I get in my feelings at the start. If you want the latest in women’s soccer scroll halfway down the page. I won’t be offended. I’m Emily Olsen here with Meg Linehan and Steph Yang, featuring Jeff Rueter — welcome to Full Time!
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Music and Sports
‘I had a feeling I could be someone’
I’m still thinking about Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs’ performance of “Fast Car” at the Grammy Awards on Sunday. So indulge me for a minute, and I’ll make it about soccer — promise.
Whether you were entranced by Chapman’s song in 1988, heard it over EDM beats by Jonas Blue in 2018 or embraced the 2023 country cover by Combs, the effect across decades shows the true genius of a talented storyteller. Sometimes it’s the words, other times it’s the music and in the most special times it’s just about what’s happening when you’re listening to the song that becomes part of your soul. (Combs, who has since won awards for covering Chapman’s song, described listening while driving around with his dad in a truck when he was younger as the catalyst for recording the cover.)
My most recent memory of “Fast Car” came last summer during the World Cup. I was at Eden Park preparing for a semifinal match between eventual champion Spain and Sweden. Across the Tasman Sea, some of my Athletic colleagues were making their way to Sydney Olympic Park for the semifinal between hosts Australia and England.
It is not hyperbolic to call it one of the biggest games in Australian soccer history. And while 83,000+ fans were on their way to watch the Matildas battle the Lionesses, 21,000 country music fans were heading to Qudos Bank Arena in the same sporting complex (less than a mile away from the stadium) to watch Luke Combs, or as our photographer on the ground described him, “Fast Car guy.”
The Athletic’s Abi Paterson described the scene best in the live blog at the time as, simply, vibes.
“Fans of both teams and American country singer Luke Combs mingle, schooners in hand donning either their scarves or cowboy hats, depending on their preferred form of entertainment this evening.”
Sometimes it’s a memorable goal, other times it’s a larger-than-life player and in the most special times, it’s just about what’s happening when you’re watching a game that becomes part of your soul.
The Athletic’s Steph Yang was at the semifinal game amongst the eclectic crowd. Steph, bring us back to the present. What’s happening in the world of footwear in women’s soccer?
Steph’s Set Piece: The evolution of soccer cleats
Last month, I spoke to athletic trainers across NWSL who said there’s not nearly as much normative physiological data on women as there is on men, and this affects how players take care of their bodies.
Equipment is part of that; Washington Spirit VP of performance Dawn Scott said in her interview, “I think the other piece of the ACL (issue) is just the technology,” and pointed directly to women’s cleat designer IDA Sports currently being the only cleat specifically made for women.
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Four years ago IDA co-founder Laura Youngson told The Athletic the company’s next step was to go deep on research into cleats made for women’s feet. There are business reasons for this, of course, but Youngson and IDA are also interested in making it easier and better for women to play soccer. So that means making shoes for women while recognizing that, on average, women’s feet are different from men’s, and that female players have different performance needs throughout a game.
Youngson and IDA’s sports scientist research lead Emelia Funnell described the updates they’ve made to their latest boot based on biomechanical testing and player feedback.
“Made it slimmer, sleeker, changed the stitching patterns, the padding, reengineered the heel,” said Youngson.
“And,” she added with a grin, “colorway updates.”
The latest boot, unveiled on Monday, is the third range of cleats since the company’s launch. The latest line:
- Is lightweight
- Works on multi-surface with indoor options
- Has expanded price points with a less expensive shoe — IDA’s current shoes can run you anywhere from $95 to $170
“We hear a lot about confidence,” said Funnell. “You just feel more relaxed when you’re playing because it fits you better, and that then has an impact on, for example, if you’re falling. Like you tend to be more relaxed when you fall.”
Read the full article, which includes more details about IDA’s research and their desire to be inclusive of all athletes, including trans and nonbinary players.
USWNT News
U-17s roll through World Cup qualifiers
Interim USWNT manager Twila Kilgore will announce the first senior roster of the year on Wednesday. The group will gather later this month for the W Gold Cup in California in one of the few remaining camps before Emma Hayes takes over as head coach. This is going to be a year of transition for the team. Could the next USWNT player gearing up for a breakout still be in high school?
