Latest news with #MegLinehan
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Miguel Vargas' sensational catch
Everything You Need To Know About Euro 2025 | Full Time Podcast Welcome to Full Time's big UEFA Women's Euro 2025 preview podcast. Hosts Tamerra Griffin and Meg Linehan get you caught up on everything you need to know about the tournament. With the help of The Athletic's Megan Feringa, Cerys Jones, Ali Rampling and Charlotte Harpur the crew breaks down every group - from A to D - with expert analysis on the favorites, the contenders, the dark horses, the breakout stars, the narratives that need busting, and what could define this summer's action. Will England defend their title? Can Wales disrupt the 'group of death'? Are Spain truly way ahead of the chasing pack? Why is this Sweden's last dance? 56:53 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
New York Times
6 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Your Euro 2025 cheat sheet. Plus: USWNT's Biyendolo gets well-deserved recognition
Full Time Newsletter ⚽| This is The Athletic's weekly women's soccer newsletter. Sign up here to receive Full Time directly in your inbox. Watch out for robots on the pitch today. Emily Olsen here with Meg Linehan, Melanie Anzidei, Asli Pelit and Tamerra Griffin — welcome to Full Time! Everything to know about the Euros It's time for another summer of soccer! (We need to find a different way to describe this. Camp Soccer, Summer Soccerfest, Socapalooza?) Even if the NWSL is on a break (play resumes Aug. 1), there are plenty of matches to watch between the Women's European Championship, the Women's Africa Cup of Nations and Copa America Femenina. Most NWSL teams also have friendlies and mini-tournaments lined up. Advertisement Things kick off Wednesday with the Euros, so let's start there. Reigning champions England are hoping to successfully defend their title, and Spain are attempting to complete a treble of major tournament wins — and will be relieved to have star midfielder Aitana Bonmati back after she was hospitalized with meningitis. Keep an eye on Meg and Tamerra's picks to win it all: Germany and France. Watch more here. Switzerland are hosting the tournament that runs from July 2 until July 27 and have a good chance to get out of their group. Want to … We have team guides for all 16 competing nations, which you can find here — and be sure to hit 'follow' on that page to stay updated throughout the tournament. How to watch: You'll hear familiar voices calling and commentating on the matches via Fox, which will air 19 games on its main channel, 11 on FS1 and one on FS2. (You can stream the tournament on Fubo — try it for free.) There will be two matches daily at 12 p.m. ET and 3 p.m. ET through July 9, then two matches happening simultaneously at 3 p.m. ET to round out the group stage by July 13. Full schedule here. USWNT youth looks strong vs. Ireland If the U.S. women's national team's last two matches — both against the Republic of Ireland, both 4-0 victories — have taught us anything, it's that the present and future of this squad will be powered by the youth. In keeping with her development manifesto, coach Emma Hayes brought six more uncapped players to this camp, four of whom earned their first call-ups. Three of those first-timers (defenders Jordyn Bugg and Lilly Reale, and midfielder Sam Meza) last trained with the under-23s and competed in a pair of bangers against Germany a month ago. Those performances, in addition to their strong club contributions, earned them invitations to the senior side — and their experience with U-23s primed them to thrive in their USWNT debuts. Advertisement Bugg was the epitome of composure in both games, and Meza controlled the tempo of the U.S. midfield with supreme maturity. Reale played the full 90 in the first match, her senior debut, and assisted Alyssa Thompson's 63rd-minute goal. Next up: The U.S. concludes its three-match FIFA window with a clash against Canada on Wednesday in Washington, D.C., at Audi Field (7:30 p.m. ET on TNT, TruTV and Universo). The continental rivals' last two meetings in 2024 were decided by penalty kicks, with the U.S. triumphant each time. This will be a huge test for the team's rotating roster. Youth generally stole the show at the USWNT's pair of friendlies against Ireland, but in addition to Rose Lavelle's strong return to the team with a goal and assist in the first match, Lynn Biyendolo got her moment in the sun in the second — serving as the team's captain for the first time and adding a goal with the armband on. With so much focus on the missing Triple Espresso and the rise of talent like Thompson, the 32-year-old Biyendolo has been a steady presence for the USWNT and a crucial leadership voice in this camp. Since Hayes arrived last year, she has had nothing but praise for Biyendolo. Originally named as an alternate for the second time for the 2024 Olympics, Biyendolo got promoted to the 18 following an injury to Cat Macario. 