The Infectious Idealism of the U.S. Women’s National Team
A feud with the president didn’t stop the Americans from beating France. It might even have helped.
Updated at 11:54 a.m. ET on June 29, 2019.
The United States may no longer be its old hegemonic self in the realm of geopolitics. But in this World Cup, the women’s national soccer team has seemed like a juggernaut from the time of Pax Americana—a team with supreme self-confidence and an almost evangelical sense of mission. There have been moments, these past few weeks, when their swagger has veered toward arrogance. In their second match, the team started seven fresh players, resting its brand
