Under Pressure: The U.S. Women's World Cup Team (2023) s01e02 Episode Script
Episode 2
1
[birds chirp]
[dramatic music plays]
[crowd cheers]
[Vlatko] Today is just another step
in our journey to the World Cup.
Sometimes we're so focused
on the big picture,
we're so focused on the World Cup,
that we forget about
the significance of this moment.
So let's make sure
we stay focused on today,
but I want you to go out there
and execute with joy
and have fun.
All right? Let's go.
[cheering]
[applause]
- [woman] Oosa on three. One, two, three!
- Oosa-Oosa-Oosa-Ah!
Yeah! Here we go!
[female announcer] What a dynamic
and fast-attacking line,
with Alex Morgan, of course,
but Mallory Swanson,
seven goals so far this year.
[Meg] I feel like
there's always that one player
that there's just this hype built around.
[male announcer] Mallory Swanson!
There is no stopping Mallory Swanson
right now.
[female announcer]
A symbol, perhaps, of the future.
She scored goals at a crazy rate.
She made it look effortless.
Like, unstoppable.
[male announcer] Off Morgan. Swanson!
And it's one-nil six minutes in.
This World Cup is gonna be
Mal's World Cup. You can feel it.
[Meg] You have this top line
of Mal Swanson, Alex Morgan, Sophia Smith
gelling at the World Cup,
and that is going to be
one of the major storylines
around the US Women's National Team.
[Alex] She is going to absolutely have
the best World Cup,
I think, of any player.
[cheering intensifies]
People were afraid of us,
especially because of Mal.
She was a bright light for this team.
[male announcer] From Austin, Texas,
it is the United States
against the Republic of Ireland.
An Ireland side that is headed
towards the World Cup for the first time.
[crowd] USA! USA!
Playing Ireland,
Mal was in such great form.
[Lindsey] We were in the groove.
I felt so good. I felt so fluid.
[rhythmic clapping]
[whistle blows]
[male announcer] Mallory Swanson is hurt.
[dark music plays]
[Lindsey] I was on the field,
next to her, and that one was really hard.
It was so difficult
because Mal was absolutely killing it.
[male announcer] And they're calling
for the stretcher to be brought
onto the field here.
[Alex] Was a little surreal because
you can tell
from all of our faces and expressions,
and all of the amount of coaches
and players around her in that moment,
that, "Oh, this doesn't look good."
[Lynn] The way she reacted, you're like,
"Oh shit, this is not light."
"This is something really serious."
[Lindsey] You kind of just wonder
why [scoffs]why in the world
does this happen to a player like this?
You know, such a good
good person, good person for the team,
good teammate, um,
a leader, at such a young age?
That's a hard thing about sports
is this happens.
This is how it goes, and
and changes are made,
and lineups are changed,
and and so you have to adapt,
and you have to deal with it.
[applause]
[Lynn] Knowing how important
Mal is to the team is devastating.
But on the other hand,
you recognize that as a forward,
there is now a spot that is opened up
and needs to be filled.
I can feel so deeply and understand,
like, the hurt that Mal's going through,
while also at the same time,
knowing the the reality of the situation
and that this is
an opportunity for myself,
and it's an opportunity
for everybody who wants that position.
So it's weird.
It's weird to think about.
[alarm rings]
[ringing continues]
[Lynn] Today,
Vlatko was gonna call all of us
and tell us if we have made the roster,
so I did not sleep last night.
[quietly] I'll get up.
[groans]
[chuckles] I'm very anxious.
Just don't know what time he's calling.
I have training with Gotham,
and somehow,
I'm gonna have to, like, compartmentalize
and, like, not think about that
and just train.
[sighs heavily]
Which is a good thing
so I can keep my mind off of it,
'cause I'm going crazy.
[anxious music plays]
I feel like history tells me
that I'm a bubble player.
But with the season I'm having now,
I feel like I put myself
in the best position
to be considered for this roster.
Mal went down,
which was a huge loss for us.
So, with what's going on with our team,
of, like, some people being injured,
I feel like I have a good chance
of hopefully, potentially,
starting or playing a big role
if I were to make the roster.
[quietly] Let's do this.
[anxious music fades out]
[indistinct chatter]
- [player 1] How you feeling?
- [Alyssa] Haven't been thinking about it.
- But it's here.
- [player 1] Yeah.
So now I have to think about it.
Either way, it's a privilege
to be in that conversation.
Yeah.
If you go,
it's huge for you and your career,
and if you don't, you're a badass.
You've made your mark
in this league already.
- [Alyssa] Yeah.
- Proud of you either way.
Thanks.
I was like, "Do you have Skims on?"
[both laugh]
Yeah, I just practice with it.
[laughs]
[rhythmic music plays]
[rhythmic music fades out]
[Kristie] I feel like I've been
in a fog all day.
Like, I I don't really
feel like I'm even here.
I didn't feel like I was at training.
Um
and I just feel a bit numb.
Like, I just kind of wanna know now.
It's 3:18.
[anxious music plays]
We'll know soon. So
I keep thinking of my four-or five-,
eight-year-old self.
She was just like,
"I'm doing that one day."
"I'm going to a World Cup.
I'm gonna be on the roster."
I keep thinking about her,
like, "You're almost there."
Like, "You can taste it. You can do it."
[inhales, sighs]
Shit. I just wait it out, I guess.
[sighs]
[phone rings]
[Alyssa] It's happening.
[answer tone]
- Hello?
- [Vlatko] Hey, Alyss, how's it going?
- Good. How are you?
- Good. Good.
I just, uh, called to let you know
that on the 21st,
you're gonna be announced as part
of the roster for the World Cup.
[giggles]
Oh my gosh. This is crazy.
Very happy for you, Alyss.
Very happy and very proud of you.
So congratulations to you.
- [laughs] Thank you.
- Okay, bye.
[background cheers, laughter]
[applause]
[triumphant music plays]
[triumphant music fades out]
[Lynn] I'm gonna throw up.
[anxious music plays]
[inhales]
[sighs]
[phone rings]
Okay, he's FaceTiming.
[answer tone]
- Hi, Vlatko.
- Hey, Lynn, how you doin'?
I'm nervous, is what I am.
I I just called to let you know
that, uh, you're selected
for the roster for the World Cup.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I'm shaking. This was a much better call
than the last one. [laughs]
[laughing]
- Take care.
- All right, bye.
Ah!
[man] Congratulations.
Thank you. Holy
[triumphant music plays]
Um
Yeah.
I mean, I know we have so far to go still,
but I've wanted this for so long,
and I've worked really hard,
um,
and I've been cut a lotta times, so
[breathes deeply]
- Whoo!
- [man] Whoo!
I did it!
[triumphant music fades out]
[Kristie] Is this a joke?
It's 4:00.
I just don't get it.
It's 4:00 It's 4:00.
Like, put me out of my misery.
[phone rings]
Okay, he's FaceTiming me.
[sighs]
[ringing continues]
[answer tone]
Hi.
Here she is.
Hey, um, thank you for your time.
Just wanted to let you know
that you're selected
to go to the World Cup.
So, congratulations to you.
It's okay.
It just, like, means a lot to me.
Thank you so much.
I know. It means a lot to us
to have you on the team.
There's so many things
you bring to this team, Kristie.
You're a really good player,
very valuable on the field,
but also very valuable, uh, off the field.
I know that, uh,
you're gonna do whatever it takes
to help this team be successful.
I know. I will, I promise. I can't wait.
I'm so excited. Thank you so much.
So take a second and celebrate the moment,
and then, uh, let's get ready,
uh, to take care of business.
Okay. Thanks. Bye.
[line hangs up]
[cries]
[pensive music plays]
I can't believe that.
[sobs]
[laughs]
I just can't believe I did it.
[phone rings]
- [answer tone]
- Hi, Mom.
