The U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team defeated Germany on Tuesday with a score of 2-0 in the semifinals of the Women’s World Cup. Now they’re headed to the finals.
But could they have done a better job if a Texan was on the team? Joking aside, it’s interesting to note that though Texas ranks second among states in girls’ participation in high school soccer, there hasn’t a Texan on the national team since 1999.
Tracey Leone joined Texas Standard to talk about the U.S. women’s team and women’s soccer. She’s a Dallas native and the first American to win a World Cup championship as both a player and a head coach.
On the Tuesday’s winning game:
“The team really put together an amazing performance and really are peaking at the absolute right time. It was just amazing to watch. To beat a team as good as Germany 2-0 is an incredible feat.”
On the lack of Texas women on the national team:
“It’s very competitive to make it. The national team has grown immensely since the early ‘90s and late ‘80s to where we even have a youth national group in every single age group … I’m certain there are some Texans involved with those teams.”
On whether interest in U.S. women’s soccer is here to stay:
“I think it’s kind of been built on the backs of the ‘99 world championship team, because it was in the United States and it was the largest sporting event on the planet basically for women. So that kind of really jump-started this sport in America and really worldwide more so.”