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During their playing careers, Olympic medalists Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe helped propel women’s sports toward mainstream popularity, sparking conversations around equal pay and inclusion. In an interview with “Meet the Press,” Rapinoe and Bird spoke about their podcast, “A Touch More with Sue Bird & Megan Rapinoe,” which had its initial run in 2020 and returned this summer. When Bird played in the Final Four for UConn in the early 2000s, Rapinoe said, the stadium was sold out. Megan Rapinoe, left, and Sue Bird during Bird’s jersey retirement ceremony in Seattle on June 11, 2023. Bird and Rapinoe share new episodes of their podcast every Wednesday.

Persons: Sue Bird, Megan Rapinoe, Rapinoe, ”, Bird, Alex Morgan, Mia Hamm, Dawn Staley, ” Rapinoe, ” Bird, Scott Eklund, NBAE, “, ’ ”, ’ ” Rapinoe Organizations: “, Press, women’s, UConn, Getty, LeBron Locations: U.S, Seattle

☆ The USWNT kicks off in France as a team in transition – and one that’s looking to make a point
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-25 | by ( Kyle Feldscher | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

“We want to make this environment comfortable, but also know, you know, what the standard is – you’re here for a reason,” said Lindsey Horan, the midfielder who serves as the team’s captain. And we want to get back to being the best in the world.”“So, we need those players. It was arguably Hayes’ first tough decision as the manager of the women’s team after coming on board in late 2023 following a successful decade-plus at Chelsea FC in London. Even still, she is finding it easier than anticipated to get her team to come together. I cannot finish the ball for players, but I can certainly coach to put players in positions.”

Persons: Emma Hayes, ”, Lindsey Horan, “, that’s, Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman, Rose Lavelle, Alyssa Naeher, Hayes, Alex Morgan, Hayes ’, “ I’ve, Sam Coffey, Coffey, It’s, – Hayes, ” Hayes, It’ll, Mallory Swanson, who’s, Swanson, ” Swanson, it’s, Morgan, Smith, Rodman, Horan, –, Carli Lloyd, Abby Wambach, Mia Hamm, I’m Organizations: Paris CNN —, US, National Team, Costa, Paris Games, Zambia, Stade de Nice, Chelsea FC, US women’s, USA, American, flailing Locations: Washington , DC, Costa Rica, France, Tokyo, Australia, New Zealand, Nice, London, Zambia

☆ Rapinoe suffers 'devastating' early exit with injury in final match
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( Amy Tennery | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Nov 11, 2023; San Diego, California, USA; OL Reign forward Megan Rapinoe (15) lays on the pitch following an injury in the opening minutes against New Jersey/New York Gotham FC at Snapdragon Stadium. The showdown between OL Reign and Gotham FC was highly anticipated as an emotional farewell for the 2019 Ballon d'Or winner and her former U.S. women's national team mate Ali Krieger. Krieger, a defender for the opposing Gotham FC, ran to her friend and offered Rapinoe an embrace as she exited the pitch. The 38-year-old Olympic gold medalist was sidelined this year with a calf injury but her quick exit from her final professional match nonetheless left fans and fellow U.S. women's national team veterans stunned. Rapinoe, who along with her national team mates suffered a shock early exit from the Women's World Cup this year, said she had an overall sense of "peace" despite the injury that marred her final game.

Persons: Megan Rapinoe, Amber Searls, Ali Krieger, Rapinoe, Krieger, Gotham, Mia Hamm, Amy Tennery, Robert Birsel Organizations: New, New York Gotham FC, Snapdragon, Gotham FC, women's, Thomson Locations: San Diego , California, USA, New Jersey, New York, U.S

☆ Messi, Mbappe and Haaland among FIFA Best award nominees, Bonmati on women's list
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BUDAPEST, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland are on the short-list for The Best FIFA Men's Player Award, while Spain's Aitana Bonmati is among the nominees for the Best Women's Player on the back of winning the Golden Ball at the World Cup. Half of the dozen nominees in the men's category were part of Manchester City's 2022-23 treble-winning squad, while City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola is nominated for Best Men's Coach. Spain's World Cup win sees four of their players among the 16 nominees for the women's award. World Cup runners-up England have four players on the list, with Sarina Wiegman up for the women's coaching award, while Australia have three players. World Cup winners Messi of Argentina and Spain's Alexia Putellas are the current holders of the top player awards.

Persons: Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Spain's, Pep Guardiola, Sarina, Spain's Alexia Putellas, Mia Hamm, Didier Drogba, Lori Ewing, Ken Ferris Organizations: FIFA, Messi, Argentina, FIFA.com, National, Thomson Locations: BUDAPEST, Manchester, Spanish, Australia

☆ Natalie Portman says "theatre" of soccer perfect venue to fight for gender equity
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( Lori Ewing | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Cast member Natalie Portman poses. Israeli-American Portman is the co-founder of National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) team Angel City and is in Australia for the ongoing Women's World Cup along with many of the club's co-owners and staff. And it was really the female players being such icons and heroes... "I could like barely walk across the street without tripping, so this is definitely an unusual, unexpected turn of events in my life - my love for (soccer)," Portman said. "It was the fact that it was Natalie Portman, you know, queen of Star Wars, first female Thor, and I thought, well, if Natalie thinks it's possible, maybe it's possible," Nortman said.