- [Melissa] Oh, hi, honey.
- [Bob] Hi, kiddo.
Hi. I made it.
- [Kristie cries]
- [Bob laughs]
[Melissa] Oh my God.
You just scared me so much.
Can you repeat that?
I made it. I made the roster.
- [Melissa] Oh!
- [Bob] Kristie, that's wonderful. [laughs]
[Melissa] You have been working so hard
since you were 13.
I am so happy for you!
[Kristie and Bob laugh]
[Kristie] Okay.
I love you guys so much. Thank you.
- [Melissa] I love you.
- [Bob] Love you too.
- Congratulations.
- [Kristie] Bye.
- Okay. I told Sam I'd call her right away.
- [phone rings]
[answer tone]
I did it, babe. I did it.
- [laughs]
- [Sam cheering softly]
[Sam] Aw, good job, bubs.
Did you sleep?
- No.
- [laughs]
Can you believe it?
Now we only have to be
two hours apart the whole summer.
[Kristie laughs]
I know. Now you just have to make it.
I got my email yesterday.
I forgot to tell you.
You got the email that you're going?
- Yeah.
- And you forgot to tell me.
No, I didn't wanna bring it up
on the day of your thing.
Okay, fair.
So I just, like, didn't say anything.
Well, congratulations.
Thanks.
[Kristie] I should've got a bottle
of champagne, honestly, as my celebration.
[Sam yawns]
I'm so happy. I'm so relieved.
[Kristie] I know. Well, do you wanna
try to go back to sleep?
- All right.
- [Kristie] Bye.
[line hangs up]
[dramatic music plays]
Who else made it?
[male announcer] 23 players
were named to the US Women's National
ahead of the FIFA World Cup.
[female announcer] Going for a three-peat.
Can this team
Is this team
capable of doing that this summer?
[Vlatko] Now that the roster
is over and done,
I know that it was my responsibility
to say the final yes or no.
And if it happens that
something goes wrong, then it's me.
It is me, and nobody else.
[hopeful music plays]
[Alex] This year's preparation
is definitely a bit different
than previous World Cups.
- [Charlie] Mama!
- [Alex] Hi, Chars.
Getting all the logistics down
for my daughter and my husband to go
and talking to all my family
about them going.
Peek-a-boo! Good job.
Coming back from giving birth
was really hard,
and I didn't feel super quick
or super fast right away,
so I adjusted my game a little bit
as I was getting my speed back.
And once I did get that back,
then I had already adapted my game
to kind of finding the ball,
and I feel like I'm just finding myself
in good goal-scoring positions
more frequently than I ever have before.
[crowd cheers]
[male announcer] A special finish
from Alex Morgan in stoppage time,
and the US have the lead!
[Alex] We're here to do work,
to win a World Cup.
But we also are here
to break down barriers along the way.
Okay, blueberries and raspberries,
then the park, then ice cream.
Looking forward to the World Cup,
knowing that I was one of a few moms
fighting for a spot on the team,
I wanted to be my best every day.
Not only to show my daughter that,
but to show everyone else
that moms really can do it all.
[crowd cheers]
I was really proud of all of us
in our fight to get back on the field.
[crowd cheers rhythmically]
[female announcer 1]
There are question marks.
I'm not sure what kind of rotation
we're gonna see from Vlatko Andonovski.
[female announcer 2] A lot on this roster
that is a bit questionable.
How many are actually going to be
the 11 that you can start confidently?
[tense music plays]
[Foudy] Of course you have injuries
coming into a World Cup,
but it feels like
there's a lot of injuries this World Cup.
This team's got a really interesting mix
of nine returning players,
14 who are in their first World Cup,
different lineups and changing of players,
which starts to affect your flow
and your continuity and your cohesion.
[male announcer] Dev,
let's talk about the surprise call-ups.
Who's your surprise call-up?
[Dev] I think you look at Savannah DeMelo,
it certainly warrants a level of surprise.
[Foudy] Savannah DeMelo is zero caps,
international appearances.
She has never played a game
with the US Women's National Team,
and she's going to the World Cup.
Because of some injuries,
we needed another midfielder,
and so there you have this player
that can shine in that moment.
[tense music fades out]
- [receptionist] What would you like today?
- Could I do a mani-pedi, please?
- [receptionist] Can you please sign in?
- Yeah.
It's a crazy thing. I think around
3:00 p.m., Vlatko had texted me.
He's like,
"Hey, can I call you in three minutes?"
- This one? Okay.
- [receptionist] Yep.
[Savannah] Then I was like, "Oh man."
I was like, "That doesn't sound too good."
I was in my living room,
and he had FaceTimed me.
I was like, "I hope he's not FaceTiming me
to tell me I'm not making it."
[Vlatko] I just called to let you know
that, uh, we selected you
for the roster for the World Cup.
Are you serious?
When I find out, I'm like, "Oh my gosh."
Like, "Are you sure? Me?"
[gentle music plays]
I've seen a lotta people saying,
"Well, I knew everybody on the team,
and I don't know who Savannah DeMelo is."
I'm like, "Yeah, you know, true."
I think I wanna do white on my toes,
and then, yeah, I'll do this one. Yeah.
Just finally hearing
that I'm a part of the team was huge
because being an uncapped player
going into a World Cup,
that never really happened.
Playing the sport,
you always feel pressure.
It's just a big part of the game.
I mean, I have my faith,
my family, and, like,
some of my best friends
to help me through it all,
and I think we all lean on each other,
and, at the end of the day,
we are soccer players,
but we also are just regular humans
who are tryin' to be perfect in their job.
- They look so much better. Thank you.
- [receptionist] You're welcome.
[Savannah] Lindsey reached out,
which was awesome.
Megan Rapinoe reached out to me.
I'm just looking at my phone,
like, this is such a surreal moment.
People I've idolized since I was so young
are reaching out to me, congratulating me.
I had acrylic
for a pretty decent amount of time.
I feel like my nails
need a break from 'em.
Don't know when it'll feel real.
- Have a good day.
- Thank you. You too.
It hits me, and then it goes away,
and then it hits me, and it goes away, so
Okay, bye again.
Bye.
I think maybe when we see everybody,
that's when it will feel very real.
[gentle music fades out]
Welcome, everyone. Glad to see you all.
Very happy to see you.
We're gonna have Heif and MC
just go through a couple things.
- Heifetz?
- [Heifetz] Tomorrow's World Cup Media Day.
This is the biggest women's sporting event
in the world, by far.
There's two parts.
There's a morning part,
which will be your media,
and the afternoon part,
which is mostly broadcast.
So it's gonna be a long day.
I will say this
It is a pretty unique opportunity.
There's not many sports teams,
never mind women's sports teams,
that get to go into an environment
like this and talk to these outlets
about yourself, your team,
and the World Cup of women's soccer.
- Meg, you have anything to add?
- [Megan] Yeah, embrace it.
We have all of this media at our disposal.
Like, use it for us.
Like, we can use them as a tool.
They wanna just drum shit up,
so I think not taking it too seriously,
to be honest,
and just enjoying it and have fun with it.
They try to get in and try to corner you
on something, just like call 'em on it.
Just be like, "You're being weird. So"
[laughter]
That is it!
All right, let's do it!
[exciting music plays]
[female reporter 1] Fourteen out
of your 23 players on the roster
have never been to a World Cup before.
Do you worry that level of inexperience
could present problems?
I'm not worried about the inexperience.
And, in fact, on the way here,
I traveled with Megan, Alex, and Lindsey,
and I felt pretty comfortable
just being around them
and knowing that these are the players
that are gonna lead the young group.
Questions have to be asked.
The success of the team begs the question.
When are they going
to not be as successful
as they've been for the last ten years?
[female reporter 1] I wonder if you could
reflect on this moment. What's at stake?
