Alyssa Naeher: Five Things to Know About the USWNT Goalkeeper

Alyssa Naeher is slowly becoming a household name in the same way her predecessor in the net once was. Although she may not be the hero-type of goalkeeper that Hope Solo was, she’s become a huge part of the USWNT’s success.

She had a smooth run through the group stage of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup so far, and has answered when called upon throughout the knockouts stage matches against a rising program in Spain, followed by in huge matches against two other top-five teams in France, then England.

Entering Sunday’s Final against the Netherlands, meet the United States’ No. 1 between the posts.

This is her first major international tournament

Alyssa Naeher is making her major international tournament debut at the age of 31. It’s also worth noting that her major international debut comes in a World Cup, of all tournaments.

She has been with the national side staring in 2004 with the U.S. Women’s U-16s. She made her international debut in a 3-0 win for the U.S. at the 2008 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Chile. Then, not only did the U.S. Women’s U-20’s take home the title, but Naeher also won the Golden Glove for that tournament. She was also a member of the U.S. Women’s U-20’s side that played in the 2007 Pan-American Games.

Naeher didn’t make a start on the USWNT side that won the 2015 Women’s World Cup, nor has she played in the Olympics, the highest competitions of the game. She backed up Hope Solo in both competitions.

She entered the tournament with more criticism than confidence. Former USWNT goalkeeper Brianna Scurry said that Naeher “has the physical tools but lacks confidence” and that she also has the shadow of Solo all over her.

Naeher has been the USWNT’s quiet hero in the knockout stages

After going through a relatively easy group stage – shutting out Thailand, Chile, and Sweden – Naeher has stepped her game up even more in the knockouts, in each of the three, 2-1 wins over Spain, France, and most recently, England.

She’s made one big save after another, including this save on an English penalty kick by Steph Houghton that just about punched the Americans’ ticket to the Final.

Throughout all of Naeher’s huge saves in the knockout rounds of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, one thing has remained the constant: her quiet confidence.

Even after her match-winning penalty save against England, she kept herself even-keel and spent more time praising her teammates.

For what it’s worth, her teammates rose the volume for her instead during their postgame comments to the media.

“I don’t think she needed to have a big moment for us to know how good she is,” USWNT teammate Becky Sauerbrunn said. “Maybe for everyone else she needed that moment, but we knew what she was capable of and now the world knows what she’s capable of.

“She’ll probably get on the bus and do a crossword and get ready for the next game.”

Naeher’s had a pretty stellar pro career thus far

She plays her club soccer for the Chicago Red Stars of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).

After a four-year career at Penn State, she was drafted in 2010 by the Boston Breakers and transferred over to 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam in 2011, one of Germany’s most successful women’s teams. She returned to Boston in 2013 and won the NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year award in 2014 along with being named to the NWSL Best XI. In 2014, she racked 106 saves in 24 matches, then a record.

The following year, 2015, she was traded to Chicago and in 2016 she was named to the NWSL Second XI.

Naeher sides with teammate Megan Rapinoe in her beef with President Donald Trump

Megan Rapinoe probably has a lot of people in her corner after her criticism against President Trump and Naeher is one of them.

When asked about her opinion on “Rapinoe vs. Trump,” before the Naeher talked about her respect for Rapinoe.

“I have a lot of respect for Megan, she is a leader for this team and she stands up for what she believes in,” Naeher said. “She speaks out about that.

“That’s brave of her, to speak her mind and stand up for what she feels is right.”

The beginning of her story starts with her hands and a car door

According to her bio on U.S. Soccer, Naeher’s beginning in soccer started kind of abrupt.

At her first practice when she was four, her sister, Amanda, ran out of the car excited for their first soccer practice. Amanda accidentally slammed the door on Alyssa’s hands, turning her hand back and blue and causing her nails to fall off.

Amanda said to her “good thing you don’t use your hands in soccer.”

Alyssa went on to become a goalkeeper.