Tag: FIFA Women’s World Cup

Carli Lloyd Unsure of Future

Posted on by Backline Soccer

Amidst the celebration of yet another World Cup victory, US Women’s National team star Carli Lloyd may have given some insight into a potential retirement. She still feels like she is at the top of her game, but sounded displeased by the view of her as being more of a substitute. 

“It’s been a really tough couple of years,” said Lloyd. “It’s not based on my ability and for whatever reasons, coaches made the decision. I tried to put up a good case (to play).”

Lloyd did play a role in the 2019 World Cup victory but it was as a super-substitute off the bench. In all, the former FIFA Women’s Player of the Year only started in one game, a group stage meeting against Chile. She scored twice in that game but was unable to crack the starting line-up for the remainder of the tournament.

Overall, the Women’s National team was stacked with talent unlike ever before. Lloyd’s contributions are certainly not undervalued, but head coach Jill Ellis may not see her as a long term part of the team and played her in that way over the course of this tournament.

Lloyd turns 37 next week but hasn’t shown a significant dip in production. Her efforts with Sky Blue can be attributed to the team’s on and off-field issues but she has produced on the international stage. She has scored three goals despite not being a starter thus far in 2019 and does have hopes of playing in the Olympics next year.

 “I’m going to go home, I’m going to kind of let the emotions die down a little bit, speak to my husband and we’ll go from there.”

While her future may be in doubt, she did express her happiness about the team’s performance in France. She has been a part of two World Cup teams and been a major face for women’s soccer.

“The goal was winning,” said Lloyd. “I’m really proud of this team and proud to be on this roster of 23 players to win another World Cup.”

Rapinoe on WC Pay Disparity: “Certainly Not Fair”

Posted on by Backline Soccer

US Women’s World Cup star Megan Rapinoe did not hold back on Saturday when she fielded questions about the increase in World Cup prize pay disparity that is set to happen between the men’s and women’s game in 2021. 

FIFA President Gianni Infantino wants to double the prize money for the top international competition in women’s soccer to $60 million. While on the outside this may look like progress, the men’s World Cup scheduled for Qatar in two years will see an increase in prize money to $440 million. The disparity will increase by an astounding $380 million. 

“It certainly is not fair,” said Rapinoe when asked by the press. “We should double it now and then use that number to double it or quadruple it for the next time.”

Rapinoe has been on the front line during this World Cup and in recent years as the women’s game looks for major support from big money backers and federations. She has vocally criticized FIFA and US Soccer for their shortcomings both domestically and internationally. The money issue is one that brings many of the complaints to the forefront.

“That is what I mean when we talk about: ‘Do we feel respected?’ Earlier in the year, a quote came out where I said FIFA doesn’t care about the women’s game. That’s what I mean. If you really care about each game in the same way, are you letting the gap grow.”

In recent years the fight for support from FIFA has been a strain. Just four years ago the fight to have games played on actual grass was an issue that the men’s World Cup would never need to concern themselves with. Now, it is a fight for respect when ratings, ticket sales and eyeballs have increased far more on the US Women’s team than with the men.

“I’m not saying that the prize money is $450 million this time or next time around. I understand that for a lot of different reasons the men’s game, financially, is far more advanced than the women’s game but if you really care, you’re letting the gap grow?”

Thus far the off-the-field battle for their place in the sporting world hasn’t affected the on-the-field product. Tomorrow the US Women’s National Team goes for their fourth World Cup championship and their second in a row against Netherlands. Thus far they have impressively dispatched Spain, France and England in the knockout stages and are heavy favorites against the Netherlands.

19-Year-Old Jamaican Keeper Sydney Schneider Emerges on World Cup Stage

Posted on by RJ Allen

Brazil may have impressed the masses with their 3-0 win over the Jamaican women’s national team on Sunday morning but it was Jamaican 19-year-old goalkeeper Sydney Schneider that stole the imaginations of millions with a performance that boosted her side and gave many the idea that the Caribbean minnows can be dangerous in the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

“I started when I was 14 or 15,” said Schneider to the Jamaica Observer about her origins in goal. “We were at a tournament and the coach threw me in the goal probably because of my height and I ended up being pretty decent at it.”

Decent is an understatement as the current keeper of the UNC Wilmington Seahawks made four crucial saves, including a penalty stop that made the crowd believe there was a chance for a comeback in the first half. Standing at 5’10, Schneider has the reach to match her reaction time.

Currently a sophomore, Schneider played in all 19 games last year, making her only the second goalkeeper in team history to do such a thing as a freshman. 

