United States (Women's Football)

The United States women's national team defeated Portugal 4-0 on Thursday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia as part of its post-2019 Women's World Cup victory tour.

Tobin Heath, Morgan Brian, Carli Lloyd and Allie Long got on the scoresheet for the USWNT, which opened the tour with a 3-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland on Aug. 3 at the Rose Bowl in California.

Portugal will have an opportunity for revenge when it meets the United States again Tuesday at Allianz Field in St. Paul, Minnesota.

In an otherwise uneventful second half for the most part, Lloyd delivered the game's biggest highlight.

A native of Delran, New Jersey, the 37-year-old is a Philadelphia Eagles fan and thus right at home in Lincoln Financial Field. She attended Eagles practice last week and connected on a 55-yard field goal, which subsequently sent social media into a frenzy.

Lloyd's trainer told Fox Sports' Martin Rogers at least one NFL team had offered her the opportunity to kick in a preseason game, which she had to turn down because of Thursday's friendly. Rogers later followed up with Lloyd, who said she's "seriously considering" the possibility of pursuing an NFL career.

She didn't really get to show off her kicking prowess for the United States' third goal in the 52nd minute. Lindsey Horan headed the ball on to Lloyd, who scored from close range and celebrated with an homage to the Eagles.

.@CarliLloyd's scores. We check the board: 3-0.

FG is GOOD! 🐐 pic.twitter.com/YuMQwRNzVp

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) August 30, 2019

The U.S. entered Thursday on a 14-match winning streak, a stretch that dates back to March. It quickly became apparent that run would extend to 15 matches.

Christen Press delivered a cross from the left that eluded Lloyd but found Heath at the far post in the fourth minute.

That didn't take long! Tobin Heath opens the scoring for the @USWNT against Portugal. #VictoryTour pic.twitter.com/tuwyYk1zxV

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 29, 2019

Brian doubled the USWNT's lead in the 18th minute, with Press once again playing the role of facilitator. Portugal left Brian unmarked in the box, and her header bounced past goalkeeper Patricia Morais.

2-0! 🇺🇸 Morgan Brian heads in the corner from Press, who now has both assists on the night. #VictoryTour #USWNT pic.twitter.com/wVToVx2mFD

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 29, 2019

Morgan Brian just stood still inside the six, did not move, did not jump and scored a header off a corner kick. The marking!

— Seth Vertelney (@svertelney) August 29, 2019

Wary of the game getting too out of hand, Portugal dropped back to defend rather than attack the United States in search of its first goal. The U.S. is no stranger to the tactic, which doesn't make it any easier to break down.

Having already scored, Lloyd added an assist to her tally from the evening. She faked a cross with her right and shifted the ball to her left foot and found Long inside the six-yard box. Long beat Morais to the ball and scored with a header.

All in all, it was a straightforward win for the USWNT, which had eight shots on target to Portugal's two. The U.S. controlled the match from start to finish, and a repeat is likely in store when the teams meet again next week.

United States women's national soccer team star Carli Lloyd was offered the chance to suit up for an NFL team during a preseason game, her trainer told Fox Sports' Martin Rogers.

"Today, she got another call from another NFL team," James Galanis said. "The one that called today, I don't want to say who it is, was willing to put her on the roster for their next [game]. They were willing to put her on the roster."

Galanis added Lloyd turned down the opportunity since the USWNT has a friendly Thursday against Portugal as part of its post-2019 Women's World Cup victory tour.

However, Lloyd told Rogers that she is "seriously considering" potential opportunities in the future. "I am having discussions with my husband and James about the reality of playing in the NFL," Lloyd added. "They both feel that I could do it and should consider it. So I'm seriously considering it, as it's a challenge [and] I would probably enjoy it."

Lloyd's resume on the soccer pitch speaks for itself. She's a two-time World Cup champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist and was the FIFA World Player of the Year in 2015 and Best FIFA Women's Player in 2016.

The 37-year-old showed her skills can translate to the gridiron as well. She visited the Philadelphia Eagles during training camp and connected on a 55-yard field-goal attempt:

Thank you to the @Eagles for having me out! Thanks to @JustinTuck @jake_elliott22 @MayorRandyBrown for the good time and tips! 🏈 🎯 #55yd pic.twitter.com/owZ16f46Th

— Carli Lloyd (@CarliLloyd) August 20, 2019

The video made the rounds on social media, and Rogers wrote Lloyd "was approached by multiple NFL teams."

