The United States Women’s National Soccer Team has dominated international soccer for four decades, winning the last two World Cup Championships. Today this team was left at a rest stop along the road to the World Cup Championship. Hungrier and more pursuant sides choose to bypass the highway oasis. Is it comfort, age, leadership, or training? But they are now watching the tournament through the dust of more cohesive, not more talented teams.

However, the Americans are still unbeatable at the bank, claiming “11 of the 15 spots on the list of the highest-paid players at this summer’s tournament in Australia and New Zealand. The two highest paid are USWNT veterans Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe, both cleared $7 million over the last 12 months.” Forbes 

Thanks to the US Women’s National Soccer Team’s massive success over the past 40 years, brands have been more willing to support the current professional women’s soccer players. However, they are cashing checks that others earned. (Akers, Heinrichs, Hamm, Lilly, Chastain, Wambach, Lloyd, and many others) I believe this is the base of their under-achieving play. Carli Lloyd pointed out that the “easy” money, off-field distractions, and politics translate into sporadic, unfocused, and disjointed play. 

Why else would it take the fourth World Cup game to finally show glimpses of the passion and play of yesterday’s heroines? It is time to show more respect for the pioneers that blazed your trail.