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Happy Monday! The “Full Time” podcast answered your burning questions. From developments in Denver’s NWSL bid to favorite cheeses for the charcuterie board, it’s essential holiday listening.
A Year of Goodbyes
USWNT says farewell to 2019 World Cup winners
For many of us, the leap from 2019 to 2024 was so aggressive it should come with a jump-scare warning. Even the U.S. women’s national team wasn’t immune.
With Becky Sauerbrunn’s emotional retirement last week, seven of the starters from the 2019 Women’s World Cup-winning team have now retired. In 2023, Megan Rapinoe and Julie Ertz stepped away from the game, and this year it was Sauerbrunn, Alyssa Naeher, Kelley O’Hara, Sam Mewis and Alex Morgan’s turn.
From winning back-to-back World Cups to signing a major agreement that brought equal pay to the women’s and men’s national teams, the group amassed:
- 1127 combined appearances for the U.S.
- 233 goals
- 69 clean sheets
- Two Olympic gold medals
- Two World Cup titles
“All I can do is hope that you got to share in some of the joy I felt every time I stepped onto a field — that you got to dream with me, even if just for a little while,” Sauerbrunn wrote in her goodbye post.
We should have been given a tissue stipend at the very least.
Meg’s Corner
Reflecting on Sauerbrunn’s impact
There’s no corner that could ever contain the breadth of what Becky Sauerbrunn has contributed to the USWNT, NWSL and the world of women’s soccer, so rather than trying to grapple with her career as a whole, it feels far safer to focus on the how and why of Sauerbrunn’s role as the moral center of the sport here in America for a decade.
The quiet kid from St. Louis who ended up captain of the USWNT — without ever taking her roster spot for granted — probably never wanted the role. But it was Sauerbrunn’s leadership, thoughtfulness and measured consideration that made her voice so crucial on and off the field.
The defender knew how and when to use it. She never shied away from a question — from equal pay to LGBTQ+ rights to the protection of players following the NWSL abuse scandal. There’s a reason why Sauerbrunn was one of the first players to speak following the release of the Sally Yates report; Above all, Sauerbrunn has always been trusted by her fellow players to speak for them all.
Sauerbrunn, 39, has never been a player who wanted to be the center of attention, but that’s one of the things that has made her so special throughout the years. When she spoke, players listened. She made the national team better, the league better and the landscape as a whole better.
And fortunately for us, she’s not really going anywhere even as she departs the playing field, as Sauerbrunn is expected to continue on in soccer media.
Lucas Boland / Imagn Images
Notables
Williams joins Seattle Reign
It’s hard to imagine any year of the rest of Lynn Williams’ career being as eventful as 2024 was. The Fresno, Calif., native became the NWSL’s all-time leading goal scorer in the spring and an Olympic gold medalist in the summer, and she even wrapped the year by getting married on Dec. 8. Now, she’s bidding farewell to Gotham FC after two seasons. The forward was traded to the Seattle Reign last week — her fourth team following stints with Gotham, Kansas City Current and North Carolina Courage (Western New York Flash).
Williams and Gotham goalkeeper Cassie Miller will head to the Reign in exchange for midfielder Jaelin Howell, an international roster slot and $70,000 in general allocation money, the teams announced Friday.
For all of her marquee moments, Williams saw her on-field productivity take a step back at the club level this year. Williams, 31, managed just four goals in NWSL play, down from eight in 2023, and came off the bench in Gotham’s semifinal loss to the Washington Spirit. The record-holder is still dealing with her 2022 hamstring injury, which is a major part of why she began donning her now-iconic right leg sleeve.
There was a clear increase in her volume from the left edge of the box, likely upped to accommodate Esther at center forward and Rose Lavelle in the right half-space. With a clearer leading role in Seattle, the Reign will look to Williams to further pad her lead atop the league scoring chart.
Now streaming: World Cup on Netflix
Netflix secured exclusive broadcast rights in the U.S. for the 2027 and 2031 Women’s World Cups, FIFA announced Friday, including English and Spanish language coverage. It’s the first time the Women’s World Cup will be broadcast on a streaming service. While the value of the deal has not been disclosed, FIFA has described it as a “landmark” agreement.
Richard Deitsch writes that Netflix being any kind of player in live sports as a whole will change the landscape, but Jeff Rueter questions whether that’s a good thing for women’s soccer.
What happens when pay-to-play becomes pay-to-watch?
Is Denver next to join NWSL?
A source told The Athletic last week that the league is in the final stages of adding a club in Denver as the 16th team. Sportico was first to report the news.
The source said that the expansion fee is in the range of $105 million to $120 million. That’s double the $53 million expansion fee that Bay FC and BOS Nation FC paid as the 14th and 15th NWSL teams, respectively.
BOS Nation, who will start play in 2026, has secured its stadium … finally. The mayor of Boston announced today the team signed a lease with the city that locks in White Stadium as its venue.
Gift Guide
Last-minute soccer shopping ideas
Admittedly, this might have been more useful a few weeks ago, but we asked The Athletic’s women’s soccer writers to submit their quintessential gifts for the soccer fan in your life (or you):
A Youtube TV subscription
$82.99/mo
NWSL broadcast rights are fractured across four services: ION, Amazon, CBS and ESPN. No one subscription will cover all four, but YouTube TV will at least cover the ION and ESPN part, as well as national team games since USSF currently has a deal with Turner Sports through 2031 — though that doesn’t include the World Cups Netflix now owns.
Foot sling for long flights or car rides
$10-25 on Amazon
For the fan who doesn’t mind traveling for games, this tip comes directly from world traveler and Angel City defender Ali Riley, who mentioned it as one of her must-haves before the 2023 World Cup. It might not sound like a lot, but Steph says, having used this one herself from Sydney to Los Angeles, it’s a huge ROI in terms of relieving discomfort.
Lego
Varied prices, eBay
The 2023 World Cup “Icons of Play” Lego set that featured Megan Rapinoe and Sam Kerr is officially sold out, but the 2001 Lego 3416 Women’s Team set can still be found on eBay. Just make sure the seller is reputable. (The Athletic maintains full editorial independence in all our coverage. When you click or make purchases through our links, we may earn a commission.)
Cameo
Varied prices
A lot of NWSL and USWNT players are on Cameo — including Aubrey Kingsbury, Bethany Balcer, Danny Colaprico and Tierna Davidson. Get a personalized “hello” for that special someone in your life.
This t-shirt
$20, Olive & York
The rebrand away from the Chicago Red Stars to just the Stars saw the club abandon a name picked by its fan base over a decade ago. Their new crest explainer took space to clarify that at the heart of the new logo was “the ball, representing soccer.” The fine folks at Olive & York helpfully threw it onto a shirt.
Something from Playa Society
Varied prices, Playa Society
If you’re a WNBA fan or you watch South Carolina women’s basketball games, you’ve probably seen something from this brand — which now also has some USWNT options (like the “Blaze a Trail” shirt on sale for $30). They did a small Orlando Pride NWSL champs run. If you need to buy for someone who loves all women’s sports, then spring for the “Pay Some Respect to Women’s Sports” hoodie.
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(Top photo: Scott Taetsch / Imagn Images)