OK, so maybe I’m getting ahead of myself after watching the USWNT dominate their group in CONCACAF U-17 World Cup qualifiers, outscoring opponents 21-1, but it’s hard to overlook some serious scoring chops from the like of 16-year-old Mya Townes, UNC commit Kennedy Fuller or KC Current rookie Alex Pfieffer.
It’s difficult to narrow down which of the 21 goals to highlight, but San Diego Wave forward Melanie Barcenas’ opening goal against Canada on Tuesday isn’t a bad place to start.
What is Melanie Barcenas’s range?
The answer is yes pic.twitter.com/1Sv7XvXNLH
— U.S. Soccer YNT (@USYNT) February 6, 2024
With the 5-0 win against Canada, the U.S. advances as group leaders to a semifinal game against Haiti. Canada also advances and will face Mexico. Finalists earn a spot in the U-17 World Cup.
USWNT in Champions League
The UEFA Women’s Champions League group stage wrapped up last week, and we now know the quarterfinal matchups.
- Mia Fishel and Catarina Macario, led by Hayes, will feature for Chelsea as they face off against Ajax. There’s also some positive news about Macario, who has been sidelined since June 2022 after an ACL injury. Hayes says it’s likely the 24-year-old will be back on the field following the international break.
- For Ajax, 16-year-old American Lily Yohannes has been a key part of the squad since making history in November 2023 as the youngest player to start in UWCL. The midfielder helped set up Ajax’s equalizer last week against Roma in a game the Dutch team eventually won 2-1. Yohannes hasn’t seen time with the national team since 2022…but could that change soon?
- Recent senior national team call-up Korbin Albert will also feature in the quarterfinals for PSG against the underdogs of the tournament Hacken.
- USWNT captain Lindsey Horan and Lyon take on Benfica. More on her in the next section.
GO DEEPER
Chelsea Women to face Ajax in Champions League quarter-final
Champions League quarterfinal draw
- Mar. 19/Mar. 27 – Benfica vs Lyon
- Mar. 19/ Mar. 27 – Ajax vs Chelsea
- Mar. 20/Mar. 28 – Brann vs Barcelona
- Mar. 20/Mar. 28 – Hacken vs PSG
Champions League semifinal draw (April 20 and 27)
- Brann or Barcelona vs Ajax or Chelsea
- Benfica or Lyon vs Hacken or PSG
Horan on American soccer fans
Horan spoke extensively with The Athletic’s Meg Linehan about her views on the USWNT, the sport in general, and American soccer fans. In describing how the latter tends to take commentators at their word, the USWNT captain said “Most of them aren’t smart” and “don’t know the game” before adding that things are getting better in the country as a whole. She also admitted she knew the comments would cause an uproar, though maybe not as much as what eventually followed. Her full comments are worth a read, as is Steph Yang’s column on how a veteran player, who began her career at age 17 and has amassed 139 national team caps, eight major club titles and a World Cup, arrived at this conclusion.
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Horan also addressed how she felt about general off-field hijinks like pre-match starting XI photos that involve non-serious poses.
“I want professionalism,” she said. “Those little things, they really irked me. I don’t think I could do it, and maybe I’m wrong in saying that, I don’t know. It just bothers me.”
USWNT and Spirit forward Trinity Rodman, who is often involved in such photos, was asked about the matter:
“I respect what she has to say, but I think our team [the Spirit], like, we’re goofy. And at the end of the day, a picture is not going to affect the way that we present ourselves on the field or how hard we go out.”
Kit Leaks and Photoshoots
Did EA Sports spoil this year’s NWSL kit reveal? Maybe. The popular video game released an update last week that featured six NWSL kits that appeared to be new. Washington Spirits’ kit, for example, shows a poorly kept secret: the team’s primary color change to yellow. Gotham FC is featured in the leak as well, with the return of their front jersey sash.
Speaking of Gotham, recent signings Emily Sonnett and Rose Lavelle displayed some serious personality this week, posing in “Step Brothers” fashion for their Gotham promo photos.
One month ago, we signed this duo. 🦇🦇
Don’t miss out on seeing Rose Lavelle and Emily Sonnett at Red Bull Arena this season! Membership and tickets on sale now. pic.twitter.com/hWf5yoYYVT
— NJ/NY Gotham FC (@GothamFC) February 5, 2024
Bonus content: Emma Hayes talking at length about Star Wars.
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(Photo: Jenny Chuang, Getty Images)