Ali Riley is more than just an award-winning defender. The Orlando Pride star is also an expert interviewer, eager experimenter, and, according to Marta, the best teammate. The New Zealand captain is also the host of Just Women’s Sports’ Off the Ball, a digital series which takes viewers behind the scenes with some of soccer’s biggest stars.

In season 1 of the series, Riley chatted with some of NWSL’s biggest names about their lives on and off the pitch. With season 2 around the corner, we’re looking back at the best highlights and hijinks from Off the Ball so far.

Ali Krieger: super mom

Ali Krieger joined Ali Riley in the Orlando Pride locker room to chat about her experience juggling being a new mom to baby Sloane with her role as a professional athlete. The Pride defender revealed to Riley that becoming a mom had made a huge impact on the way she approached progress and advocacy in sport.

“I hope that women get paid what they deserve,” Krieger said. “That’s super important for me as a mom, to continue to fight for equality and to continue to fight for what we deserve.”

Riley also got a swaddling lesson from her teammate, as the Off the Ball host volunteered to have herself wrapped up in a blanket in a must-see season finale spectacle.

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In the zone with Erin McLeod

Erin McLeod started her sit down with a deep breathing exercise that nearly lulled Riley into a meditative state.

The veteran Canadian goalkeeper is known for her mindful approach to life on and off the pitch, including in her art practice. McLeod likens her “state of flow” in art to being “in the zone” on the soccer field. After talking about her work, Riley decided to put McLeod’s skills as an artist to the test, as the pair drew portraits of each other without looking at the canvas. Chaos, predictably, ensued.

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Gunnhildur Yrsa Jónsdóttir: Icelandic footballer, American Idol

Gunnhildur Yrsa Jónsdóttir, affectionately known as Gunny, stopped by Off the Ball to chat with Riley about her formative love for rap music and basketball, with the Iceland native having spent part of her childhood in Philadelphia.

“I wanted to be the next Eminem, yet the next Allen Iverson,” Gunny says.

Although that dream didn’t exactly pan out, the Icelandic soccer star did show off her pipes, nailing a TikTok singing challenge with Riley.

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Erika Tymrak on coming out of retirment

During their chat, Erika Tymrak gave Riley a behind-the-scenes look into her career-changing decision to come out of retirement after a year away from soccer.

“I honestly didn’t plan on coming back,” Tymrak said, but she “kept on getting signs” that she needed to return.

Eventually, Tymrak not only returned but doubled down on her professional training, changing her diet and exercise routine. A former dancer, Tymrak also took Riley to the studio for a lesson on the dance floor, testing Riley’s hand-eye coordination.

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Toni Pressley gives Ali a makeover

Toni Pressley, an original member of the Orlando Pride, linked up with Riley in the team’s locker room for a conversation on vegan cooking, the power of crystals, and her Harry Styles obsession.

Riley then challenged Pressley to a blindfolded makeover that ended in a surprising new look.

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Marta shows she’s more than just the GOAT

The one and only Marta Vieira da Silva sat down with Riley in April, kicking off season 1 with a bang.

Considered one of the greatest footballers to ever take the pitch, Marta revealed she is also a Guinness World Record holder, a vegan grill master, and a musical genius–is there anything she can’t do?

The secret to Marta’s success, she says, is her competitive spirit. “When I play, I play like with all of my heart, like I give everything. I be so angry when I lose, I be so happy when I win.”

Marta also showed her musical prowess, playing three different instruments in Riley’s exclusive locker-room shower concert.

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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.'"