On the field, the U.S. women’s national team has much to prove at this month’s World Cup.
As back-to-back champions, there’s immense pressure on the youthful group of players aiming to win an unprecedented third title in a row. Off the field, though, non-sporting goals have already been scored.
“It’s crazy how diverse this team has become with how many African-Americans there are, Mexican-Americans,” 21-year-old Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman said earlier this month. “It’s expanding and I think that shows so much that it’s not exclusive.”
NJ/NY Gotham FC‘s Lynn Williams noted, “When I was growing up, there wasn’t a lot of Black people playing soccer, let alone on the national team to look up to. It’s just awesome that the national team is starting to look like the nation.”
As part of a wider generational shift for the USWNT, the squad that will be heading to Australia and New Zealand for the FIFA Women’s World Cup is not only younger than usual, but more ethnically diverse.
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Criticized in the past for lacking representation — “Why is the U.S. women’s World Cup roster so white?” read one headline from the 2019 tournament — this year’s roster highlights a wider range of backgrounds that can help push for more inclusivity in the sport. That representation, on the biggest stage in women’s sports, matters, especially when you consider that roadblocks remain for minorities who want to access soccer in this country.
Facing hurdles at an early age
During a Project Play Summit — an effort to build healthy communities through sport — last May, U.S. Soccer Federation president Cindy Parlow Cone outlined a challenge that has yet to be overcome in the United States.
“How do we shift that thinking from that [soccer is] a rich white kids’ sport, to this is a sport that is literally played in every country around the world,” Parlow Cone asked. “As the most diverse country in the world … how do we change that focus to making sure that every kid feels welcomed into our game?”
On a global scale, soccer typically permeates almost every demographic in every country, but in the U.S., organized versions of the game are typically seen as a costly endeavor in youth sports. Issues with access make it difficult in an often referenced “pay-to-play” setup, which can block entry for minorities.
“It’s very expensive,” said Ashley Sanchez, a Mexican American midfielder for the USWNT. “I think that everyone could do a better job of just giving opportunities to everyone.”
With a chance to lift another World Cup as millions watch on around the globe, there’s going to be an opportunity to inspire future USWNT stars who can be a part of their growing melting pot. Sofia Huerta, a dual national who played for Mexico on five occasions, believes there’s power in her name alone when it comes to creating more diversity in the future.
“I’m really proud to represent the Latinx community, and I hope that all the little girls and boys that see ‘Huerta’ on the back of my jersey know that they can accomplish anything that they want to,” the OL Reign full-back said.
“I think this is a good stepping stone,” Sanchez added of the growing visibility of Mexican Americans in the team, “but obviously we want a lot more and I hope that this isn’t even a conversation at some point and it’s just the usual.”
The goal is to encourage underrepresented kids, to show them that there’s a place for them in this game.
“It’s extremely important,” Rodman said of diversity in women’s soccer. “I think, too, the young girls that look up to me and a lot of girls that look like me, I see 10 to 20 girls after every single game that look like — could be my sisters. I just look at them and I smile.”
Now that non-sporting goals have been scored, thanks to the efforts of these players and the changing composition of the USWNT, let’s see what the team can do on the field.
“This team, it’s the best players in the country, it doesn’t matter what you look like,” said Sophia Smith, a 22-year-old forward with the Portland Thorns who could be one of the breakout stars of the World Cup. “If you’re good enough, you’re good enough, and I would like to believe that that’s what’s happening at youth levels, too.”
