Anson Dorrance knew he was a pioneer during his eight years as head coach of the US Women’s National Team (USWNT).
Any understanding of how and why the USWNT is women’s soccer’s dominant force, a four-time Women’s World Cup winner and favorite to win the next edition currently taking place in Australia and New Zealand, must start with Dorrance, the groundbreaker and the bricklayer.
Five years later, the first Women’s World Cup was held in China – not that it was initially labelled a World Cup as world governing body FIFA worried it might not be a success.
A third-placed finish followed at the 1995 Women’s World Cup, and then came the Atlanta Olympics a year later.
The success of 1999 would lead to the world’s first professional women’s soccer league, the Women’s United Soccer Association (WUSA).
Persons:
CNN —, ”, Anson Dorrance, “ You’re, Dorrance, –, “, Michelle Akers, ” Akers, Mike Ryan, ’, Akers, IX, I’m, ” Dorrance, “ There’s, Lori Lindsey, Lauren Cheney, Darryl Dyck, George Bush, Barry Thumma, didn’t, ” Caitlin Murray, Murray, David Cannon, Billie Jean King, “ We’ve, Lindsay, USWNT, Harry, Brandi Chastain’s, “ We’re, ” Brandi Chastain, Robert Beck, Chastain, Mia Hamm, Kristine Lilly, Julie Foudy et, Megan Rapinoe, they’re, it’s, ” Rapinoe, Richard Heathcote, Lindsey, Becky Sauerbrunn, Rapinoe, Alyssa Thompson, Naomi Girma, Taylor Swift
Organizations:
CNN, US, National, CNN Sport, Dorrance, men’s, University of North, Coaches, FIFA, America, Soccer, Federal, Olympic, Canada, American, High School, National Collegiate Athletic Association, Guatemala, CONCACAF, Canadian Press, Central, USA, “ National, Atlanta Olympics, Getty, US Soccer, revelled, China, Rose, Women’s United Soccer Association, National Women’s Soccer League, “ 99ers, Tokyo, England
Locations:
Australia, New Zealand, University of North Carolina, Italy, Seattle, Irish, United States, England, Brazil, Central Florida, China, Norway, New York, Hamm