. The US women bringing home a gold medal would be the ultimate ending to their revenge tour and once again set them on a path of continuing to make history.
