By Megan O’Keefe
Youthful U.S. Women’s National team wins She Believes Cup title and remains the powerhouse of the international soccer world.
“With a team average age of just 25 years-old, the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) is dominant in their youth, and they continue to make their mark as the number one women’s soccer team in the world.
FIFA officially announced earlier this month that the USWNT holds strong to the number one spot in the world rankings, after they defeated top-ranked teams, England and Germany, and tied France in the She Believes Cup. This round-robin style tournament has been held in the U.S. for the past three years. The tournament brings out some of the most talented players in the world, with a goal to empower and motivate female athletes and fans of all ages as they watch the best of the best compete.
And this inspirational tournament has clearly done its job on the younger generation, as the USWNT itself is now lead by several young stars, including a couple of teens. The youngest player on U.S. Roster, 19-year-old Tierna Davidson, played every minute of every game in the She Believes Cup. She dominated in a highly respected role in the center back, a high-stakes position where you’d typically find the most veteran and experienced players. Yet her maturity and composure on the field justified Coach Jill Ellis’s decision to keep her in. It also showed in the match results, as the team held to just one goal against them all tournament.
This She Believes Cup title will hopefully serve as strong momentum for the USWNT, as they prepare for a very eventful next 18 months. The U.S. will first host Mexico for two back-to-back friendlies on April 5th and April 8th. This double header matchup will serve as a great preview for a potential meeting between the teams in October when the U.S. hosts the 2018 Concacaf Women’s Championship. This tournament poses much higher stakes than the She Believes, as the Concacaf gives the three top teams a solid spot in the 2019 World Cup.
Yes, for all you soccer fans out there, World Cup time is just over a year away! FIFA Women’s World Cup will be held in France next summer in 2019, and the U.S. has been, and will continue to be, the team to beat. It certainly does help to have a little youth on your side!
