Scanning the timeline of Carli Lloyd’s iconic soccer career, there is an obvious pinnacle: her stunning hat trick in the 2015 World Cup Final versus Japan. That single performance was life-changing, leading to numerous TV appearances, big deal endorsements, speaking tours, and even a book deal — all the ingredients necessary for her to maintain her stature and personal brand long after her playing career ends.

Four years prior to this historic accomplishment, Lloyd missed a penalty kick in the final match of the 2011 World Cup, also against Japan. Lloyd’s whiff could have been a permanent stain on her resume, and at the time, she was clearly crushed by her miscue. But in a recent conversation with her friend and long-time teammate Kelley O’Hara on the Just Women’s Sports podcast, Lloyd admitted to now seeing that heartbreaking moment as a blessing in disguise for both herself and the team.

Going into the 2011 World Cup in Germany, the USWNT was number one in the world and the reigning Olympic Champions, but they hadn’t won a World Cup championship since the legendary 1999ers did so in the Rose Bowl. After going 2 – 1 in group play, the U.S. beat a daunting Brazil side in what was arguably the most thrilling victory in team history. Abby Wambach scored an equalizer in the second minute of stoppage time of extra time, and the U.S. then won on PKs. After 122 minutes of playing, Lloyd confidently hit the back of the net with her penalty kick.

Unfortunately, the high of this victory ended just days later in another penalty kick showdown, this time against Japan in the finals. Lloyd remembers overthinking things in the moments leading up to her kick.

“I’m playing mind games with myself because I’m like, ‘Should I change my side?’” she recalls to O’Hara, “You know the Japanese players. They are diligent. They study. They know exactly where we are going to be shooting it.”

After watching her missed shot sail over the crossbar, Lloyd admits to O’Hara that she felt like a “failure.” Even though she was only one of three U.S. players to miss their PK that day, she carried the weight of having let down her team for a long time after.

Inside U.S. soccer circles, the 2011 World Cup, and specifically the epic quarterfinals against Brazil, is well-known as a turning point in USWNT popularity. The most likely explanation is a timely combination of factors: a universally thrilling soccer match, enhanced media coverage, and the recent ubiquity of social media (specifically Twitter), which revealed an untapped and fast-growing fanbase for the team.

“From that point on, everybody started following us,” Lloyd reminisces with O’Hara, “Everybody wanted to watch us. Everybody wanted us to be successful… With social media, it just became this big, big thing.”

Going into the 2015 World Cup in Canada, the U.S. squad’s dominant international standing meant even more pressure to win it all this time around. After surviving their “Group of Death” with a defensive-minded, reactionary approach, Lloyd recalls a shift occurring in their quarterfinal against China. With Megan Rapinoe and Lauren Holiday (then Cheney) out for the match with yellow-card suspensions, Lloyd was moved up-field and was more free to attack. The USWNT stopped letting the other team set the tone and instead started imposing themselves on their opponents. More precisely, Lloyd started imposing herself on everyone by putting the ball in the net. She scored their only goal in the quarterfinals and another goal in their 2-0 win over Germany in the semis. By the time they reached the finals against Japan once again, Lloyd recalls feeling like she was “just out there playing free.”

Her joyful and confident mental state materialized into one of the greatest single game soccer performances of all time. Within just six minutes she had put the U.S. up 2-0. And ten minutes later she scored the most exhilarating goal of her career: a perfectly struck ball from half-field that sailed over the keeper’s head, skimmed off her fingertips, and kissed the goal post on its way into the net.

“When the ball came off my foot, it was the most well-struck ball,” she tells O’Hara, “I’m like wow, I just hit that perfectly. I just felt it.”

With that magical shot, Lloyd became only the second person to ever score a hat trick in a World Cup Final and the first since 1966.

The fanfare that followed their 5-2 victory was life-changing not only for Lloyd, but the entire USWNT organization.

“It just was one big explosion. Everything took off,” she recalls with O’Hara, “We had appearances and endorsements that we all were able to be a part of. It was absolutely game-changing for women’s soccer.”

Would the wave of national glory and mainstream prominence in 2015 have been quite as high had they already won the title four years prior in 2011? From where she stands today, Lloyd is willing to re-envision that 2011 failure as serving their benefit in the end.

“Maybe it was just better for all of us that we had to wait 16 years to win,” she suggests to O’Hara. “Maybe we needed that momentum, you know, for everybody to get on board.”

It’s a convincing theory given that what we love most about sports are the universally relatable human stories which unfold both on and off the field: the dramatic rises and falls, the villains and the underdogs, the comebacks and the triumphs. If that heart-wrenching loss in 2011 was necessary for the USWNT to garner the massive following they have today, then we agree with you Carli, it was absolutely worth it.

Listen to Carli Lloyd’s full conversation with Kelley O’Hara on the Just Women’s Sports podcast here.

For the first time in the NWSL's 12-year history, fans can now buy their own goalkeeper jerseys. And while replica goalkeeper jerseys representing all 14 NWSL teams hit the market on Wednesday, some didn't stick around for long. 

Fans across women's soccer have long vocalized their discontent over the position's lack of availability on social media, often comparing the shortcoming to the widespread availability of men’s goalkeeper jerseys. And as the NWSL has grown, so has demand — and not just from those in the stands. 