Were it not for the USWNT exhibition, she would've had a shot at becoming the first woman to play in an NFL preseason game, though Rogers noted Lloyd "likely ... would have turned down the chance in any case, due to the limited amount of preparation time."

United States women's national soccer team members Carli Lloyd, Julie Ertz and Allie Long posed with a custom WWE title belt recently to honor their 2019 Women's World Cup victory.

WWE tweeted photos of the three USWNT stars channeling their inner WWE Superstar:

The U.S. Women’s National Team members are no strangers to titles, and they recently added a custom WWE #WomensChampionship to the collection! https://t.co/YQjWqCNJuM @USWNT @CarliLloyd @julieertz @ALLIE_LONG #OneNationOneTeam

— WWE (@WWE) August 16, 2019

WWE Hall of Famer and Executive Vice President of Talent, Live Events and Creative Paul "Triple H" Levesque also tweeted a closer look at the title, which features special USWNT side plates:

An inspiring performance and fourth #FIFAWWC win for the @USWNT. Congratulations to @mPinoe, @alexmorgan13 and the entire team and coaching staff for helping us all believe in #OneNationOneTeam! This custom @WWE Women’s Championship should help continue the celebration! pic.twitter.com/dBP9qO9bDj

— Triple H (@TripleH) July 8, 2019

The title itself is modeled after the Raw Women's Championship, which is currently held by "The Man" Becky Lynch.

Over the past few years, WWE has regularly sent custom belts to major sports teams that have won championships.

The USWNT has won two consecutive World Cups and four overall. This year, Team USA defeated the Netherlands 2-0 in the final in France.  

United States women's national team star Megan Rapinoe appeared Thursday on Good Morning America and Today to discuss the USWNT's battle to receive pay equal to their male counterparts.

Rapinoe, alongside teammate Christen Press, was clear about what the players are seeking: "We won't accept anything less than equal pay."

"If and when and ever they are willing to have a conversation about equal pay that starts there then goes forward, we’re always open for that," @mpinoe tells @arobach. https://t.co/7RW7r32q9c pic.twitter.com/oGAEqu4oLn

— Good Morning America (@GMA) August 15, 2019

The media appearances by the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup champions came after talks between the USWNT and U.S. Soccer broke down Wednesday, per ESPN's Graham Hays.

In March, 28 USWNT players filed a gender discrimination lawsuit against U.S. Soccer in an effort to receive equal pay. Since that time, the USWNT has won its second consecutive World Cup and fourth overall.

On the heels of the impasse in talks with U.S. Soccer, Rapinoe commented on what went wrong on Good Morning America:

"Unfortunately the talks have broke down. We did have a lot of faith and hope, and we were very optimistic that we could come together and get to a better place. It really does take everyone. We can't just come with our demands and then theirs and not be in a position to compromise on things. But, unfortunately, we're here."

During her appearance on Today, Rapinoe noted that while the USWNT players don't want to go to court, they are willing to if their demand for equal pay is not met, per Hays:

"We're always open to hearing that conversation if they're ready to have it. That's the only federation we can play for. We're the only team that they have. ... So we're sort of tethered together in that way. But at any point if they want to have a serious conversation and are willing to not only talk about paying us equally and valuing us in that way, but actually doing it and showing us that they'll do it, our ears are always open. I don't think anybody wants to go to litigation. But with that said, we're very confident in our case."

Press added that the USWNT and U.S. Soccer "never even got past" the equal pay discussion during mediation.

From a wins and losses perspective, the USWNT has been far more successful than the men's team. The USWNT is the top women's team in the world and the two-time reigning World Cup champions, while the United States men's team is ranked 22nd and failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

According to Hays, it is unlikely that the issue will be settled before preparations for the 2020 Summer Olympics begin, but it isn't yet known if the players will use Olympic participation as leverage in talks.

Mediation between the United States women's national soccer team and the U.S. Soccer Federation has broken down as the two sides attempt to come to terms on a new agreement to address the wage gap. 

"We entered this week's mediation with representatives of U.S.S.F. full of hope," player spokesperson Molly Levinson said Wednesday in a statement. "Today we must conclude these meetings sorely disappointed in the federation's determination to perpetuate fundamentally discriminatory workplace conditions and behavior. It is clear that U.S.S.F., including its board of directors and President Carlos Cordeiro, fully intend to continue to compensate women players less than men. They will not succeed.

