The FIFA World Cup, often simply called the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the sport's global governing body. The championship has been awarded every four years since the inaugural tournament in 1930, except in 1942 and 1946 when it was not held because of the Second World War. The current champion is France, which won its second title at the 2018 tournament in Russia.
The United States Soccer Federation (USSF), commonly referred to as U.S. Soccer, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the official governing body of the sport of soccer in the United States. Headquartered in Chicago, the federation is a full member of FIFA and governs American soccer at the international, professional, and amateur levels, including: the men's and women's national teams, Major League Soccer, National Women's Soccer League, youth organizations, beach soccer, futsal, Paralympic and deaf national teams. U.S. Soccer sanctions referees and soccer tournaments for most soccer leagues in the United States. The U.S. Soccer Federation also administers and operates the U.S. Open Cup and the SheBelieves Cup.
Michelle Anne Akers is an American former soccer player who starred in the 1991 and 1999 Women's World Cup and 1996 Olympics victories by the United States. At the 1991 World Cup, she won the Golden Shoe as the top scorer, with ten goals.
The United States men's national soccer team (USMNT) represents the United States in men's international soccer competitions. The team is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and is a member of FIFA and CONCACAF.
The United States women's national soccer team (USWNT) represents the United States in international women's soccer. The team is the most successful in international women's soccer, winning four Women's World Cup titles, four Olympic gold medals, and eight CONCACAF Gold Cups. It medaled in every World Cup and Olympic tournament in women's soccer from 1991 to 2015, before being knocked out in the quarterfinal of the 2016 Summer Olympics. The team is governed by United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF.
Heather Ann O'Reilly is an American former professional soccer player who played as a midfielder. She played for the United States women's national soccer team (USWNT), with whom she won three Olympic gold medals and a FIFA Women's World Cup. From 2003 to 2006, she played college soccer for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. During her club career, O'Reilly played for the New Jersey Wildcats, Sky Blue FC (WPS), Boston Breakers, FC Kansas City (NWSL), Arsenal Ladies, and the North Carolina Courage (NWSL).
The Brazil women's national football team represents Brazil in international women's football and is run by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF). It has participated in eight editions of the FIFA Women's World Cup, finishing as runner-up in 2007, and seven editions of the Copa América Femenina.
The Japan women's national football team, or nicknamed Nadeshiko Japan (なでしこジャパン), represents Japan in women's association football and is run by the Japan Football Association (JFA). It is the most successful women's national team from the Asian Football Confederation. Its highest ranking in the FIFA Women's World Rankings is 3rd, achieved in December 2011.
Carli Anne Hollins is a former American professional soccer player. She is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, two-time FIFA Women's World Cup champion, two-time FIFA Player of the Year, and a four-time Olympian. Lloyd scored the gold medal-winning goals in the finals of the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2012 Summer Olympics. Lloyd also helped the United States win their titles at the 2015 and 2019 FIFA Women's World Cups, the bronze medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics, and she played for the team at the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup where the U.S. finished in second place. After the 2020 Summer Olympics, Lloyd announced she would be retiring from the national team following four final friendly matches in 2021. Lloyd has made 316 appearances for the U.S. national team, placing her second in caps, and has the fourth-most goals and fifth-most assists for the team. In March 2021, she was named as the highest paid female soccer player in the world. She played her last international match with the USWNT on October 26, 2021, shortly before retiring from professional soccer at the completion of the 2021 NJ/NY Gotham FC season.
Tobin Powell Heath is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for OL Reign of the NWSL, as well as the United States national team. Heath has been described as "perhaps the USA's most skillful player" by the United States Soccer Federation, and she was voted the U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year in 2016.
The United States U-20 women's national soccer team is a youth soccer team operated under the auspices of U.S. Soccer. Its primary role is the development of players in preparation for the senior women's national team. The team most recently appeared in the 2018 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in France, where they failed to progress from the group stage for the first time in the competition's history. The team competes in a variety of competitions, including the biennial FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, which is the top competition for this age group.
Rebecca Elizabeth Sauerbrunn is an American professional soccer player for Portland Thorns FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the highest division of women's professional soccer in the United States. Since 2021, Sauerbrunn is the captain of the United States women's national soccer team. She previously captained Utah Royals FC and, from 2016 to 2018, co-captained the national team with Carli Lloyd.
The Australia women's national soccer team is overseen by the governing body for soccer in Australia, Football Australia, which is currently a member of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the regional ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) since leaving the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) in 2006. The team's official nickname is "the Matildas", having been known as the "Female Socceroos" before 1995.
Lindsey Michelle Horan is an American professional soccer player for Olympique Lyonnais Féminin on loan from Portland Thorns FC. She previously played for the Portland Thorns FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the highest division of women's professional soccer in the United States, and the United States women's national soccer team. In 2018, she was named NWSL MVP. Horan was a leading player for the Thorns during their 2017 championship season, scoring the winning goal in the championship game, and before that was a prolific scorer for Paris Saint-Germain FC, scoring 46 goals in 58 appearances. She was the leading scorer for the United States U-17 team at the 2010 CONCACAF U-17 Women's Championship.
The Torneio Internacional de Futebol Feminino is an annual global invitational tournament for national teams in women's association football. Held every December in Brazil since 2009, the first four editions took place in São Paulo and Brasília hosted the 2013 and 2014 competitions. The 2015 edition will be hosted by Natal. Initially, it was organized by the Municipal Prefecture of São Paulo and the Federação Paulista de Futebol (FPF). Three teams are invited to take part alongside Brazil. All matches in a particular tournament are staged at a single venue: Estádio do Pacaembu, in São Paulo, Estádio Nacional Mané Garrincha in Brasília and Arena das Dunas in Natal. In 2016, the tournament was moved to Manaus.
Julie Beth Ertz is an American soccer player for the United States women's national soccer team. She first appeared for the United States national team during an international friendly against Scotland on February 9, 2013. She has since made more than 100 total appearances for the team.
Morgan Paige Gautrat is an American soccer player for the Chicago Red Stars of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the highest division of women's professional soccer in the United States, and the United States women's national soccer team. She first appeared for the United States national team during a friendly against Korea Republic on June 15, 2013. She has since made 87 total appearances for the team and scored 8 goals.
Mallory Diane Pugh is an American soccer player who plays as a forward for Chicago Red Stars of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the highest division of women's professional soccer in the United States, and the United States women's national soccer team. In January 2016, she became the youngest female player to be selected and play for the U.S. national team during an Olympic qualifying tournament.
Tierna Lillis Davidson is an American soccer player for the Chicago Red Stars of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the highest division of women's professional soccer in the United States, and the United States women's national soccer team. She was drafted first overall by the Chicago Red Stars in the 2019 NWSL College Draft after playing three years at Stanford.
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