What is even more impressive is that Schneider could have been a prospect for the US women’s national team having been born in South Brunswick, New Jersey. However, by age 16 she was already playing in Elite Club Nations League and earned a spot on the youth national sides as well.

Her connection to Jamaica comes from her grandparents on her mother’s side. Whether she anticipated a call-up to the United States isn’t know but she did turn down a call-up to the Jamaican U-17 team in 2015 before finally joining the team a year later. 

Schneider will look to continue her run of form and hopefully guide Jamaica passed the group stage when the team plays Italy on Friday. Group C, which was once thought to be easy for Brazil and Australia, has turned heads following the shocking 2-1 scoreline between Italy and Australia. Jamaica could possible throw even more chaos into the mix by taking points against Italy on Friday.

Jill Ellis Names The USWNT 23: Which Players Made 
the Cut?

Posted on by RJ Allen

Defending World Cup Champion US Women’s National team has announced their 23-woman roster ahead of the World Cup in June. Many of the picks were expected but the rumored selection of Ali Krieger, which drew a bit of criticism, did in fact come to be.

Almost half of the selected players will be making their first World Cup appearance including Mallory Pugh, Lindsey Horan, Allie Long and Emily Sonnett. Those names will join veteran players like Carli Lloyd, Kelley O’Hara, Becky SauerBrunn, Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan as those making three or more appearances in the highest women’s tournament in the world.

The inclusion of Krieger did initially raise some eyebrows. However it is in line with head coach Jill Ellis’ past decisions. In 2015 she selected 27-year-old Shannon Boxx who had only just rejoined the team months earlier before the World Cup. The veteran presence might have been something Ellis sought considering the experience of her selections for the competition in France.

The tournament begins on June 7th with the USA’s first game being in Reims against Thailand on June 11th.

2019 FIFA World Cup US Women’s National Team Selection:

Goalkeepers (3): Adrianna Franch, Ashlyn Harris, Alyssa Naeher

Defenders (7): Abby Dahlkemper, Tierna Davidson, Crystal Dunn, Ali Krieger, Kelley O’Hara, Becky Sauerbrunn, Emily Sonnett

Midfielders (6): Morgan Brian, Julie Ertz, Lindsey Horan, Rose Lavelle, Allie Long, Samantha Mewis

Forwards (7): Tobin Heath, Carli Lloyd, Jessica McDonald, Alex Morgan, Christen Press, Mallory Pugh, Megan Rapinoe

The USWNT are World Cup Favorites No Matter What Kelley O’Hara Says

Posted on by RJ Allen

The United States Women’s National team had to be happy when they saw their draw in the 2019 Women’s World Cup but are trying to bang the drum to keep their motivation high. The team is in Group F against Thailand, Sweden and Chile who have poor historical record against the reigning World Cup Champions.

Still, that hasn’t stopped defender Kelley O’Hara from stating that they may be champs but aren’t the favorites in France come June:

“I would never place us as ‘favorites’ or put it on us,” said O’Hara following the draw. “We do hold ourselves to a very high standard and , yeah, we want to win. Who doesn’t want to win the World Cup? Being the defending champions, I absolutely want to go back-to-back.”

O’Hara may be referring to France as the potential favorites who are not only hosts but also have a win over the United States since the last World Cup. This year the French side has only lost one game, a 4-1 defeat to England back in early April, and have won their last seven games in convincing fashion. That coupled with fact that the US will more than likely meet France in the Quarterfinals if all go according to plan, stacks the pressure on both teams but doesn’t quite push the hosts over the reigning champions.

Then there is the issue of Sweden. They represent the only team in the group with a result of note, a goal-less draw against the US back in 2015 World Cup. While O’Hara and squad will certainly be looking for a slight bit of revenge, the group is structured in a way that makes it very difficult to fail and thus why there is no way that the reigning champions cannot be considered favorites.

“The gap between the top-ranked team and the lowest in this World Cup is much closer than it ever has been, in terms of just level of play,” O’Hara said. “That is attributed to federations investing more time and money into their female program which, I think, needs to continue. It’s just starting and it’s only going to get better, but it does need that investment from the federations.

“I think they’ll be pleasantly surprised to see that the competition is going to be stiff and exciting.”

The US will begin their warm-up tour in January against France, in France. Should they not get a result in that game perhaps the narrative will change. However, until the someone knocks the champions off of their perch, it will be very difficult for anyone to see the US as anything other than what they really are: Champions with the pressure to repeat no matter the opponents.