"We want all of our fans, sponsors, peers around the world, and women everywhere to know we are undaunted and will eagerly look forward to a jury trial."

The USWNT filed a federal gender discrimination lawsuit against U.S. Soccer earlier this year, saying its 2017 collective bargaining agreement is unfair compared to the agreement given to the men.

The two sides agreed to enter mediation in June after 28 national team members filed the lawsuit in March. U.S. Soccer president Carlos Cordeiro released a statement in July, saying that the organization has actually paid out  $34.1 million in salary and game bonuses to the women against $26.4 million for the men. However, some questioned U.S. Soccer's figures, including the U.S. men's national team, which released a statement to that effect on July 30.

Cordeiro seemed open to negotiating a contract for better terms for the women but cautioned that the compensation structures are different because of the collective bargaining agreements.

According to the lawsuit, the women are paid less in bonuses for the same job despite consistently outperforming the men. They also highlighted the unequal accommodations in regards to travel and playing conditions.

The suit estimated the pay gap between the men and women at $164,320. 

The U.S. Women's National Team wins, wins, wins, no matter what.

The Gals took the field for the first time together since capturing the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup on July 7, and they picked up right where they left off by defeating Republic of Ireland 3-0 Saturday night at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

Ten different players scored for the U.S. in France en route to their fourth title, but Tobin Heath was not one of them. Fittingly, the 31-year-old striker became the first player to score during the team's five-game Victory Tour in the 16th minute by heading home a cross from Christen Press: 

.@ChristenPress to @TobinHeath, love to see it.#VictoryTour | #USAvIRL pic.twitter.com/eMK6fhWB7I

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) August 4, 2019

Lindsey Horan (31') and Carli Lloyd (41') joined the party in the first half, too. Lloyd's score was her 114th career international goal. Unsurprisingly, it was met with cheers, as the 37-year-old likely will not appear in another World Cup.

Aaaand we're back at it! @sammymewy finds some space, @LindseyHoran with that sweet finish.#VictoryTour | #USAvIRL pic.twitter.com/8dRSCQwjBP

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) August 4, 2019

That was goal No. 114 for @CarliLloyd.

what how wow 🤯#VictoryTour | #USAvIRL pic.twitter.com/5TQAv7FiUb

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) August 4, 2019

Lloyd exited to even louder fanfare when Ali Krieger subbed on for her in the 56th minute. Rose Lavelle then received a standing ovation as she became the sixth and final sub of the evening for Press in the 62nd minute. 

Captain and Golden Boot winner Megan Rapinoe did not play, but she did meet with Kobe Bryant and three of his daughters:

The Bryant fam in the house today. pic.twitter.com/bnUz2rmAdO

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) August 4, 2019

Alex Morgan, who netted six goals in France, also remained on the bench after committing to the 2023 World Cup earlier Saturday. Mallory Pugh was originally in the starting XI but became a late scratch after experiencing a "minor muscle issue" while warming up. 

The U.S. kept firing throughout the second half and finished the match with 30 shots (nine on target), but Ireland was able to hold pat. A total of 37,040 fans were there to see the back-to-back World Cup champions in person.

Among those in attendance were Mia Hamm—part of the 1999 World Cup-winning team—and other members of USWNTs past, as well as the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks:

L E G E N D S pic.twitter.com/xxY2L4lc3J

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) August 4, 2019

Your Sparks cheering on @USWNT tonight at the Rose Bowl!🏀⚽️#GoSparks #LeadTheCharge pic.twitter.com/8rfW6vmub1

— Los Angeles Sparks (@LASparks) August 4, 2019

Just before the final whistle, a stadium-wide chant for equal pay broke out. On Friday, the U.S. Women's National Team Players Association announced a partnership with the Time's Up movement to "fight to close the pay gap."

Also announced this week leading up to this match was the news that head coach Jill Ellis will be stepping down following the Victory Tour. Ellis became the first head coach to lead the team to two World Cup titles and improved her all-time record to 103-7-18 with the win over Ireland.

     

What's Next? 

The United States' next stop on their Victory Tour will be Aug. 29 against Portugal at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field. The full Victory Tour schedule can be viewed on the team's official website.  