Persons: Natalie Portman, Sarah Meyssonnier, Oscar, Portman, Julie Foudy, Mia Hamm, General Fatma Samoura, Kara Nortman, Star, Thor, Natalie, it's, Nortman, Angel, Lori Ewing, Christian Radnedge Organizations: Cannes, National Women's Soccer League, Angel City, Angel, Equity Summit, Sydney Opera House, FIFA, Hollywood, Star Wars, Thomson Locations: France, Angel, Australia, U.S, Angel City, Harare, Zimbabwe

☆ Christine Sinclair: the making of soccer’s most lethal striker
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-29 | by ( Ben Morse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

And the 40-year-old has a chance to add further records to her name as she leads Canada at the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. From becoming Canada’s young-ever player when she made her debut aged 16 to arguably soccer’s greatest ever goal scorer, Sinclair has led quite the life. With this likely her last World Cup, she has one final opportunity to add ‘world champion’ to her long list of achievements. Sinclair dribbles against Sweden's Karolina Westberg during the semifinals of the 2003 Women's World Cup. The Canadians finished fourth at the 2003 World Cup – Sinclair scoring three goals along the way – as well as back-to-back bronze medals at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics Games.

Persons: Diana Matheson, Matheson, Christine Sinclair, ” Matheson –, Canada –, Abby Wambach, Mia Hamm, Cristiano Ronaldo, Marta, Ronaldo, Sinclair, ’, Naomi Baker, ’ Matheson, ‘, Sinc, ”, – Sinclair, Sweden's Karolina Westberg, Ben Radford, isn’t, Kenneth Heiner, Møller, ” Heiner, Møller –, –, “, ” Sinclair, Scott Heavey, Heiner, Christine, Atsushi Tomura, ” Møller, they’re Organizations: CNN, St, Canadian, Canada Soccer, soccer, Getty, University of Portland, Portland Pilots, Canadian women’s, FIFA, Canadians, Brazil, Australia Locations: Edinburg , Texas, Kitts, Nevis, Canada, Sinclair’s, Australia, New Zealand, Tokyo, Sinc, Portland –, Nigeria, Sweden

☆ USWNT: How the US became women’s soccer’s dominant force
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Aimee Lewis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +20 min

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

☆ Thorns' Smith voted U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Jan 6 (Reuters) - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) MVP Sophia Smith was voted the 2022 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year, the sport's governing body said on Friday, after scoring 11 goals for the national team last year. The 22-year-old forward helped the Portland Thorns to their third NWSL final and scored three braces in international matches. Smith is widely expected to feature in the upcoming World Cup, where the Americans will battle for an unprecedented third successive title. "She is a special player with special qualities, but the best thing is that has the humbleness, work ethic and drive to keep developing all aspects of her game," said U.S. women's national team coach Vlatko Andonovski. Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York Editing by Christian RadnedgeOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Cameo launches Cameo Kids personalized videos with Candle Media
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Dawn Chmielewski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Dec 8 (Reuters) - Celebrity video messaging service Cameo said Thursday it has partnered with Candle Media to launch a new feature aimed at the playground set -- Cameo Kids. The service will offer personalized birthday and holiday video greetings from animated children's characters, including popular figures from Candle Media's Moonbug Entertainment's franchises "Blippi" and "CoComelon." Personalized messages for children expand the potential market for Cameo, which launched five years ago and allows athletes, celebrities and musicians to sell personalized videos to their fans. Cameo had experimented with offering children's content about a year ago, working with Mattel Inc's (MAT.O) 'Thomas the Tank Engine,' but its partnership with Candle Media helped elevate the experience, Galanis said. Blackstone-backed Candle Media spent months figuring out how to use its animated characters to deliver personalized video at scale.

☆ World Cup advertisers are operating in a minefield
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Julia Horowitz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

London CNN Business —Billions of people watch FIFA’s World Cup every four years, a tantalizing opportunity for advertisers who want to capitalize on the feel-good fervor of the world’s biggest sporting event. In 2018, the World Cup drew in a record 3.6 billion viewers. Given such high levels of engagement, companies are eager to capitalize on the hype and spirit of camaraderie attached to the World Cup. “A Euros or a World Cup for four weeks in the middle of the summer — it’s literally like an island in the middle of the ocean,” ITV sales director Mark Trindler said on an industry podcast this past spring. It had already beaten revenue records for the tournament, and succeeded in bringing more than 20 new advertisers on board.

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