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The Greatest Futboller You’ve Never Heard Of

SOPHIE DURIEUX/PITCHSIDEREPORT

I’m the greatest futboller you’ve never heard of.

Give me five minutes and I’ll prove it to you.

Marta, Christie Rampone, Megan Rapinoe, Becky Sauerbrunn, Formiga, Carli Lloyd, Abby Wambach, Lieke Martens. Those are names you recognize — World Cup Champions, Olympic gold medalists, FIFA Players of the Year. They’re also all women I’ve played with. I’ve even captained a few.

I’ve represented my country and played in three different Champions League finals. I’ve won the Bundesliga as well as the Cups in Norway, Sweden, Germany, and France.

Which has to make you wonder, how have you never heard of me?

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TONY QUINN/ISI PHOTOS

When I was five years old, I was given a piece of paper and prompted to decide then and there what I wanted to be when I grew up. In my fumbling, childish scrawl, I wrote “Football Player.” I couldn’t have known those words would end up guiding my life, fueling a dream I have never outgrown. Especially because I originally meant “American Football Player” — the sport my father played in college.

Since then, I have not only played alongside the greatest players in the world, but have also called seven countries “home,” learned to speak (albeit imperfectly) four different languages, and played in front of the King of Norway. Best of all, I’ve been able to make a living out of chasing my dream.

My success hasn’t been the product of natural-born talent. It was not so long ago that I was recruited as a “walk-on” in college, unable to juggle a ball more than 10 times in a row. But if I’ve learned anything from my journey, it’s that you have to have an incredible amount of stubborn belief and a whole lot of grit to make it. With that, anyone can make the impossible possible.

And somehow, I’ve done just that, reaching levels of success I could have only dreamed about but never predicted.

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None of it has been easy. I’ve had to make my way without a national team backing and, even more humbling, without a shoe contract for most of my career. Despite having played for the best clubs in France, Germany, Sweden, and America, and being voted the 72nd best player in the world, I’ve had to pay for my own plane tickets to try out for international teams because they didn’t recognize my name.

It’s impossible not to think how different my journey would have been if I was a men’s player. I can’t imagine a men’s player with my resume having to fight as I’ve had to fight for recognition and opportunity. I can’t imagine a men’s player still having to pay for his own cleats and plane tickets.

But as I come to the end of my career — one that most of you have never heard of — I want you to know that none of this is said with any bitterness or regret. It is with pride and a belief that the next small town girl will have the chance to live an even bigger dream; that my career and those of the other unrecognized Greats with whom I’ve played have paved the way for younger athletes with starry eyes and crazy goals.

I want them to know that disappointment is an inevitable bump on this road, whether that means not making the team or watching your work go unappreciated. Those are the moments that help you see who you really are. Those are the moments that show you that you are stronger than you think.

Because it’s those difficult memories that I cherish the most. Yes, playing in front of 42,000 screaming fans with my country’s emblem on my chest was amazing. As was hoisting the Bundesliga trophy. But more often I think back on those times when tears were running down my face, on those moments of body-shattering pain when I felt like I couldn’t take another step but still found a way. I remember all those times I sat alone in a room, in Lord knows what country, wondering what the heck I was doing, asking myself, Am I really cut out for this? or, Is it time to walk away?

Those are the moments that let me look back and be proud of what I’ve done.

I have absolutely no professional regrets. I made it. I showed up and found a way to finish what I started when I scribbled down my dream in that wide-ruled notebook 28 years ago.

I am incredibly grateful for the experiences I’ve had, and I’m thankful for all of the lessons I’ve learned, for all the life-changing people I’ve met, and for the countless opportunities I’ve been given to discover what I’m made of. I’m confident that my struggles have left this game in a better place than where it was when I started my journey.

As this chapter of my life comes to a close, I can look myself in the mirror, hold my head high, and say, “Well done, you great. Well done.”

Indiana Fever Shoots for Redemption Against Seattle Storm

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark waits for an inbound pass during a 2025 WNBA game.
The Fever are looking to end a two-game losing streak. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

The WNBA is back in action on Tuesday night, as the Indiana Fever and Seattle Storm headline a series of games that could make or break the current trajectories of several 2025 title contenders.

Seeking an especially strong Tuesday performance is the Fever, as Indiana tries to snap a two-game losing streak against the increasingly confident Storm.

"There are going to be stretches that are really good and there's going to be stretches that aren't as good," Fever guard Caitlin Clark said on Sunday, addressing her recent shooting slump.

While the Indiana and Seattle clash will lead the Tuesday charge, the night will also see young squads sizing up WNBA juggernauts as bottom-table teams look for a leg up:

  • No. 8 Indiana Fever vs. No. 5 Seattle Storm, 10 PM ET (NBA TV): The Fever need a win against a Storm side that can't seem to lose, as both teams eye the postseason.
  • No. 1 Minnesota Lynx vs. No. 9 Washington Mystics, 8 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The up-and-coming Mystics will attempt to hand the Lynx a second season loss, as Minnesota star Napheesa Collier remains day-to-day with lower back stiffness.
  • No. 4 Atlanta Dream vs. No. 12 Dallas Wings, 8 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The Dream are on a tear, surging up the standings as the struggling Wings attempt to take flight.
  • No. 10 LA Sparks vs. No. 11 Chicago Sky, 8 PM ET (NBA TV): The Sparks have cooled after a hot start while the Sky has yet to rev up, with both teams aiming to end a three-game losing streak on Tuesday night.