Um, this one does feel different.
Almost like a, ya know,
show up and show out kinda vibe.
I think going into the major tournament
like this is the most incredible thing.
I'm gonna do whatever I can
to help the young ones that we have
and the newer players
that have never been here.
I think, especially in this World Cup,
there's so much that goes on,
there's so much stress, so much pressure.
I think the only thing that matters now
is the team and the team winning.
[indistinct chatter]
It's been a whirlwind of a week
of roster names and moving parts,
but stakes are just so high.
[Sofia] Everyone says,
especially the veteran players,
that it's a different beast.
Like, it is completely different
than anything you've ever experienced.
You don't wanna say the wrong thing.
I mean, it's my first media day.
- Hi! Sofia, nice to meet you.
- Shannon. Nice to meet you.
- [man] Have you get your cleats on.
- Okay.
These stills are turned into these really
cool superhero, like, action
[Sofia] Yeah, yeah, yeah, okay.
[yelps]
Sometimes it feels like a lot,
and it's a little overwhelming.
Like, I didn't expect it to be
this many people,
this much production and everything.
So just get through it. Um [laughs]
You have to build chemistry quickly.
How are you guys approaching that?
We've had experience playing together
at Friendlies and CONCACAF last year,
and SheBelieves this year.
Um, so I think that chemistry
will come naturally
as we start training together.
I think we all have a common goal,
and that unites us and brings us together.
And we know that to accomplish that,
we have to have that chemistry
and work together.
Fresh faces and the fresh energy,
but also the wisdom and the experience
that the older players have,
the combination's gonna be deadly,
I think.
The first thing in there, I was like
waking up, getting slapped in the face
with questions.
[male reporter] What do you feel
you bring to this team?
What's some advice that some of
the veterans on the team have given you?
[female reporter 2]
The hardest part of being so young?
[female reporter 3]
Kelley, founded or not,
there's a lot of, like, doubt being cast.
Um, this is not the first time this has
happened in terms of people doubting.
Our expectation is to win.
I think our fans' expectation is to win,
the federation's expectation is to win,
because of what's come before me.
And that's just how this team operates.
It's like we expect ourselves to win.
Yeah. I'd say that.
- [man] That is that. We're moving her.
- Great.
[indistinct crowd chatter]
[dark music plays]
[cheering]
[Foudy] As a World Cup nears
and the roster's named,
here's the final 23,
you can take a breath,
and it's the last chance
for American fans to celebrate the team
and to send them off in style.
- We're sitting in the press conference
- [man] Check, one, two.
[Foudy]
and out comes Megan Rapinoe with Vlatko.
[man] All right, everybody.
Thanks for comin'.
Last game before we head Down Under.
Uh, but before we begin,
Megan has a few words for you.
[Megan] Hi, everybody.
It's with a really deep sense
of peace and gratitude and excitement
that I wanna share with you guys,
this is gonna be my last season.
Um, my last World Cup
and my last NWSL season.
I mean, to be honest, I've been thinking
about this for a long time.
It is incredibly rare
for athletes of any stature
to be able to go out in their own way,
on their own terms.
[female announcer 1]
Soccer star Megan Rapinoe
has announced that she's retiring.
[female announcer 2] Rapinoe played
with the US Women's National
for 17 years.
She's been a backbone of this team,
and she says what she thinks,
she means what she says,
and, um, you gotta love her for it.
It's sad to think about
this being her last,
but she's done such incredible things
for this team and for the world.
[female announcer 3]
Rapinoe has transcended soccer.
Best known off the field for her advocacy,
for both LGBTQ rights
and women's pay equality,
earning her the
Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2022.
[Kelley] There's never been one like her.
There's probably never
gonna be one, um, close to her,
so I hope that we all
send her out on a high.
[dramatic music plays]
Her ability to be bold and brave
in the biggest of moments
on the field, off the field.
And that's that's a gift
to have that combination
of athletic prowess
combined with this intellectual capacity
and advocacy and empathy for people
who are marginalized or underserved
and to be willing to speak out
and do things
that many wouldn't have the courage to do.
[Abby] I know that a lot of what
the world knows of her
is the way that she speaks out
and speaks up for those who can't.
But I do think that
we have lost the plot a little bit.
Like, she's a fucking
excellent soccer player, always has been,
and that's why you listen to her.
I feel very grateful that I'm here
and that I have the trust of this team,
and, uh, that my body has held up
this long to be able to do this.
So just wanted to do it now
and, honestly, get it out of the way
before we go down to New Zealand,
so we can focus on, uh,
the task at hand,
which is winning another World Cup.
So thank you.
I think it's just such a different feeling
knowing this is gonna be
my last World Cup,
being kind of an old head
and a different role on the team.
It means a lot to me in a lot
of different ways than the other ones did.
Yeah, this one's very special.
[applause]
Thank you, everybody.
[dramatic music fades out]
[tense music plays]
[Kristie] I feel good about ourselves
going into the World Cup.
We're all getting a little antsy now.
It feels so good and exciting,
but it's obviously
still a bit nerve-racking too.
But we're just packing up,
and we leave at 10:00 p.m.
I think it's like a 14-hour flight,
and then we'll be in New Zealand.
Oh no.
[laughter]
Okay. So, oh my God, it legit broke,
and this isn't even mine. It's Sam's.
I was like, "Babe, I'm taking your
massive suitcase because it fits so much,"
and I just broke it.
It's been like
a dream come true, honestly.
I feel like this is what
I've worked so hard for my entire career.
It's honestly so weird that I keep having
thoughts about it throughout the day.
I'm like, "Oh my God,
is this actually happening?"
Like, "Am I actually going?"
I'm here because of my presence,
what I can bring on and off the field.
It's just, like, crazy.
It's such a cool feeling. I'm so excited.
There was a lot of question marks
leading into this World Cup. [chuckles]
[sighs] Dealing with a lotta injuries.
And in my mind, I'm like,
"Am I gonna be able to be
at a place where I can perform
at the level I would want to
if I'm going to a World Cup?"
I feel very lucky
that I get to do it again, you know?
For the fourth time.
Anything can happen in a World Cup,
and one second can determine
if your dream is over
or you get to keep trying to go for it.
You're on a razor's edge,
and at any moment,
it can go one way or the other.
That's why you just have to be
so on top of everything
because the margins are so small.
[dramatic music plays]
Here we go. Here we go.
Down Under, baby.
This is now our journey.
Like, forget '15, forget '19.
This is '23.
Peace out, USA.
[Megan] Not everybody's gonna have
the World Cup of their childhood dreams.
It's just like,
keep that championship standard,
and in every way possible,
express what it means to be,
like, a ruthless winner.
[Alyssa] There's so many things
that could happen on a world stage,
so I'm so nervous.
I'm like, "What if I mess up?"
[Lynn] When I close my eyes,
I see myself there.
But I hope when I get there,
it's joyful and not so stressed.
[Kristie] I have had
just a crazy journey to get here.
I've done everything
I possibly can up until now,
and this is
the most intense moment of my life.
[dramatic music fades out]
[cheerful music plays]
[indistinct singing]
[female announcer 1]
International teams arrive tonight
ahead of the FIFA Women's World Cup.
[male announcer 1]
It's really starting to feel real now.
[female announcer 2] The Women's World Cup
kicks off in Australia
and New Zealand on Thursday
with teams from 32 countries competing.
The World Cup's special
for a couple reasons.
One, it only comes around
once every four years,
and on top of that,
it's the world's competition.
So, the world can come together
and basically speak the same language.
It's like the time stops,
and the World Cup starts.
That's the feeling I have,
and that's the feeling
that I want the players to have too.
It is this feeling of joy and fun,
but also competitiveness, pressure
All these feelings
mixed together in one event.
[crowd cheers]
The way that the World Cup works
is it's separated into two parts.
