HOPE SOLO (PART 2)

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15 Mar 2024

HOPE SOLO (PART 2)

On January 19, 2013, it was revealed that Hope Solo was among the three players allocated to the Seattle Reign FC for the inaugural season of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), as part of the NWSL Player Allocation. Alongside Megan Rapinoe and Amy Rodriguez, Solo was set to represent the Reign in the league's debut campaign. However, just two months later, it was disclosed that Solo would miss approximately half of the season due to wrist surgery, adding to the challenges faced by the Reign, who struggled in the early stages of the season with a winless streak.

Despite the initial setbacks, Solo returned to action midway through the season, joining Rapinoe and other reinforcements to help turn around the Reign's fortunes. Despite their improved form, the Reign finished the season in seventh place with a 5–14–3 record. Solo, who started in all 14 matches she played, maintained a commendable 1.357 goals against average, making 81 saves and accumulating 1,260 minutes in goal.
In October 2013, Solo was linked with a potential transfer to English club Manchester City, although Reign FC coach Laura Harvey anticipated Solo's return to the NWSL for the 2014 season to secure her place in the national team.

Indeed, Solo rejoined the Reign for the 2014 season, during which the team achieved a record unbeaten streak of 16 games, securing the NWSL Shield for the first time. Although the Reign fell short in the championship final against FC Kansas City, Solo's contributions were recognized as she earned a spot in the Second XI team, alongside Reign defenders Lauren Barnes and Stephanie Cox. She concluded the 2014 season with 65 saves in 20 games played and an impressive .900 goals against average.

Solo continued to represent Seattle in the 2016 season before joining the national team for the 2016 Rio Olympics. However, her tenure with the national team was marred by controversy when she was suspended and had her contract terminated by US Soccer in August 2016 due to comments she made regarding Sweden's playing style during the Olympics. Consequently, Solo was granted "personal leave" by the Reign for the remainder of the NWSL season, finishing with notable statistics including a 0.63 goals against average and an 81% save percentage, along with five clean sheets.

Hope Solo's journey in soccer began with her participation in U.S. junior national soccer teams before she earned a spot on the senior U.S. national team in 2000. Her senior debut occurred in April 2000 during an 8–0 victory over Iceland in Davidson, North Carolina. Despite initially serving as an alternate at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, behind primary goalkeeper Briana Scurry and backup Kristin Luckenbill, Solo later became the team's first-choice goalkeeper starting from 2005 onward.

One of the significant tournaments in Solo's career was the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup, where she played as the starting goalkeeper for the United States. During the tournament, Solo conceded only two goals in four games, including consecutive shutouts against Sweden, Nigeria, and England. However, controversy arose before the semifinal match against Brazil when coach Greg Ryan unexpectedly benched Solo in favor of veteran goalkeeper Briana Scurry. Despite Solo's strong performance and a 51-game undefeated streak, the U.S. suffered a 4–0 defeat to Brazil, marking the end of their impressive run. The match was further compounded by the disqualification of midfielder Shannon Boxx, leaving the team with only 10 players for a significant portion of the game.

Hope Solo's criticism of coach Greg Ryan's decision to bench her in favor of Briana Scurry during the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup sparked controversy and ultimately led to her dismissal from the national team. Solo openly expressed her disagreement with Ryan's choice, stating that she believed she would have made the necessary saves if given the opportunity. Her comments were perceived by many as critical of Scurry's performance, although Solo later clarified that criticizing her teammate was not her intention.
On September 29, 2007, Ryan announced that Solo would no longer be part of the team and would not play in the upcoming third-place match against Norway. Team captain Kristine Lilly indicated that the decision regarding Solo's dismissal was made collectively by the team.

Despite being named to the national team roster for the post-World Cup tour, Solo did not attend the workout ahead of the first game against Mexico. Although she had the contractual right to play in the tour as a member of the World Cup roster, she did not participate in any of the three matches against Mexico, being replaced by Briana Scurry and Nicole Barnhart in subsequent matches.The team regrouped in January 2008 to prepare for the 2008 Summer Olympics, following Ryan's departure from the team after his contract was not renewed in December 2007.

Despite missing much of the qualifying campaign due to a shoulder injury, Hope Solo was named to the U.S. roster for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany. She played a crucial role throughout the tournament, keeping clean sheets in group stage victories over North Korea and Colombia. However, the U.S. suffered a 2–1 loss to Sweden in the final group stage match, finishing second in the group and setting up a quarterfinal clash with Brazil.
In the quarterfinal match against Brazil, Solo made a decisive impact by saving Brazil's third penalty kick during a shootout, helping the U.S. advance to the semifinals. Following the thrilling victory, Solo praised her teammates' resilience and fighting spirit, emphasizing their unwavering determination.

Solo reached a significant milestone during the tournament, earning her 100th cap in the semifinal match against France. Reflecting on the team's journey, Solo highlighted the challenges they faced but expressed confidence in their ability to reach the final.
Despite a valiant effort, the U.S. team ultimately fell short in the final, losing 3–1 in a penalty shootout to Japan after a 2–2 draw in regular time. Despite the disappointment of the loss, Solo received individual recognition for her outstanding performance throughout the tournament. She was awarded the Golden Glove for the best goalkeeper and the Bronze Ball for her overall contribution. Additionally, Solo was named to the tournament's "All-Star" team, further highlighting her exceptional performance on the world stage.