Teams across the league are hoping to make the most of every minute while also managing injury concerns and absences as the WNBA All-Star break looms.

WNBA Rookie of the Year Odds Shift as 2025 Draft Picks Heat Up

Washington Mystics rookie Sonia Citron guards Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers during a 2025 WNBA game.
Washington rookie Sonia Citron and first-year Dallas star Paige Bueckers are both off to hot starts in their WNBA careers. (Stephen Goslings/NBAE via Getty Images)

The WNBA Class of 2025 is already making its mark on the league, with first-year players stepping up and showing out while the Rookie of the Year race — and betting odds — heat up.

No. 1 draft pick Paige Bueckers has been just as good as advertised, with the Dallas Wings guard leading her class in both minutes played and points per game while also charting league-wide in assists per game, steals per game, and mid-range shots made.

DraftKings currently has Bueckers as the clear WNBA Rookie of the Year race frontrunner at -1,000, though the dynamic DC duo of guard Sonia Citron (+1,500) and forward Kiki Iriafen (+1,000) are quickly gaining traction.

Iriafen won May's WNBA Rookie of the Month award after a series of career-opening double-doubles, while her Washington Mystics teammate Citron has continued to execute in the clutch — most recently posting a career-high double-double performance of 27 points and 11 rebounds in last Sunday's 91-88 overtime win over Dallas.

"Not only is [Iriafen] holding her own, she's excelling," Citron told JWS earlier this month. "And seeing that is just incredible."

"Soni just does all the little things," Iriafen added. "She doesn't shortcut anything, she's doing the fundamentals, she doesn't cheat the game at all."

International Signings Ramp Up as Soccer Teams Break for Women’s Euro 2025

San Diego Wave forward María Sánchez dribbles the ball during a 2025 NWSL match.
San Diego forward María Sánchez is transferring to Liga MX side UANL Tigres. (John Matthew Harrison/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

Though the NWSL hit the pause button this week, players worldwide are still on the move, as both European and US soccer teams use the midseason break to sharpen their lineups with international signings.

The NWSL has already seen one major departure, with the San Diego Wave announcing Monday that forward María Sánchez will return to her former Liga MX club UANL Tigres after nearly five years in the NWSL, with the Wave set to receive an undisclosed transfer fee in return.

"When the opportunity came to return to Tigres, I had to do a lot of inner searching, and I ultimately decided that returning to Liga MX Femenil and Tigres specifically was the best course of action for my career," the 29-year-old dual citizen and Mexico international player said in the Wave's release.

NWSL clubs are also setting their sights on European free agents, with the Washington Spirit bringing in Juventus forward Sofia Cantore last week — the first Italian signing in league history.

Also hopping aboard the player transaction carousel is new WSL side London City, with the top-flight debutantes inking OL Lyonnes midfielder and Dutch international Daniëlle van de Donk on Friday.

Meanwhile, van de Donk's wife and club teammate Ellie Carpenter is also potentially WSL-bound, with the defender reportedly nearing a deal that would see the Australian join Chelsea FC in return for the Blues sending Canadian international Ashley Lawrence to OL Lyonnes.

For their part, OL Lyonnes picked up defender Ingrid Engen from Barcelona as a free agent last week, adding the Norwegian international after snagging French forward and PSG's all-time leading scorer Marie-Antoinette Katoto earlier this month.

With the most recent NWSL CBA abolishing traditional trade windows, expect even more international signings and roster reshufflings before the league resumes play on August 1st.

San Diego Wave Honors Alex Morgan with Jersey Retirement

San Diego Wave players applaud Alex Morgan as she exits the pitch during her final NWSL game in 2024.
Morgan won the NWSL Shield with San Diego in 2023. (Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

San Diego is paying tribute to one of their own, with the Wave announcing plans to retire the No. 13 jersey of NWSL and USWNT legend Alex Morgan on September 7th.

Still topping the team's all-time scoring leaderboard with 23 goals in just over two seasons with San Diego, the retired club captain will be the first-ever Wave player to receive the prestigious honor.

Morgan also led San Diego to the 2023 NWSL Shield as well as postseason appearances in the 2022 expansion club's first two seasons.

"Alex's legacy goes far beyond goals and accolades. She helped lay the foundation for this club and elevated the standard for what women's soccer is today," said Wave FC governor Lauren Leichtman in the team's Tuesday announcement.

"She made this city her home, inspired our fans and community, and helped define who we are," Leichtman continued. "Her impact will be felt for generations, and it's only fitting that her number becomes a permanent part of Wave FC history." 

Morgan joined the Southern California squad's ownership group just last month, saying "San Diego is where I've built my home, where I am raising my children, and found a purpose beyond my playing career."

How to attend the San Diego jersey retirement of Alex Morgan

San Diego will officially retire Morgan's No. 13 jersey during their home match against the Houston Dash at 8 PM ET on September 7th.

Tickets to the game will go on sale to the general public online at 6 PM ET on Tuesday.

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