You have group stage
and knockout round stage.
It's like two different tournaments.
The group stage,
you're playing against three other teams,
round-robin style.
Whoever is first or second in the group
moves on to the knockout round stage.
You have to win that game.
The United States' Group E,
they got Vietnam, the Netherlands,
and they got Portugal, who was
the last game for the United States.
[tense music plays]
- [man] Girls, look who's here to see you.
- Oh my God!
[player 1] Love you guys!
Old buds.
Ready as can be.
[player 2] Oh yeah!
[Ertz] We need to go ham here.
[indistinct chatter]
Keep smiling. Yeah.
And one, and two, and three.
Smiling? What are we doing?
Stop. One, two, three.
And one, and two, and three.
Nice. I think we got it.
[cheering]
I didn't go to bed till 10:00,
but I laid in bed right after.
My Oura Ring said I was in bed
for 11 hours and 21 minutes.
[funky music plays]
I just don't think people understand
how physically, mentally exhausting it is
as we get to the World Cup.
From the moment you wake up
to the moment you go to bed,
you're doing everything you can in order
to perform your best in that game.
[Alex] Girls, how nice is this?
We're just calm. We do the meeting.
We do our activation. We go out to train.
There's no stop, go, stop, go.
It's just go, go, go.
Here we go. Keep it clean.
Yeah.
Yeah, good.
Yes!
Open. Yeah.
Open up.
Turn, open up.
All right, here we go, girls.
One, two, three, four, five,
six, seven, eight, nine, ten.
[yelps]
Thirteen.
I lost count 'cause I was so excited.
[dramatic music plays]
[Vlatko] Starting lineup for tomorrow,
Alyssa, Fox, and Julie, Naomi, and Dunny.
Andi, Lindsey, and Sav in the middle.
Soph, Alex, and Trin up top.
[Savannah] I found out two nights before
that I was starting.
Vlatko had a conversation with me
saying I'd been playing well in training,
and doesn't really feel real,
but so happy to be here.
So humbled to be here.
[Vlatko] Calm with the ball, but urgency
with everything else that we do.
It's a World Cup. Score goals.
I think I knew that I was gonna be a sub,
but it is hard when you're not playing
because sometimes
I don't think you feel as part of the team
as maybe a starter would.
[Lynn] I knew I wasn't starting.
I wanted to go in,
but I also needed to live in my role.
My role in that moment,
until my name was called,
or if my name is gonna be called,
is to support the people on the field.
[player] Wait! Wait! Wait!
[dramatic music fades out]
[dark music plays]
[group] Whoo!
[crowd repeats] USA!
[cheering]
[repeating] USA!
[female announcer 1]
2023 FIFA Women's World Cup
is officially underway
as America looks to win
its third straight title.
[female announcer 2] Red, white, and blue,
facing off against Vietnam.
- USA!
- Welcome back to the World Cup!
[female announcer 3] The US is a favorite
over many teams in this tournament.
- [woman 1] Who do you think is gonna win?
- USA. Duh.
This is the best day of the year.
It's the first USA World Cup game.
[female announcer 4] This is as big
as the women's game has ever gotten.
Millions of tickets sold.
[man 1] It feels huge.
This is the World Cup, right?
Soccer is the number one sport
in the world.
[man 2] People think
the NFL is the biggest and best thing
in the world.
It's not!
- [woman 1] So what is?
- [girl] US soccer.
- Yes. Yes.
- FIFA World Cup.
[Lynn] All right.
- [woman 2] Men or women.
- [man 3] Men or women.
Go, women!
The women are better than the men any day.
Every day.
- 45 minutes to go, players.
- [player 1] Aye-aye, Captain.
- [Lynn] Aye-aye, Captain.
- [player 2] Aye-aye, Captain.
[heartbeat]
[Foudy] When that starting lineup
came out against Vietnam,
look at that back four.
That back four
had never played together before.
Julie Ertz hadn't been
at the center back position for years.
Savannah DeMelo getting the start
in that first game at the World Cup.
Suddenly, you went, "Okay,
this is gonna be interesting to see."
[Vlatko] We're preparing to see
the best Vietnam team
that has ever been on the field.
Keepers, let's go!
[cheering]
[female coach] Game changers,
three minutes. Starters, four minutes.
[male reporter] Lindsey, I know
you're still new at the captain thing,
but how are you adjusting to that,
and with 14 new World Cup players?
[Lindsey] It's just about making them
as confident as possible,
and everyone is more than prepared
for every moment in this World Cup
and this first game.
We live in pressure.
Pressure is a fucking privilege
on this team.
We go out and show everyone
who we are today.
If there's nerves, anxiety, or anything,
look at everyone around you.
Look at me and Alex.
We have the confidence
that we'll win today.
- Let's fucking go.
- [players] Let's go.
[all repeat] USA!
Our goal for the first game
is to really assert dominance.
We need to start off fast, strong.
We need to score early.
There was a lot of talk
about our first game
the last World Cup against Thailand,
and we won 13-0.
[woman] I'm hoping to see
another reoccurrence with Thailand,
where we smoked them and got a 13-0.
[male reporter] What do you expect
from the Vietnam team?
Are you gonna crush us
like Thailand four years ago?
[Lindsey] This isn't that game.
This isn't last World Cup.
This is a new tournament.
This is Vietnam. Anything can happen.
[players]Oosa-Oosa-Ah!
[male announcer 1]
What a daunting task this is for Vietnam,
to be shoulder-to-shoulder with giants.
[club music plays]
You wanna embrace the moment.
It's just, like, chills, you wanna cry,
you're super happy,
but you also have to remember,
like, "Oh my gosh, we need to win."
[male announcer 2] There it is.
Goal! USA!
[cheering]
USA! USA!
[male announcer 1]
Good turn by Morgan. Back to Rodman.
Rodman goes to ground.
Referees have a close look at that.
[female announcer] Penalty kick for USA!
[male announcer 1] Saved!
["You so Done" by Noga Erez plays]
[Alyssa] We believe in Alex,
and we thought she was gonna make it.
So, once she missed,
I was really nervous and anxious.
Softly, just break it to me ♪
Softly, be straight with me ♪
[male announcer 3] Shot taken,
and it rolls in!
Before you kill me ♪
She has two, Sophia Smith
Calmly, I don't freak out in public ♪
Take me outside and crush me ♪
[male announcer 4] USA gets the victory.
It wasn't as easy
as some may have thought.
[female reporter 1] Confidence-wise,
what's a 3-0 victory
rather than a 10-0 victory?
[female reporter 2] Was it nerves?
Playing together for the first time?
You're writing,
digging for headlines already.
What's a prayer to a death wish? ♪
You so ♪
We would have liked to see more goals
and see our experienced players show up.
[male announcer 3] Weren't half chances,
it was wasteful.
- We like to see our women's team dominate.
- [woman] Yeah.
We had moments of brilliance,
but not enough.
[male announcer 4] The US were wasteful
with their chances, finishing was poor,
and it made me think that
maybe the team hasn't had time to gel.
[Ian] America didn't do
as well as they should've done.
That's a bit of a worry.
[male announcer 4] Netherlands coming in,
there was a lack of ruthlessness.
[female announcer] Can't afford
against Netherlands as they head into
that 2019 World Cup Final rematch.
[male announcer 5] Always been about
the second game against the Netherlands.
[player] We need to win
that game full stop.
[exclaiming]
[Megan] We have a team
that is not yet defined.
[Ian] They've got some
of the greatest players ever.
Got to step up.
[male reporter] I dunno
if panic is the right word,
but a lotta people worried
about where this team is now.
The player of the match was that post.
[female announcer]
USA vs. The Netherlands.
It's gonna really determine what
the US Women's National Team looks like.
I could've punched her in the face
at that moment.