"To have goalkeeper kits available for fans in the women’s game as they have been for so long in the men’s game is not only a long-awaited move in the right direction, it’s just good business," said Washington Spirit goalie Aubrey Kingsbury in an team press release. "I can’t wait to see fans representing me, Barnie [Barnhart], and Lyza in the stands at Audi!"

just went looking at #nwsl goalkeeper kit stock out of curiosity — Alyssa Naeher's $145 kit already sold out S-XL (league announced GK jerseys on sale 3 hours ago)https://t.co/8bYA7tlwcx

— Meg Linehan (@itsmeglinehan) April 17, 2024

Business does, in fact, appear to be booming. Alyssa Naeher’s Chicago Red Stars kit sold out less than three hours after the league's announcement. Jerseys for other keepers like DiDi Haračić, Abby Smith, Michelle Betos, Katelyn Rowland, and Bella Bixby aren’t currently available via the Official NWSL Shop, though blank goalkeeper jerseys can be customized through some individual team sites. Jerseys start at $110 each.

"This should be the benchmark," said Spirit Chief Operations Officer Theresa McDonnell. "The expectation is that all players’ jerseys are available to fans. Keepers are inspiring leaders and mentors with their own unique fan base who want to represent them... I can’t wait to see them all over the city."

Decorated gymnast Simone Biles took to the popular Call Her Daddy podcast this week to open up about her experience at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, revealing she thought she was going to be "banned from America" for her performance.

After Biles botched her vault routine due to a bout of the "twisties," she withdrew from the team final as well as the all-around final in order to focus on her mental health. She later reentered the competition to win bronze in the individual balance beam final.

In her interview with podcast host Alex Cooper, Biles admitted to feeling like she let the entire country down by failing her vault attempt.

"As soon as I landed I was like 'Oh, America hates me. The world is going to hate me. I can only see what they’re saying on Twitter right now,'" she recalled thinking. "I was like, ‘Holy s---, what are they gonna say about me?'"

"I thought I was going to be banned from America," she continued. "That’s what they tell you: Don’t come back if not gold. Gold or bust. Don’t come back."

Widely regarded as the greatest gymnast of all time, Biles has hinted at a desire to join her third Olympic team in Paris, though her participation won't be confirmed until after the gymnastics trials in late June. She holds over 30 medals from the Olympic Games and World Artistic Gymnastics Championships combined, and if qualified, would be a sure favorite heading into this summer’s games.

Caitlin Clark is reportedly close to cementing a hefty endorsement deal with Nike.

The Athletic was the first to break the news Wednesday evening, commenting that the deal would be worth "eight figures" and include her own signature shoe. On Thursday afternoon, the publication tweeted that the deal would top $20 million, according to lead NBA Insider Shams Charania. Both Under Armour and Adidas are said to have also made sizable offers to the college phenom and expected future WNBA star.

The new agreement comes after Clark's previous Nike partnership ended with the conclusion of the college basketball season. She was one of five NCAA athletes to sign an NIL deal with the brand back in October, 2022. 

Considering Clark's overwhelming popularity and Nike's deep pockets, the signing's purported value doesn't exactly come as a shock. New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu’s deal with the brand is reportedly worth $24 million, while NBA rookie and No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama’s deal is rumored to weigh in at $100 million. And in 2003, LeBron James famously earned $90 million off his own Nike deal. 

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Clark’s star power continues to skyrocket, with the NCAA championship averaging 18.9 million viewers and the 2024 WNBA Draft more than doubling its previous viewership record. Following the draft, Fanatics stated that Clark's Indiana Fever jersey — which sold out within an hour — was the top seller for any draft night pick in the company’s history, with droves of unlucky fans now being forced to wait until August to get their hands on some official No. 22 gear.

In Wednesday's Indiana Fever introductory press conference, the unfailingly cool, calm, and collected Clark said that turning pro hasn’t made a huge impact on how she’s conducting her deals.

"If I’m being completely honest, I feel like it doesn’t change a ton from how I lived my life over the course of the last year," she said. "Sponsorships stay the same. The people around me, agents and whatnot, have been able to help me and guide me through the course of the last year. I don’t know if I would be in this moment if it wasn’t for a lot of them."

Former Oklahoma slugger Jocelyn Alo has signed on with Athletes Unlimited and will compete in the AU Pro Softball AUX this June.

The NCAA record holder in career home runs (122), total bases (761), and slugging percentage (.987), Alo was originally drafted by the league in 2022 but opted instead to join the newly debuted Women’s Professional Fastpitch. 

Alo currently plays for independent pro softball team Oklahoma City Spark, with team owner Tina Floyd reportedly on board with her recent AUX signing. AUX games are scheduled for June 10-25, while the Spark's season will kick off June 19th. Alo will play for both. 

Among those joining Alo on the AUX roster are former James Madison ace pitcher Odicci Alexander and former Wichita State standout middle infielder Sydney McKinney.

According to Alo, the decision to play in the Athletes Unlimited league was fueled by her desire to propel women's sports forward as well as provide more exposure to a sport that's given her "so many opportunities."

"Not only to challenge myself more, but just for the growth of the game," Alo said, explaining her reasoning to The Oklahoman. "I genuinely believe that professional softball can be a career for girls."

Joining AUX is also one more step in her plan toward representing Team USA at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

"I’m constantly thinking about how can I do these little things right in these four years to prepare me for the biggest stage of softball," she told The Oklahoman. "I definitely want to play in the Olympics, for sure."

Alo further expressed enthusiasm in the hope that the rise of other women’s sports, like women’s basketball and the NWSL, will push softball’s professional viability even higher.

"We’re seeing the NWSL (National Women’s Soccer League) get their stuff going, I see the WNBA starting to get hot," she continued. "I feel like the softball community is like, 'All right, it’s our turn and it’s our turn to just demand more.'"