'A player who epitomizes everything you want in a squad, someone who cares, someone who trains with great intensity, someone who's intentional,' Hayes said in Marseille last year. Biyendolo finally getting the captain's armband, then going on to score, was a truly lovely full-circle moment. After the match, Biyendolo recounted her first pregame speech as captain to the TNT desk: 'Everybody's meant to be here. If you were not meant to be here, you wouldn't be here.' She ended it on a note that drew from her own experience. 'Take a deep breath and let's just play, and play with joy.' WAFCON, Copa up soon The next several weeks will be filled with some of the biggest international competitions outside of North America. Beyond the Euros, the Women's Africa Cup of Nations begins this weekend, followed by Copa America Femenina next week. WAFCON The 2023 World Cup served as a gentle yet urgent reminder that women's football in Africa continues to rise, and this summer's Women's Africa Cup of Nations will showcase the best of what the continent has to offer starting Saturday. Advertisement Hosts Morocco fell short of a title in the last tournament, which they also hosted, but will need to get through the likes of Nigeria and Zambia, whose rosters shimmer with international stars and homegrown talent champing at the bit for their breakout moments. The Super Falcons of Nigeria are bolstered by Europe-based players — including Christy Ucheibe of Benfica and Rasheedat Ajibade of Atlético Madrid — while the Copper Queens of Zambia will be led by NWSL standouts Barbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji, not to mention Grace Chanda and Prisca Chilufya, who are also gaining footholds in the league. Copa America Femenina The South American competition begins July 12 in Ecuador, with some of the region's brightest stars vying to dethrone eight-time champions Brazil. While Brazil remains a heavy favorite, the slow but growing investment in professional women's soccer across the continent has the potential to shake things up. Argentina is only the second team besides Brazil to have won the competition. While La Albiceleste could be the tournament's dark horse, the Colombian national team is a top contender to earn its first Copa America crown after finishing second in 2022. Las Cafeteras are headlined by promising rising stars in Real Madrid's Linda Caicedo and Chelsea's Mayra Ramirez. With Marta coming out of international retirement at 39 to join Brazil for Copa America, the competition is must-watch television. How often are we given a second chance to watch a women's soccer icon on the world stage? (Crossing our fingers for World Cup 2027, too.) Catching up with Ali Krieger Two years after retiring as an NWSL champion with Gotham FC, Ali Krieger isn't exactly slowing down. She's still lacing up for special occasions, but Krieger's focus has shifted from playing to building: The 40-year-old is investing in women's sports with the same intensity she once brought to the pitch, as Krieger shared with Asli over the weekend. From their conversation: You're already investing in LOVB, the volleyball league. Are there any other women's sports you're interested in getting into? 💬 Absolutely. I would love to get into women's hockey, ice hockey, as well, basketball, of course, and then broaden my journey within the NWSL. I want to be an owner and investor fully into an organization so that I can have more of an impact on the day-to-day side of things. I think there's a lot on the table in the future, and I'm hopeful that women's sports will continue to grow and that I can kind of pick out little pieces here and there along the way that can benefit not only the women, you know, playing, but just the fan experience as well. Kang's new role: Michele Kang was just named the president of Olympique Lyonnais … men's team? It's unclear how, if at all, this will affect OL Lyonnes as the two teams were split up, but if you need to understand it from the men's side, we've got a long read on John Textor. Gotham in NYC: The NWSL break is firmly on, but teams are working to give us something to look forward to this summer. Gotham FC will head to Manhattan at Icahn Stadium to kick off their Concacaf W Champions Cup action against CF Monterrey Femenil. Sure, it's a smaller stadium, but it's a rare treat to see Gotham in NYC proper. Advertisement Women's sports 📈: And while it's not soccer, we've got to shout out the three new expansion teams coming to the the WNBA in Cleveland, Detroit and Philly. Expansion fees? $250 million. It will bring the league to a record 18 teams by 2030. Keep an eye on what this could mean for expansion in the NWSL in the long term. 📫 Love Full Time? These stories can also be found on Yahoo's women's sports hub, in partnership with The Athletic. Also, check out our other newsletters.