2023 has been an unmitigated failure.
[rhythmic music plays]
[birds chirp]
[dramatic music plays]
[crowd cheers]
[Vlatko] Today is just another step
in our journey to the World Cup.
Sometimes we're so focused
on the big picture,
we're so focused on the World Cup,
that we forget about
the significance of this moment.
So let's make sure
we stay focused on today,
but I want you to go out there
and execute with joy
and have fun.
All right? Let's go.
[cheering]
[applause]
- [woman] Oosa on three. One, two, three!
- Oosa-Oosa-Oosa-Ah!
Yeah! Here we go!
[female announcer] What a dynamic
and fast-attacking line,
with Alex Morgan, of course,
but Mallory Swanson,
seven goals so far this year.
[Meg] I feel like
there's always that one player
that there's just this hype built around.
[male announcer] Mallory Swanson!
There is no stopping Mallory Swanson
right now.
[female announcer]
A symbol, perhaps, of the future.
She scored goals at a crazy rate.
She made it look effortless.
Like, unstoppable.
[male announcer] Off Morgan. Swanson!
And it's one-nil six minutes in.
This World Cup is gonna be
Mal's World Cup. You can feel it.
[Meg] You have this top line
of Mal Swanson, Alex Morgan, Sophia Smith
gelling at the World Cup,
and that is going to be
one of the major storylines
around the US Women's National Team.
[Alex] She is going to absolutely have
the best World Cup,
I think, of any player.
[cheering intensifies]
People were afraid of us,
especially because of Mal.
She was a bright light for this team.
[male announcer] From Austin, Texas,
it is the United States
against the Republic of Ireland.
An Ireland side that is headed
towards the World Cup for the first time.
[crowd] USA! USA!
Playing Ireland,
Mal was in such great form.
[Lindsey] We were in the groove.
I felt so good. I felt so fluid.
[rhythmic clapping]
[whistle blows]
[male announcer] Mallory Swanson is hurt.
[dark music plays]
[Lindsey] I was on the field,
next to her, and that one was really hard.
It was so difficult
because Mal was absolutely killing it.
[male announcer] And they're calling
for the stretcher to be brought
onto the field here.
[Alex] Was a little surreal because
you can tell
from all of our faces and expressions,
and all of the amount of coaches
and players around her in that moment,
that, "Oh, this doesn't look good."
[Lynn] The way she reacted, you're like,
"Oh shit, this is not light."
"This is something really serious."
[Lindsey] You kind of just wonder
why [scoffs]why in the world
does this happen to a player like this?
You know, such a good
good person, good person for the team,
good teammate, um,
a leader, at such a young age?
That's a hard thing about sports
is this happens.
This is how it goes, and
and changes are made,
and lineups are changed,
and and so you have to adapt,
and you have to deal with it.
[applause]
[Lynn] Knowing how important
Mal is to the team is devastating.
But on the other hand,
you recognize that as a forward,
there is now a spot that is opened up
and needs to be filled.
I can feel so deeply and understand,
like, the hurt that Mal's going through,
while also at the same time,
knowing the the reality of the situation
and that this is
an opportunity for myself,
and it's an opportunity
for everybody who wants that position.
So it's weird.
It's weird to think about.
[alarm rings]
[ringing continues]
[Lynn] Today,
Vlatko was gonna call all of us
and tell us if we have made the roster,
so I did not sleep last night.
[quietly] I'll get up.
[groans]
[chuckles] I'm very anxious.
Just don't know what time he's calling.
I have training with Gotham,
and somehow,
I'm gonna have to, like, compartmentalize
and, like, not think about that
and just train.
[sighs heavily]
Which is a good thing
so I can keep my mind off of it,
'cause I'm going crazy.
[anxious music plays]
I feel like history tells me
that I'm a bubble player.
But with the season I'm having now,
I feel like I put myself
in the best position
to be considered for this roster.
Mal went down,
which was a huge loss for us.
So, with what's going on with our team,
of, like, some people being injured,
I feel like I have a good chance
of hopefully, potentially,
starting or playing a big role
if I were to make the roster.
[quietly] Let's do this.
[anxious music fades out]
[indistinct chatter]
- [player 1] How you feeling?
- [Alyssa] Haven't been thinking about it.
- But it's here.
- [player 1] Yeah.
So now I have to think about it.
Either way, it's a privilege
to be in that conversation.
Yeah.
If you go,
it's huge for you and your career,
and if you don't, you're a badass.
You've made your mark
in this league already.
- [Alyssa] Yeah.
- Proud of you either way.
Thanks.
I was like, "Do you have Skims on?"
[both laugh]
Yeah, I just practice with it.
[laughs]
[rhythmic music plays]
[rhythmic music fades out]
[Kristie] I feel like I've been
in a fog all day.
Like, I I don't really
feel like I'm even here.
I didn't feel like I was at training.
Um
and I just feel a bit numb.
Like, I just kind of wanna know now.
It's 3:18.
[anxious music plays]
We'll know soon. So
I keep thinking of my four-or five-,
eight-year-old self.
She was just like,
"I'm doing that one day."
"I'm going to a World Cup.
I'm gonna be on the roster."
I keep thinking about her,
like, "You're almost there."
Like, "You can taste it. You can do it."
[inhales, sighs]
Shit. I just wait it out, I guess.
[sighs]
[phone rings]
[Alyssa] It's happening.
[answer tone]
- Hello?
- [Vlatko] Hey, Alyss, how's it going?
- Good. How are you?
- Good. Good.
I just, uh, called to let you know
that on the 21st,
you're gonna be announced as part
of the roster for the World Cup.
[giggles]
Oh my gosh. This is crazy.
Very happy for you, Alyss.
Very happy and very proud of you.
So congratulations to you.
- [laughs] Thank you.
- Okay, bye.
[background cheers, laughter]
[applause]
[triumphant music plays]
[triumphant music fades out]
[Lynn] I'm gonna throw up.
[anxious music plays]
[inhales]
[sighs]
[phone rings]
Okay, he's FaceTiming.
[answer tone]
- Hi, Vlatko.
- Hey, Lynn, how you doin'?
I'm nervous, is what I am.
I I just called to let you know
that, uh, you're selected
for the roster for the World Cup.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I'm shaking. This was a much better call
than the last one. [laughs]
[laughing]
- Take care.
- All right, bye.
Ah!
[man] Congratulations.
Thank you. Holy
[triumphant music plays]
Um
Yeah.
I mean, I know we have so far to go still,
but I've wanted this for so long,
and I've worked really hard,
um,
and I've been cut a lotta times, so
[breathes deeply]
- Whoo!
- [man] Whoo!
I did it!
[triumphant music fades out]
[Kristie] Is this a joke?
It's 4:00.
I just don't get it.
It's 4:00 It's 4:00.
Like, put me out of my misery.
[phone rings]
Okay, he's FaceTiming me.
[sighs]
[ringing continues]
[answer tone]
Hi.
Here she is.
Hey, um, thank you for your time.
Just wanted to let you know
that you're selected
to go to the World Cup.
So, congratulations to you.
It's okay.
It just, like, means a lot to me.
Thank you so much.
I know. It means a lot to us
to have you on the team.
There's so many things
you bring to this team, Kristie.
You're a really good player,
very valuable on the field,
but also very valuable, uh, off the field.
I know that, uh,
you're gonna do whatever it takes
to help this team be successful.
I know. I will, I promise. I can't wait.
I'm so excited. Thank you so much.
So take a second and celebrate the moment,
and then, uh, let's get ready,
uh, to take care of business.
Okay. Thanks. Bye.
[line hangs up]
[cries]
[pensive music plays]
I can't believe that.
[sobs]
[laughs]
I just can't believe I did it.
[phone rings]
- [answer tone]
- Hi, Mom.
- [Melissa] Oh, hi, honey.