Still basking in the glow of her second straight World Cup win in July, Alex Morgan is already planning on leading Team USA in 2023. 

Per espnW's Graham Hays, Morgan committed to playing for the United States when asked about her future plans. 

"For me, I want another World Cup," said the 30-year-old. "[Life after soccer is] not super soon. Four more years!"

Morgan's return to Team USA provides stability moving forward in the wake of one key departure.  

Head coach Jill Ellis announced this week she will be stepping down in October after the U.S. completes its five-game victory tour. 

Megan Rapinoe hasn't committed to returning for her fourth World Cup appearance, but she doesn't sound ready to hang up her cleats yet. 

"There comes a point around your late 20s or 30s where you either get old really fast and you're done or you change," Rapinoe told Elliott Almond of the Bay Area News Group. "You switch things up and you start your second career."

Morgan tied with Rapinoe and England's Ellen White for the most goals scored during the 2019 World Cup (six). 

She has scored 107 goals in 169 career appearances for the United States since joining the national team in 2010. 

The United States Women's National Team will play for the first time since their FIFA World Cup success on Saturday, as they welcome the Republic of Ireland to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

Jill Ellis' team were outstanding at the showpiece in France, where they were comfortably the best side in the competition and eventually got the better of the Netherlands in the tournament final. They're set to receive a huge ovation from the fans packed into the 90,000-capacity stadium.

For the Irish, it'll be a special occasion to be a part of. They failed to qualify for the summer's World Cup and they lack the kind of quality their opponents will possess, although skipper Katie McCabe will hope the players in green can raise their game.

Here are the key details for the contest, including the viewing information for what should be a memorable night for the United States players.

    

Date: Saturday, August 3

Time: 10 p.m. (ET), 7 p.m. (BT), 3 a.m. (BST, Sunday)

TV Info: ESPN 2 (U.S.)

Live Stream: ESPN+ (U.S.)

    

Preview

The American stars captured the imagination of many fans with their performances at the World Cup. Saturday night will give their home supporters the chance to give their players a rousing reception.

The USWNT not only performed to an outstanding level in France, they were able to put across their vibrant personalities every time they stepped out onto the field.

Their star player was forward Megan Rapinoe, who is surely the player the supporters at the Rose Bowl will be most keen to see after she was named the World Cup's best player. Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated reflected on what was an extraordinary tournament for her:

Still can’t get over Megan Rapinoe winning the World Cup Golden Boot and Golden Ball, which nobody (including herself) would have predicted pre-tournament. She’s going to win FIFA World Player of the Year at age 34. Three years ago, she looked like she was done internationally.

— Subscribe to GrantWahl.com (@GrantWahl) July 10, 2019

Although the team has had much to celebrate, Saturday's fixture will signal the start of preparations for the next major tournament, the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

The United States will go to the Games without Ellis in charge. It's been confirmed ahead of the clash with Ireland that the manager will step down at the end of the five games that consist of the USWNT's victory tour, meaning her final match will be in October.

Ellis will walk away from the position having been appointed in 2014 and delivering two World Cup wins in her five years in charge. The Team USA Twitter account put her record as coach into context:

102 wins, only seven losses & the first in history to win two World Cup titles.

Jill Ellis will step down as #USWNT head in October as a forever legend. 🇺🇸 https://t.co/8t5Lb3k2mP pic.twitter.com/jzXWH68Svb

— Team USA (@TeamUSA) July 30, 2019

"When I accepted the head coaching position, this was the timeframe I envisioned," she said after confirming the departure, per BBC Sport. "The programme is positioned to remain at the pinnacle of women's soccer. Change is something I have always embraced in my life and for me and my family, this is the right moment."

The popularity of the side she's helped craft will become abundantly clear on Saturday. Per sports journalist Giovanni Moujaes, it's been a long time since the USWNT played at one of the country's most iconic sporting venues:

https://twitter.com/giovannimoujaes/status/1157331062445318144

For Ireland, there's little to lose going into the game, as it's unrealistic to expect them to get any kind of positive result. While they have some fine individual players, it'll be difficult for them to retain possession and apply pressure for long spells against such a well-oiled opponent.

The underdogs will hope the United States players get caught up in the occasion and allow some complacency to creep in as a result. However, this USWNT has shown time and time again they are a fiercely competitive set of footballers, and a strong display is to be expected as a result.

