Michael Jordan in basketball. Mohammed Ali in boxing. Michael Phelps in Swimming. Usain Bolt in sprinting. Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona in Spanish football. Real Madrid in the Champions League. Messi, Ronaldo and Pele. These are all teams or sportsmen that epitomize domination, those that possess an unmatchable sporting prowess and whose achievements transcend sport. They have accomplished things that will likely never been repeated, they’ve won medals, scored goals and lifted trophies that will go down into history forever. There is one name, however, that’s missing from that list: The US Women’s National Team (USWNT) and their superiority in Women’s international football.
The USWNT team is an icon in women’s sport; a true pioneer both on and off the pitch. On a sporting level, their list of triumphs is endless. The USWNT has won the World Cup four times in their history and now, as the US press has labelled it, are going for a “three-peat” (play on words in English with ‘three’ and repeat’), which a reference to the fact that a triumph at this edition would be their third winners medal in the same number of tournaments.
USWNT Alex Morgan: I’m very optimistic with our chances with this roster
This stat is already impressive, but when you bear in mind that the first Women’s World Cup was played as late as 1991, and only 8 have been played since, it really helps to one to realize how much the team hasn’t dominated women’s soccer. For those who haven’t done the mental arithmetic already, that’s a whopping 50% success rate…yes, half of the World Cups that have been played have been won by the USWNT. What’s more, the team has only missed out on a podium finish once in their history at the World Cup and the Olympics. That dark day took place in 2016 when it was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Olympics in Rio.
“This team, starting 1985 (when the USA played their first international game), set the standard way back then, and each World Cup we’ve had the opportunity to build in the groundwork that has been set for us,” says goalkeeper and two-time World Cup Alyssa winner Naeher in the USWNT’s day two press conference. “Previous generations of players have started that and it’s now our responsibility to continue that mindset of the U.S. women’s national team.”
That mindset is to win, which something that most people expect them to do again in Australia and New Zealand. The FIFA number one ranked team- a record they’ve boasted for 13 years- are favorites to lift the prestigious trophy once again. That has been reflected in the bookmakers’ prices- most will pay out next to nothing for a US triumph.
Despite expectations, the players have, on numerous occasions, reiterated the idea that ‘pressure is a privilege’ and that it is actually something that helps them thrive. “You want to be at the top, you want to be the best team. It’s definitely hard at times but this team historically has handled it so well and been consistent with it,” says midfielder Kriste Mewis just a few days before the USA kick off their tournament against Vietnam. “We’re determined to keep that going”.
The 2023 Southeast Asian Games champions will be shivering at the prospect of taking on the current champions. In their last tournament, the US hammered Thailand 13-0 which is the most goals ever scored ever in a World Cup. It will take something special to stop this team from winning its fifth crown.
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