- [Bob] Hi, kiddo.
Hi. I made it.
- [Kristie cries]
- [Bob laughs]
[Melissa] Oh my God.
You just scared me so much.
Can you repeat that?
I made it. I made the roster.
- [Melissa] Oh!
- [Bob] Kristie, that's wonderful. [laughs]
[Melissa] You have been working so hard
since you were 13.
I am so happy for you!
[Kristie and Bob laugh]
[Kristie] Okay.
I love you guys so much. Thank you.
- [Melissa] I love you.
- [Bob] Love you too.
- Congratulations.
- [Kristie] Bye.
- Okay. I told Sam I'd call her right away.
- [phone rings]
[answer tone]
I did it, babe. I did it.
- [laughs]
- [Sam cheering softly]
[Sam] Aw, good job, bubs.
Did you sleep?
- No.
- [laughs]
Can you believe it?
Now we only have to be
two hours apart the whole summer.
[Kristie laughs]
I know. Now you just have to make it.
I got my email yesterday.
I forgot to tell you.
You got the email that you're going?
- Yeah.
- And you forgot to tell me.
No, I didn't wanna bring it up
on the day of your thing.
Okay, fair.
So I just, like, didn't say anything.
Well, congratulations.
Thanks.
[Kristie] I should've got a bottle
of champagne, honestly, as my celebration.
[Sam yawns]
I'm so happy. I'm so relieved.
[Kristie] I know. Well, do you wanna
try to go back to sleep?
- All right.
- [Kristie] Bye.
[line hangs up]
[dramatic music plays]
Who else made it?
[male announcer] 23 players
were named to the US Women's National
ahead of the FIFA World Cup.
[female announcer] Going for a three-peat.
Can this team
Is this team
capable of doing that this summer?
[Vlatko] Now that the roster
is over and done,
I know that it was my responsibility
to say the final yes or no.
And if it happens that
something goes wrong, then it's me.
It is me, and nobody else.
[hopeful music plays]
[Alex] This year's preparation
is definitely a bit different
than previous World Cups.
- [Charlie] Mama!
- [Alex] Hi, Chars.
Getting all the logistics down
for my daughter and my husband to go
and talking to all my family
about them going.
Peek-a-boo! Good job.
Coming back from giving birth
was really hard,
and I didn't feel super quick
or super fast right away,
so I adjusted my game a little bit
as I was getting my speed back.
And once I did get that back,
then I had already adapted my game
to kind of finding the ball,
and I feel like I'm just finding myself
in good goal-scoring positions
more frequently than I ever have before.
[crowd cheers]
[male announcer] A special finish
from Alex Morgan in stoppage time,
and the US have the lead!
[Alex] We're here to do work,
to win a World Cup.
But we also are here
to break down barriers along the way.
Okay, blueberries and raspberries,
then the park, then ice cream.
Looking forward to the World Cup,
knowing that I was one of a few moms
fighting for a spot on the team,
I wanted to be my best every day.
Not only to show my daughter that,
but to show everyone else
that moms really can do it all.
[crowd cheers]
I was really proud of all of us
in our fight to get back on the field.
[crowd cheers rhythmically]
[female announcer 1]
There are question marks.
I'm not sure what kind of rotation
we're gonna see from Vlatko Andonovski.
[female announcer 2] A lot on this roster
that is a bit questionable.
How many are actually going to be
the 11 that you can start confidently?
[tense music plays]
[Foudy] Of course you have injuries
coming into a World Cup,
but it feels like
there's a lot of injuries this World Cup.
This team's got a really interesting mix
of nine returning players,
14 who are in their first World Cup,
different lineups and changing of players,
which starts to affect your flow
and your continuity and your cohesion.
[male announcer] Dev,
let's talk about the surprise call-ups.
Who's your surprise call-up?
[Dev] I think you look at Savannah DeMelo,
it certainly warrants a level of surprise.
[Foudy] Savannah DeMelo is zero caps,
international appearances.
She has never played a game
with the US Women's National Team,
and she's going to the World Cup.
Because of some injuries,
we needed another midfielder,
and so there you have this player
that can shine in that moment.
[tense music fades out]
- [receptionist] What would you like today?
- Could I do a mani-pedi, please?
- [receptionist] Can you please sign in?
- Yeah.
It's a crazy thing. I think around
3:00 p.m., Vlatko had texted me.
He's like,
"Hey, can I call you in three minutes?"
- This one? Okay.
- [receptionist] Yep.
[Savannah] Then I was like, "Oh man."
I was like, "That doesn't sound too good."
I was in my living room,
and he had FaceTimed me.
I was like, "I hope he's not FaceTiming me
to tell me I'm not making it."
[Vlatko] I just called to let you know
that, uh, we selected you
for the roster for the World Cup.
Are you serious?
When I find out, I'm like, "Oh my gosh."
Like, "Are you sure? Me?"
[gentle music plays]
I've seen a lotta people saying,
"Well, I knew everybody on the team,
and I don't know who Savannah DeMelo is."
I'm like, "Yeah, you know, true."
I think I wanna do white on my toes,
and then, yeah, I'll do this one. Yeah.
Just finally hearing
that I'm a part of the team was huge
because being an uncapped player
going into a World Cup,
that never really happened.
Playing the sport,
you always feel pressure.
It's just a big part of the game.
I mean, I have my faith,
my family, and, like,
some of my best friends
to help me through it all,
and I think we all lean on each other,
and, at the end of the day,
we are soccer players,
but we also are just regular humans
who are tryin' to be perfect in their job.
- They look so much better. Thank you.
- [receptionist] You're welcome.
[Savannah] Lindsey reached out,
which was awesome.
Megan Rapinoe reached out to me.
I'm just looking at my phone,
like, this is such a surreal moment.
People I've idolized since I was so young
are reaching out to me, congratulating me.
I had acrylic
for a pretty decent amount of time.
I feel like my nails
need a break from 'em.
Don't know when it'll feel real.
- Have a good day.
- Thank you. You too.
It hits me, and then it goes away,
and then it hits me, and it goes away, so
Okay, bye again.
Bye.
I think maybe when we see everybody,
that's when it will feel very real.
[gentle music fades out]
Welcome, everyone. Glad to see you all.
Very happy to see you.
We're gonna have Heif and MC
just go through a couple things.
- Heifetz?
- [Heifetz] Tomorrow's World Cup Media Day.
This is the biggest women's sporting event
in the world, by far.
There's two parts.
There's a morning part,
which will be your media,
and the afternoon part,
which is mostly broadcast.
So it's gonna be a long day.
I will say this
It is a pretty unique opportunity.
There's not many sports teams,
never mind women's sports teams,
that get to go into an environment
like this and talk to these outlets
about yourself, your team,
and the World Cup of women's soccer.
- Meg, you have anything to add?
- [Megan] Yeah, embrace it.
We have all of this media at our disposal.
Like, use it for us.
Like, we can use them as a tool.
They wanna just drum shit up,
so I think not taking it too seriously,
to be honest,
and just enjoying it and have fun with it.
They try to get in and try to corner you
on something, just like call 'em on it.
Just be like, "You're being weird. So"
[laughter]
That is it!
All right, let's do it!
[exciting music plays]
[female reporter 1] Fourteen out
of your 23 players on the roster
have never been to a World Cup before.
Do you worry that level of inexperience
could present problems?
I'm not worried about the inexperience.
And, in fact, on the way here,
I traveled with Megan, Alex, and Lindsey,
and I felt pretty comfortable
just being around them
and knowing that these are the players
that are gonna lead the young group.
Questions have to be asked.
The success of the team begs the question.
When are they going
to not be as successful
as they've been for the last ten years?
[female reporter 1] I wonder if you could
reflect on this moment. What's at stake?
Um, this one does feel different.