New York Times
24-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
NWSL takes a break. Plus: María Sánchez's Tigres return
Full Time Newsletter ⚽| This is The Athletic's weekly women's soccer newsletter. Sign up here to receive Full Time directly in your inbox. Suggesting a Connections: Sports Edition category for my colleague Mark Cooper. Clues: Attend the Cowboy Carter tour, go to a water park, read a book, watch more soccer Advertisement Category: Things you can do while do while NWSL is on a break Emily Olsen here with Meg Linehan, Tamerra Griffin and Asli Pelit — welcome to Full Time! NWSL midseason review We are officially halfway through the 2025 NWSL season. We've arrived at the summer break, though it's hard to call it that. Here are three key numbers to illustrate where the league stands after 13 action-packed weekends: Every team has squared off with every other team once, and the reverse matches take place after the league returns to regular-season action on Aug. 1. In the meantime, several players will depart for national team duty. In addition to the trio of USWNT games that will heavily feature NWSL players this week and next, other players will embark on a month-long chase for a trophy in the European Championship, Women's African Cup of Nations and Copa America Femenina. Even those who don't get the call for their country won't necessarily be jetting off to the beach. Many NWSL teams have their own friendlies or tournaments during this time. I'm not sure you can call this a 'break,' exactly. Where everybody knows your name With all this soccer, we're going to need a place to watch it. Lucky for those in the Bay Area, where the 2025 NWSL Championship will take place, the newest sports bar in the area can guarantee the games will be on. Tamerra went to Rikki's to find out more: 'What's on today?' I asked the bouncer at the entrance to Rikki's, the new women's sports bar that opened in San Francisco on June 11. I knew I'd find what I was looking for, but I wanted to hear her say it. The Golden State Valkyries had just concluded their 87-63 drubbing of the Connecticut Sun, the bouncer told me while she stamped my wrist with a purple smiley face. 'We're about to put a soccer game on now,' she said of the San Diego Wave-Washington Spirit match. I took my time searching for a table, delighting in the framed jerseys of not only Bay FC and the Valkyries, but the semi-pro Bay Breakers women's rugby team and professional women's ultimate frisbee Bay Area Falcons squad. The crowd swelled late into the night as people across race and gender spectrums exchanged hugs and shouted over plates of duck confit, dry rub BBQ chicken wings (highly recommend) and signature cocktails inspired by icons like Kristi Yamaguchi and Miss Gaviota, Mexico's first trans lucha libre wrestler. Rikki's is named after the late Rikki Streicher, a champion of women's sports who ran queer and lesbian bars in San Francisco. What struck me most about the space was how quickly it has transcended its purpose as a gathering place for women's sports to a place for folks to simply gather, with the games playing on its well-placed TVs a normalized and necessary background. NWSL's leading goal scorer Esther González may stand just 5 feet 5 inches, but the Spanish striker continues to tower over the NWSL. She was nearly unstoppable again last weekend, earning Player of the Match honors in Gotham FC's 2-1 win over Bay FC. Now the league's top scorer with 10 goals in 13 games, González has already claimed April's Player of the Month. As Gotham coach Juan Carlos Amorós put it earlier this season, her soccer IQ is next-level. A 2023 World Cup winner, she's locked in through 2027 with Gotham as the heartbeat of the team's front line and a nightmare for opponents. Esther is now headed to Switzerland, chasing Euro glory with La Roja. With the first half of the NWSL season wrapped, the next six weeks should prove a pretty fascinating time for women's soccer in America, even with three major summer tournaments that don't feature the U.S. This, more than the drama of a World Cup, should help reveal the actual state of the game both from a fans' point of view and within an NWSL framework. Advertisement With the USWNT's three friendlies in this FIFA window — including what should be a fun first showdown between U.S. head coach Emma Hayes and Canada's Casey Stoney on the touchline — the NWSL players on the roster are taking center stage while the European kids take a break (aside from Naomi Girma, who asked to be included). With plenty of competition from the Gold Cup and the Club World Cup on the men's side, if the U.S. women can pull attendance and eyeballs even with inconsequential matches, that will mean something. The same goes for the three major continental tournaments happening in Europe, South America and Africa. The NWSL was smart enough to take the full month off due to the sheer number of international players involved, but the Euros, in particular, will be a good test of how hungry the American audience is for women's soccer of every kind. Fox is betting big with its presentation, which includes Carli Lloyd in the studio. The network is showing 19 games on the flagship channel and 11 on FS1, with only a single match bumped to FS2. Look how far we've come! Two challenges await: for the NWSL, it's to insert itself into this summer of soccer despite not playing games, and for the fans, it's to prove the audience is there. The results may surprise us all. María Sánchez leaves San Diego Summer also means player movement. And one player who has seen plenty of changes in the last few years is headed back to her former club. Forward María Sánchez has left the San Diego Wave to join Liga MX Femenil's Tigres UANL on a four-year deal, her agent confirmed to The Athletic. The American-born attacker arrived in San Diego last year after requesting a trade away from the Houston Dash. Houston had previously signed Sánchez on a $1.5 million deal, then considered the richest contract in the NWSL. She scored nine goals and recorded seven assists across 40 games with the Wave, an improvement from her time with the Dash, where she totaled eight goals and 14 assists across 62 matches. Advertisement Stadium designs with everyone in mind As women's sports rise in visibility and popularity, stadium design is finally catching up. Asli has been speaking with architects, designers and industry experts about how stadiums have long excluded the needs of women — down to the size of the seats. Clubs and leagues are now rethinking how these spaces should function more inclusively. Here is Asli's biggest takeaway: 'I spoke with architects Fran Weld from Canopy Team and Rita Ochoa (AFL) who walked me through every small (but impactful) detail: from shower designs to smoothie machines and seats with sightlines that account for shorter heights. 'As Weld put it, leadership means using privilege to create space for others. Mixed-use spaces aren't just good planning, they're good business. 'For design geeks like me, here is the full story.' International Friendlies 📺 USWNT vs. Ireland Thursday at 9 p.m. ET, free on TBS, TruTV and Universo The U.S. faces off in two matches against Ireland this window, the first on Thursday and the second on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET. As we've mentioned before, this camp features almost exclusively NWSL players. Prepare for rotation. Elsewhere, several European nations are gearing up for the Euros with key friendlies. We're keeping an eye on updates out of Spain vs. Japan on Friday at 3 p.m. ET. Making moves: Sánchez isn't the only one on the move: There was a triple change among Michele Kang's teams last week. The Spirit added forward Sofia Cantore from Juventus, who will be the first Italian player in the NWSL. In France, Ingrid Engen joined Lyon from Barcelona, and Netherlands midfielder Danielle van de Donk joined London City Lionesses from Lyon. Juneteenth celebration: The Black Women's Player Collective doubled down on its core values, using Juneteenth as both a celebration and a call to action across women's soccer. And the work isn't limited to one day. Dash goalkeeper Abby Smith also joined 'Full Time' to talk about what Juneteenth means to her. Advertisement Next in goal: Speaking of the Euros, we've talked a lot about the players left off England's squad, but now we are hearing from the players headed to the tournament. Goalkeeper Hannah Hampton says she will do her best to 'fill the gloves' of the goalkeepers who came before her, including Mary Earps, who announced her retirement from international football last month. 📫 Love Full Time? These stories can also be found on Yahoo's women's sports hub, in partnership with The Athletic. Also, check out our other newsletters.