Prediction USWNT 4-0 Ireland

The USWNT's Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan are among the 12 nominees for FIFA's "The Best" women's player award.

Rapinoe and Morgan are included alongside World Cup-winning USA team-mates Julie Ertz and Rose Lavelle:

🚨 Here they are! 🚨#TheBest Women's Player nominees:

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿@LucyBronze
🇺🇸@julieertz
🇳🇴@CarolineGrahamH
🇳🇴@AdaStolsmo
🇫🇷@amandinehenry6
🇦🇺@samkerr1
🇺🇸@roselavelle
🇳🇱@VivianneMiedema
🇺🇸@alexmorgan13
🇺🇸@mPinoe
🇫🇷@WRenard
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿@ellsbells89

Voting NOW OPEN 👇https://t.co/t8x1884tdq

— FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) July 31, 2019

FIFA's 2019 "The Best" ceremony will be held on September 23 in Milan.

Morgan and Rapinoe each netted six goals as they helped Team USA defend their 2015 title and win their fourth World Cup overall.

The latter, who won the Golden Ball as the World Cup's best player, netted a penalty in the final among a number of impressive highlights (U.S. only):

England striker Ellen White also scored six goals at the tournament. She is included among the nominees alongside Lionesses team-mate Lucy Bronze after they helped England reach the semi-finals.

Bronze also scored one of the most impressive goals of the tournament along the way:

The right-back, who was awarded the tournament's Silver Ball, came into the World Cup on the back of a sensational season with Lyon in which she won the treble.

Her team-mates Ada Hegerberg, Wendie Renard and Amandine Henry also made the cut. The latter two took France to the quarter-finals of the World Cup, with centre-back Renard netting four times along the way.

Hegerberg, who won the first women's Ballon d'Or last year and scored a hat-trick in this year's UEFA Women's Champions League final as Lyon beat Barcelona 4-1, did not attend the World Cup with Norway in protest against gender inequality in football in her home country.

Vivianne Miedema not only helped the Netherlands reach the World Cup final, but she also enjoyed a superb season with Arsenal as she won the Women's Super League, playing a key role along the way:

Australia's Sam Kerr has been nominated after she finished as top scorer in the National Women's Soccer League last year and in the W-League for the 2018-19 season with Chicago Red Stars and Perth Glory, respectively.

Jill Ellis is leaving the United States women's national team after winning two straight World Cup titles. 

USA Soccer announced on Twitter she will remain with the club through its five-game World Cup victory tour that starts on Aug. 3 against the Republic of Ireland before stepping down. 

For everything she has done and everything she has meant to this program we say, THANK YOU ❤️

Jill Ellis will step down as #USWNT head coach in October.#ThankYouJill: https://t.co/5I3dwtQXIo pic.twitter.com/QkCAkMItQj

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) July 30, 2019

In a statement given to USA Soccer, Ellis expressed her gratitude for the opportunity and the players she coached:

“The opportunity to coach this team and work with these amazing women has been the honor of a lifetime. I want to thank and praise them for their commitment and passion to not only win championships but also raise the profile of this sport globally while being an inspiration to those who will follow them. I want to sincerely thank the world class coaches and staff with whom I’ve had the privilege to work - they are quintessential professionals and even better people. And finally, I want to thank the Federation for their support and investment in this program, as well as all the former players, coaches, and colleagues that have played an important role in this journey.”

Ellis first took over the U.S. women's national team in 2012 on an interim basis when Pia Sundhage resigned to take the same position with Sweden. She was promoted to the job full time in May 2014. 

Depending on the results of the five-game victory tour, Ellis could leave as the winningest head coach in Team USA history.

Kassouf noted Ellis' contract with the U.S. women's team, which expires July 31, includes a mutual option to extend it through the 2020 Olympics, but she walking away. 

Following Team USA's 2-0 win over the Netherlands in the World Cup Final on July 7, Ellis deflected a reporter's questions about her future in the postgame press conference: "I can't even think about that right now. Right now, it's about just enjoying this moment."

During her five-year run leading the United States, Ellis led the team to victories at the 2015 and 2019 World Cup, 2014 CONCACAF Women's Championship and 2015 Algarve Cup. She was also named Women's Coach of the Year in 2015 by FIFA and CONCACAF.