USWNT

The defending World Cup and Olympic champions USWNT have set their 18-player squad that will head to Rio in a few weeks. Jill Ellis has picked a group that includes most of the mainstays (Carli Lloyd, Hope Solo, etc.) and some good young players (Mallory Pugh).

The biggest surprise is probably Heather O'Reilly, a fixture in every major tournament since 2004, not making the cut, instead being selected as an alternate. Also, Megan Rapinoe has made the team after rapidly recovering from a torn ACL.

Megan Rapinoe has been repeatedly forthcoming about her chances of making the United States women’s Olympic squad. There’s simply too much at stake with regards to her career to rush back after her third serious knee injury. However, it’s impossible not to get excited about the news that Rapinoe has returned to training with the USWNT. 

Women’s soccer is rare in Europe and South America, the widely agreed-upon cradles of the game. It is not unheard of. It is rare. As an Italian, I like telling my American friends that women’s soccer is illegal where I come from. “Yes, the police come and take you away!” I tell them to get a laugh.

I finally got my chance to attend a women’s soccer match when the world-champion U.S. Women’s National Team took on Japan in a friendly last week at Dick’s Sporting Good’s Park in Commerce City, Colorado.

The judge overseeing USWNT players' collective bargaining lawsuit against US Soccer has ruled in favor of the governing body, according to reports. As such, the USWNT does not have a legal right to strike before the Olympics.

BREAKING: the court ruled in favor of @ussoccer & not the players in CBA lawsuit. Getting more details now. #uswnt

The USWNT probably won't boycott the Rio Olympics. If they're willing to brave the horrors of the Zika Virus for a shiny gold medal, the wage gap likely won't deter them either.

But it might.

In an interview with ESPN's Hannah Storm, Lloyd was asked what would make her consider boycotting Rio. Lloyd's answer:

The Houston Dash confirmed Monday that midfielder and reigning FIFA World Player of the Year Carli Lloyd has been diagnosed with a grade 1 MCL sprain that will sideline her for 3-6 weeks. Lloyd suffered the injury in the fifth minute of Saturday's 3-1 loss at the Orlando Pride in the NWSL. Lloyd was substituted from the match in the 12th minute.

The players of U.S Women's National Soccer Team (USWNT) could potentially boycott the Rio Olympic Games in 2016 because of wage inequality in regards to the men's team.

In an interview with ESPN, USWNT co-captain Becky Sauerbrunn said that if nothing changes until July, the women's team may not go to Rio de Janeiro.

Megan Rapinoe has been here before. Twice she tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee while playing her college ball with the University of Portland, injuries which resulted in her missing out on both the 2007 FIFA World Cup and the 2008 Beijing Olympics. 

Now, aged 30 and with more than 100 caps with the United States national team, Rapinoe is once again facing the arduous trials and tribulations of returning from an ACL injury, this one having been sustained in her left knee.

You're a defender, and you're playing against the United States Women's National Team. This in and of itself would be nerve-wracking. The USWNT are the defending World Cup champions and they have a habit of beating up on opponents by scores of like, 7-0. 

You're a defender and you're facing the USWNT and you're already a little worried and then it happens: the Americans trot out the most terrifying, intimidating female player in the world.