Yahoo
21-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Vermont Green FC: Triumph on the pitch, impact beyond the game
Vermont Green FC women lead the charge in showcasing an undefeated 2025 exhibition campaign against Flower City 1872 and AS Blainville. On June 11 and 14, the Vermont Green FC women's team suited up to show the New England community that Vermont is a soccer state. The annual exhibition matches were announced in February, with former USWNT midfielder Sam Mewis returning as head coach. Advertisement Vermont Green FC's women's team is still in its early stages, making these exhibition matches the perfect opportunity to showcase the community's support. It also highlights the caliber of talent fans can expect once the team fully establishes itself within a women's soccer league. Vermont shows up for women's soccer Excitement buzzed through Burlington, Vermont, as The Women's Game podcast recorded a live episode ahead of the exhibition games. The event electrified players and fans, promoting soccer nationally while highlighting Vermont's vibrant love for the sport. Women's sports journalist Meg Linehan was the night's special guest, joining Mewis on stage at the iconic Higher Ground venue. If you haven't had a chance to check out the podcast episode, make sure you add it to your list. It's a fantastic glimpse into the energy surrounding women's soccer in Vermont. Linehan and Tamerra Griffin also had Mewis on their Full Time Podcast to discuss Mewis's career trajectory. After the media coverage concluded, it was time to get to work. The roster was named a week before the action was to start, calling on familiar names that Vermont Green fans have grown to see represent this club. With both exhibition matches being sold out at Virtue Field, there was a lot of pride already being shown. A statement win over Flower City 1872 That Wednesday, Flower City 1872 came to town, and Vermont Green wasted no time making their intentions clear: Defeat was not on their minds. The first half saw them take a 1-0 lead, but this was just the beginning of their assertive play. Advertisement The second half brought an explosion of offense. In the 55th minute, Olivia Borgen extended the lead, calmly tucking away a well-placed cross. As momentum firmly shifted to the Green, their craftsmanship truly shone. Moments later, they tacked on a third goal, culminating in a spectacular strike from Sophia Lowenburg, who sent a shot from 30 yards out straight into the top right corner, electrifying the sold-out crowd. The final whistle confirmed their authority with a resounding 4-0 victory over Flower City. Vermont Green FC's unstoppable momentum The next test arrived on Saturday when AS Blainville rolled into Virtue Field. While Vermont Green looked to continue their winning ways, their Canadian neighbors were hoping to end the undefeated campaign. And, sure enough, Blainville held a 1-0 lead at halftime. Advertisement I'm not quite sure what Mewis said at the half, but the Green rallied. They dug deep, breaking the deadlock in the 63rd minute. As momentum shifted to the home side, it was only a matter of time before a second goal followed. In the 76th minute, the crowd roared. Vermont Green extended their lead to 2-1. With time eventually expiring, the final scoreline confirmed the Green's undefeated status in their 2025 summer exhibition matches. Community and impact beyond the field The final exhibition match offered more than just on-field excitement; it also featured a special raffle. Mewis teamed up with the Vermont Immigration Legal Defense Fund to raffle off one of her match-worn USWNT kits. Advertisement 'Part of what makes the Vermont soccer community special is how people come together around the game for a bigger purpose,' said Mewis. 'It is important to utilize this platform to spotlight what is going on in our country and point to an organization that is trying to protect the community that is under attack.' In a world where game results often dominate sports headlines, Vermont Green FC, both its men's and emerging women's teams, consistently redefines what a football club can be. From advocating for immigrant legal defense to pioneering climate change initiatives, this is a club and a community that proves the beautiful game's truest victories often happen away from the pitch. Related articles from Her Football Hub:
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tobin Heath on World Sevens Football: ‘We're going to continue to build and force innovation'
The inaugural World Sevens Football (W7F) tournament — a three-day, seven-a-side competition featuring eight of Europe's biggest clubs in Estoril, Portugal — was an overall success. With rolling substitutions and no offsides, the format allowed players to showcase their flair and creativity, while the smoke cannons and live music created a festival-like atmosphere that lit up social media. Advertisement More impressively, Bayern Munich walked away with $2.5 million after defeating Manchester United 2-1 in the final — more than what Arsenal earned for winning the Women's Champions League, and more than Chelsea received for their Women's Super League and FA Cup triumphs combined. On the latest episode of 'Full Time,' Tamerra Griffin and Meg Linehan were joined by two-time World Cup winner and United States women's national team legend Tobin Heath, who also serves as chair of the W7F advisory council, to discuss the tournament's future and what might come next. Griffin: Can you talk to us about what growth looks like for this tournament? I know there are plans to have multiple tournaments a year culminating in a sort of Champions of Champions tournament. But obviously, scheduling