Stage is set: U.S. women’s soccer wins Olympic gold or Brazil’s Marta completes her quest

U.S. WOMEN’S SOCCER | ANALYSIS

A year removed from its earliest exit ever at a Women’s World Cup, the U.S. women’s national soccer team is a win away from an Olympic gold medal.

The four-time World Cup champions face Brazil on Saturday in Paris, the finale to their first major international tournament under new head coach Emma Hayes. The U.S. hasn’t won an Olympic gold medal since 2012, but its early exit from the World Cup last year was what brought about a coaching change and roster turnover.

“It means everything,” forward Sophia Smith told reporters in France. “We had a tough year last year in every way possible, but I feel like this is a new year, and we’re really just showing the world that we didn’t ever drop off.”

A 1-0 extra-time win over Germany in the tournament semifinals sent the U.S. through to the gold-medal match. In the 95th minute, midfielder Sam Coffey found forward Mallory Swanson in the center of the field. Swanson turned and threaded a pass between Germany’s backline and to the feet of a sprinting Smith, who put a one-touch shot over the charging German goalkeeper and collapsed to the ground, letting her teammates swarm her in celebration.

Defensive anchoring from 24-year-old centerback Naomi Girma — described by Hayes as the “best defender I’ve ever seen” — and veteran goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher have kept the team in close matches, and the forward line has sealed the deal when it counted.

The young forward trio of Smith, Swanson and Trinity Rodman has scored nine of the team’s 11 goals in Paris. A year ago, the U.S. scored just four goals in four games at the World Cup and missed Swanson, out with a torn patella tendon.

“We’re all like best friends off the field, so we have that chemistry naturally,” Smith said. “We just recently [have] kind of gotten to play together … getting more games together, getting more minutes together.”

The U.S. is looking for its fifth gold medal in the Olympic women’s soccer tournament. Two of its four gold medals — 2004 and 2008 — came against Brazil, which is looking for its first-ever tournament title in either an Olympics or World Cup.

There are extra reasons why Brazil might want to check off that box this year. In 2027, Brazil will host the next Women’s World Cup, the first to take place in South America. But the team’s legendary forward, Marta, won’t be a part of that homecoming roster.

Marta, 38, a six-time winner of FIFA’s best women’s player of the year, has stated that her sixth Olympics will be her final major international tournament.

Though she has scored the most goals in World Cup history, men’s or women’s, Marta has never hoisted a World Cup trophy or Olympic gold medal. She is the only player taking the field on Saturday who was a part of the 2004 and 2008 gold-medal matches.

She almost exited the tournament unceremoniously, dismissed from the field and suspended for two matches for a high kick in Brazil’s final group stage match. But Brazil beat hosts France and upset reigning World Cup champion Spain to reach the final and send Marta off with a farewell medal.

In 2019, after losing to France in the knockout round of the France-hosted Women’s World Cup, Marta looked straight into the broadcast camera and addressed the next generation of Brazilian women’s soccer players.

“There’s not going to be a Marta forever. There’s not going to be a Cristiane,” she said, referencing herself and other legends of her generation. “The women’s game depends on you to survive. Think about that. Value it more.”

The U.S. last beat Brazil, 1-0, in March. Saturday will be either a farewell for Marta or the end of a warm welcome for coach Hayes as the U.S. and Brazil face off.