Almost like a, ya know,
show up and show out kinda vibe.
I think going into the major tournament
like this is the most incredible thing.
I'm gonna do whatever I can
to help the young ones that we have
and the newer players
that have never been here.
I think, especially in this World Cup,
there's so much that goes on,
there's so much stress, so much pressure.
I think the only thing that matters now
is the team and the team winning.
[indistinct chatter]
It's been a whirlwind of a week
of roster names and moving parts,
but stakes are just so high.
[Sofia] Everyone says,
especially the veteran players,
that it's a different beast.
Like, it is completely different
than anything you've ever experienced.
You don't wanna say the wrong thing.
I mean, it's my first media day.
- Hi! Sofia, nice to meet you.
- Shannon. Nice to meet you.
- [man] Have you get your cleats on.
- Okay.
These stills are turned into these really
cool superhero, like, action
[Sofia] Yeah, yeah, yeah, okay.
[yelps]
Sometimes it feels like a lot,
and it's a little overwhelming.
Like, I didn't expect it to be
this many people,
this much production and everything.
So just get through it. Um [laughs]
You have to build chemistry quickly.
How are you guys approaching that?
We've had experience playing together
at Friendlies and CONCACAF last year,
and SheBelieves this year.
Um, so I think that chemistry
will come naturally
as we start training together.
I think we all have a common goal,
and that unites us and brings us together.
And we know that to accomplish that,
we have to have that chemistry
and work together.
Fresh faces and the fresh energy,
but also the wisdom and the experience
that the older players have,
the combination's gonna be deadly,
I think.
The first thing in there, I was like
waking up, getting slapped in the face
with questions.
[male reporter] What do you feel
you bring to this team?
What's some advice that some of
the veterans on the team have given you?
[female reporter 2]
The hardest part of being so young?
[female reporter 3]
Kelley, founded or not,
there's a lot of, like, doubt being cast.
Um, this is not the first time this has
happened in terms of people doubting.
Our expectation is to win.
I think our fans' expectation is to win,
the federation's expectation is to win,
because of what's come before me.
And that's just how this team operates.
It's like we expect ourselves to win.
Yeah. I'd say that.
- [man] That is that. We're moving her.
- Great.
[indistinct crowd chatter]
[dark music plays]
[cheering]
[Foudy] As a World Cup nears
and the roster's named,
here's the final 23,
you can take a breath,
and it's the last chance
for American fans to celebrate the team
and to send them off in style.
- We're sitting in the press conference
- [man] Check, one, two.
[Foudy]
and out comes Megan Rapinoe with Vlatko.
[man] All right, everybody.
Thanks for comin'.
Last game before we head Down Under.
Uh, but before we begin,
Megan has a few words for you.
[Megan] Hi, everybody.
It's with a really deep sense
of peace and gratitude and excitement
that I wanna share with you guys,
this is gonna be my last season.
Um, my last World Cup
and my last NWSL season.
I mean, to be honest, I've been thinking
about this for a long time.
It is incredibly rare
for athletes of any stature
to be able to go out in their own way,
on their own terms.
[female announcer 1]
Soccer star Megan Rapinoe
has announced that she's retiring.
[female announcer 2] Rapinoe played
with the US Women's National
for 17 years.
She's been a backbone of this team,
and she says what she thinks,
she means what she says,
and, um, you gotta love her for it.
It's sad to think about
this being her last,
but she's done such incredible things
for this team and for the world.
[female announcer 3]
Rapinoe has transcended soccer.
Best known off the field for her advocacy,
for both LGBTQ rights
and women's pay equality,
earning her the
Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2022.
[Kelley] There's never been one like her.
There's probably never
gonna be one, um, close to her,
so I hope that we all
send her out on a high.
[dramatic music plays]
Her ability to be bold and brave
in the biggest of moments
on the field, off the field.
And that's that's a gift
to have that combination
of athletic prowess
combined with this intellectual capacity
and advocacy and empathy for people
who are marginalized or underserved
and to be willing to speak out
and do things
that many wouldn't have the courage to do.
[Abby] I know that a lot of what
the world knows of her
is the way that she speaks out
and speaks up for those who can't.
But I do think that
we have lost the plot a little bit.
Like, she's a fucking
excellent soccer player, always has been,
and that's why you listen to her.
I feel very grateful that I'm here
and that I have the trust of this team,
and, uh, that my body has held up
this long to be able to do this.
So just wanted to do it now
and, honestly, get it out of the way
before we go down to New Zealand,
so we can focus on, uh,
the task at hand,
which is winning another World Cup.
So thank you.
I think it's just such a different feeling
knowing this is gonna be
my last World Cup,
being kind of an old head
and a different role on the team.
It means a lot to me in a lot
of different ways than the other ones did.
Yeah, this one's very special.
[applause]
Thank you, everybody.
[dramatic music fades out]
[tense music plays]
[Kristie] I feel good about ourselves
going into the World Cup.
We're all getting a little antsy now.
It feels so good and exciting,
but it's obviously
still a bit nerve-racking too.
But we're just packing up,
and we leave at 10:00 p.m.
I think it's like a 14-hour flight,
and then we'll be in New Zealand.
Oh no.
[laughter]
Okay. So, oh my God, it legit broke,
and this isn't even mine. It's Sam's.
I was like, "Babe, I'm taking your
massive suitcase because it fits so much,"
and I just broke it.
It's been like
a dream come true, honestly.
I feel like this is what
I've worked so hard for my entire career.
It's honestly so weird that I keep having
thoughts about it throughout the day.
I'm like, "Oh my God,
is this actually happening?"
Like, "Am I actually going?"
I'm here because of my presence,
what I can bring on and off the field.
It's just, like, crazy.
It's such a cool feeling. I'm so excited.
There was a lot of question marks
leading into this World Cup. [chuckles]
[sighs] Dealing with a lotta injuries.
And in my mind, I'm like,
"Am I gonna be able to be
at a place where I can perform
at the level I would want to
if I'm going to a World Cup?"
I feel very lucky
that I get to do it again, you know?
For the fourth time.
Anything can happen in a World Cup,
and one second can determine
if your dream is over
or you get to keep trying to go for it.
You're on a razor's edge,
and at any moment,
it can go one way or the other.
That's why you just have to be
so on top of everything
because the margins are so small.
[dramatic music plays]
Here we go. Here we go.
Down Under, baby.
This is now our journey.
Like, forget '15, forget '19.
This is '23.
Peace out, USA.
[Megan] Not everybody's gonna have
the World Cup of their childhood dreams.
It's just like,
keep that championship standard,
and in every way possible,
express what it means to be,
like, a ruthless winner.
[Alyssa] There's so many things
that could happen on a world stage,
so I'm so nervous.
I'm like, "What if I mess up?"
[Lynn] When I close my eyes,
I see myself there.
But I hope when I get there,
it's joyful and not so stressed.
[Kristie] I have had
just a crazy journey to get here.
I've done everything
I possibly can up until now,
and this is
the most intense moment of my life.
[dramatic music fades out]
[cheerful music plays]
[indistinct singing]
[female announcer 1]
International teams arrive tonight
ahead of the FIFA Women's World Cup.
[male announcer 1]
It's really starting to feel real now.
[female announcer 2] The Women's World Cup
kicks off in Australia
and New Zealand on Thursday
with teams from 32 countries competing.
The World Cup's special
for a couple reasons.
One, it only comes around
once every four years,
and on top of that,
it's the world's competition.
So, the world can come together
and basically speak the same language.
It's like the time stops,
and the World Cup starts.
That's the feeling I have,
and that's the feeling
that I want the players to have too.
It is this feeling of joy and fun,
but also competitiveness, pressure
All these feelings
mixed together in one event.
[crowd cheers]
The way that the World Cup works
is it's separated into two parts.
You have group stage
and knockout round stage.