is a big behemoth of a challenge to tackle, so how do you imagine growth after such an explosive introduction? Advertisement Heath: It's funny because there's so much congestion in the calendar, it's just so ugly. We did step on a lot of toes and some people aren't happy about this, being the big traditional entities that think they own football and the idea of football. But then I take a step back and think, 'You go do it then. You go innovate women's football. You go bring investment into women's football.' Because these traditional competitions, where women's football has always taken a backseat to men's football and followed the exact same patterns, aren't helping women's football. The P&Ls of these clubs are not pretty, so if there's an opportunity to inject fuel and capital into women's football, in a new, innovative and fun way, that's positive. And let me tell you, the schedules are going to clear, just look at the prize pool we set. Bayern just went home from a three-day fun kickabout with more money in their pockets than Arsenal did winning the Champions League in an extremely stressful match, so I hope that the governing bodies and these landlords of football are taking note. Because ultimately nothing's stopping them from innovating and giving to women's football. But right now, it's just like we're stamping the women's side with a men's competition with way less money. That doesn't sound like innovation to me, and that's not prioritizing women's football. So for me, it's almost a provocation which we're going to continue to build, then hopefully it's going to force innovation. To get to what you said about what's next, what's next is more competitions. We want this to be a global event where you're seeing and meeting teams and players for the first time in a way like you've never seen before in global football. I left World Sevens with new favorite players and a better understanding. And I must say Bayern's team was just awesome by the way. Linehan: I really did not expect that from them (laughs). Advertisement Griffin: It surprised us all. I was like, 'Where is this personality coming from, and where was this there before?' It was the biggest surprise of the tournament. Heath: Exactly. The storytelling literally wrote itself, and I'm so in love with that team now. They are awesome, and I didn't even know that before. This is the part about women's football that is so beautiful, and we need to let them write their own stories. So I'm a new fan of football from the event, which is ridiculous because everybody knows I'm a soccer junkie and I'm watching everything already anyway. Linehan: You've mentioned how World Sevens could appeal to a new generation who maybe don't want to sit through a 90-minute football game, which is really interesting. You've also highlighted the tension between the traditional side of football and whatever World Sevens is and wants to be, as they throw things up against the wall and see what sticks. But how do you balance that tension and just stress the point of, 'Listen, we've got to find new audiences, focus on the next generation, and just go to them a little bit more.' Are you excited by that part of the work too? Tobin: Yeah, I'm really excited about it because I do think there is an increasing gap that's happening between the current generation and the current format of football. All things are meant to be innovated, and I'm not saying let's change 11s, but I think this can be complementary to 11s. What was really beneficial for me was that, coming off this tournament, I went immediately to watch the Champions League final. And no disrespect to the Champions League final because it's probably the greatest competition in global football, but the difference in the experience was night and day. You can't really see what's going on in the field. Being in the stadium, you're also really far from it, it's really long, and there are not as many actions. Advertisement Everyone also looked exhausted on the field, and the difference in energy was massive. People were on the ground just trying to catch their breath, and they were understandably exhausted because it's the end of the season. But the contrast between the two was so crazy that I really appreciated it, because it just showed how vastly different the two things are. But I must say I loved both of them, and I definitely loved Arsenal winning because it made it way more fun. Otherwise, I probably would just be saying that I liked my experience at World Sevens. But being there just showed me why this is needed, because the way that the Sevens worked is that it spoke to this current generation and how they're watching things. It was made for social media, and it was made to bring you on the field with these players. I want to produce it even better and differently next time. This was only the first iteration of it. But if you were there and you were on the field, it's almost like you were courtside at a basketball game. There are also way more ways to monetize it, way more interactions, and more personalization between you, the players and the teams. I got a crash course on Bayern and now they're my favorite team. I'm even thinking, 'If the German players can carry that vibe into the Euros, Germany could maybe even win it.' That's how tangible this felt. Everybody saw that the organic nature of this format was built for this age. This isn't anything we had to ask for, by the way, it just organically happened because of the player's experience and the new format. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. US Women's national team, Soccer, NWSL, UK Women's Football, Full Time Podcast 2025 The Athletic Media Company
