Vintage

Weeds and dirt and worms and flowers. Soon enough, every sinew of our being will be overloaded with the stuff. There’s no escaping it in our mortal flesh, and the corroding effect of time even conspires to destroy man’s most hallowed creations. 

Here are 20 once-great footballing grounds that have since been decimated by the ravages of old age.

In August 1985, a little late to the party, the U.S. debuted its first full women’s national team in international competition. The first USWNT played in a tournament in Italy, losing three of four matches, drawing once. 

Among the players on the inaugural squad was Michelle Akers, who would go on to become a two-time World Cup winner and be named FIFA Female Player of the Century in 2002, a couple years after her retirement. 

The USWNT’s latest January training camp had players aged 19 through 35 in attendance, and that blend of youth and experience will hold true at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France (qualification secured, God willing). It only follows that these footballers were at very different stages in their respective careers back in the heady days of 2008.

Here’s 18 USWNT players as they were 10 years ago in 2008 versus now. It’s been a wild ride for some, and a measurement of resolute consistency for others.