USWNT hopes its record diverse World Cup roster will inspire next-gen stars

U.S. women’s national team players Crystal Dunn, left, and Naomi Girma walk off the field together after a win over Wales in a World Cup tuneup match on July 9. “It’s something our team takes a ton of pride in,” said forward Megan Rapinoe, who played in her first World Cup in 2011 on a team that had one Black and one Latino player. “That’s not true still in the U.S. And so that’s one thing that we as a federation are going to be working to really grow this game and increase the access to our game, so that not only our national teams, but every team across the country reflects the diversity of our country.” “Our hope,” she added, “is that this group of diverse players really inspires the next generation of players, executives, coaches, referees from all backgrounds.” For Dunn, who at 31 is in her 11th year with the national team, both the access and the example are important. When I look around and see all the women of color on the team, it’s a beautiful thing and it’s something that I fought long and hard for.” That fight smoothed the path for players such as Sophia Smith, 22, the youngest most valuable player in National Women’s Soccer League history; Girma, 23, the daughter of Ethiopian immigrants; and former UCLA standout Ashley Sanchez, one of just three Mexican Americans to make a U.S. women’s World Cup team.