It's like two different tournaments.
The group stage,
you're playing against three other teams,
round-robin style.
Whoever is first or second in the group
moves on to the knockout round stage.
You have to win that game.
The United States' Group E,
they got Vietnam, the Netherlands,
and they got Portugal, who was
the last game for the United States.
[tense music plays]
- [man] Girls, look who's here to see you.
- Oh my God!
[player 1] Love you guys!
Old buds.
Ready as can be.
[player 2] Oh yeah!
[Ertz] We need to go ham here.
[indistinct chatter]
Keep smiling. Yeah.
And one, and two, and three.
Smiling? What are we doing?
Stop. One, two, three.
And one, and two, and three.
Nice. I think we got it.
[cheering]
I didn't go to bed till 10:00,
but I laid in bed right after.
My Oura Ring said I was in bed
for 11 hours and 21 minutes.
[funky music plays]
I just don't think people understand
how physically, mentally exhausting it is
as we get to the World Cup.
From the moment you wake up
to the moment you go to bed,
you're doing everything you can in order
to perform your best in that game.
[Alex] Girls, how nice is this?
We're just calm. We do the meeting.
We do our activation. We go out to train.
There's no stop, go, stop, go.
It's just go, go, go.
Here we go. Keep it clean.
Yeah.
Yeah, good.
Yes!
Open. Yeah.
Open up.
Turn, open up.
All right, here we go, girls.
One, two, three, four, five,
six, seven, eight, nine, ten.
[yelps]
Thirteen.
I lost count 'cause I was so excited.
[dramatic music plays]
[Vlatko] Starting lineup for tomorrow,
Alyssa, Fox, and Julie, Naomi, and Dunny.
Andi, Lindsey, and Sav in the middle.
Soph, Alex, and Trin up top.
[Savannah] I found out two nights before
that I was starting.
Vlatko had a conversation with me
saying I'd been playing well in training,
and doesn't really feel real,
but so happy to be here.
So humbled to be here.
[Vlatko] Calm with the ball, but urgency
with everything else that we do.
It's a World Cup. Score goals.
I think I knew that I was gonna be a sub,
but it is hard when you're not playing
because sometimes
I don't think you feel as part of the team
as maybe a starter would.
[Lynn] I knew I wasn't starting.
I wanted to go in,
but I also needed to live in my role.
My role in that moment,
until my name was called,
or if my name is gonna be called,
is to support the people on the field.
[player] Wait! Wait! Wait!
[dramatic music fades out]
[dark music plays]
[group] Whoo!
[crowd repeats] USA!
[cheering]
[repeating] USA!
[female announcer 1]
2023 FIFA Women's World Cup
is officially underway
as America looks to win
its third straight title.
[female announcer 2] Red, white, and blue,
facing off against Vietnam.
- USA!
- Welcome back to the World Cup!
[female announcer 3] The US is a favorite
over many teams in this tournament.
- [woman 1] Who do you think is gonna win?
- USA. Duh.
This is the best day of the year.
It's the first USA World Cup game.
[female announcer 4] This is as big
as the women's game has ever gotten.
Millions of tickets sold.
[man 1] It feels huge.
This is the World Cup, right?
Soccer is the number one sport
in the world.
[man 2] People think
the NFL is the biggest and best thing
in the world.
It's not!
- [woman 1] So what is?
- [girl] US soccer.
- Yes. Yes.
- FIFA World Cup.
[Lynn] All right.
- [woman 2] Men or women.
- [man 3] Men or women.
Go, women!
The women are better than the men any day.
Every day.
- 45 minutes to go, players.
- [player 1] Aye-aye, Captain.
- [Lynn] Aye-aye, Captain.
- [player 2] Aye-aye, Captain.
[heartbeat]
[Foudy] When that starting lineup
came out against Vietnam,
look at that back four.
That back four
had never played together before.
Julie Ertz hadn't been
at the center back position for years.
Savannah DeMelo getting the start
in that first game at the World Cup.
Suddenly, you went, "Okay,
this is gonna be interesting to see."
[Vlatko] We're preparing to see
the best Vietnam team
that has ever been on the field.
Keepers, let's go!
[cheering]
[female coach] Game changers,
three minutes. Starters, four minutes.
[male reporter] Lindsey, I know
you're still new at the captain thing,
but how are you adjusting to that,
and with 14 new World Cup players?
[Lindsey] It's just about making them
as confident as possible,
and everyone is more than prepared
for every moment in this World Cup
and this first game.
We live in pressure.
Pressure is a fucking privilege
on this team.
We go out and show everyone
who we are today.
If there's nerves, anxiety, or anything,
look at everyone around you.
Look at me and Alex.
We have the confidence
that we'll win today.
- Let's fucking go.
- [players] Let's go.
[all repeat] USA!
Our goal for the first game
is to really assert dominance.
We need to start off fast, strong.
We need to score early.
There was a lot of talk
about our first game
the last World Cup against Thailand,
and we won 13-0.
[woman] I'm hoping to see
another reoccurrence with Thailand,
where we smoked them and got a 13-0.
[male reporter] What do you expect
from the Vietnam team?
Are you gonna crush us
like Thailand four years ago?
[Lindsey] This isn't that game.
This isn't last World Cup.
This is a new tournament.
This is Vietnam. Anything can happen.
[players]Oosa-Oosa-Ah!
[male announcer 1]
What a daunting task this is for Vietnam,
to be shoulder-to-shoulder with giants.
[club music plays]
You wanna embrace the moment.
It's just, like, chills, you wanna cry,
you're super happy,
but you also have to remember,
like, "Oh my gosh, we need to win."
[male announcer 2] There it is.
Goal! USA!
[cheering]
USA! USA!
[male announcer 1]
Good turn by Morgan. Back to Rodman.
Rodman goes to ground.
Referees have a close look at that.
[female announcer] Penalty kick for USA!
[male announcer 1] Saved!
["You so Done" by Noga Erez plays]
[Alyssa] We believe in Alex,
and we thought she was gonna make it.
So, once she missed,
I was really nervous and anxious.
Softly, just break it to me ♪
Softly, be straight with me ♪
[male announcer 3] Shot taken,
and it rolls in!
Before you kill me ♪
She has two, Sophia Smith
Calmly, I don't freak out in public ♪
Take me outside and crush me ♪
[male announcer 4] USA gets the victory.
It wasn't as easy
as some may have thought.
[female reporter 1] Confidence-wise,
what's a 3-0 victory
rather than a 10-0 victory?
[female reporter 2] Was it nerves?
Playing together for the first time?
You're writing,
digging for headlines already.
What's a prayer to a death wish? ♪
You so ♪
We would have liked to see more goals
and see our experienced players show up.
[male announcer 3] Weren't half chances,
it was wasteful.
- We like to see our women's team dominate.
- [woman] Yeah.
We had moments of brilliance,
but not enough.
[male announcer 4] The US were wasteful
with their chances, finishing was poor,
and it made me think that
maybe the team hasn't had time to gel.
[Ian] America didn't do
as well as they should've done.
That's a bit of a worry.
[male announcer 4] Netherlands coming in,
there was a lack of ruthlessness.
[female announcer] Can't afford
against Netherlands as they head into
that 2019 World Cup Final rematch.
[male announcer 5] Always been about
the second game against the Netherlands.
[player] We need to win
that game full stop.
[exclaiming]
[Megan] We have a team
that is not yet defined.
[Ian] They've got some
of the greatest players ever.
Got to step up.
[male reporter] I dunno
if panic is the right word,
but a lotta people worried
about where this team is now.
The player of the match was that post.
[female announcer]
USA vs. The Netherlands.
It's gonna really determine what
the US Women's National Team looks like.
I could've punched her in the face
at that moment.
2023 has been an unmitigated failure.
[rhythmic music plays]