The National Team: The Inside Story of the Women Who Changed Soccer

The success of the US Women’s National Soccer Team is undebatable. They’ve won three World Cups and four Olympic gold medals, they’ve set record TV ratings, drawn massive crowds, and earned huge revenues for US Soccer. But despite their obvious dominance, and their roster of superstar players, they’ve endured striking inequality: low pay, poor playing conditions, and limited opportunities to play in professional leagues.

The National Team, from leading soccer journalist Caitlin Murray, tells the history of the USWNT from their formation in the 1980s to the run-up to the 2019 World Cup, chronicling both their athletic triumphs and less visible challenges off the pitch. In the wake of their 2015 World Cup victory, the athletes pushed back publicly against the unequal treatment they’d received from FIFA and US Soccer and negotiated a landmark collective bargaining agreement on their own. Murray also tells of the rise and fall of professional leagues in the US, including the burgeoning National Women’s Soccer League, an essential part of the women’s game. A story of endurance and determination, The National Team is a complete portrait of a beloved and admired team.

"A comprehensive account of the glory and strife that has accompanied the rise of the U.S. women's national team, from the days of wearing men's hand-me-down jerseys to gracing the covers of Time, Newsweek, People and Sports Illustrated." Soccer America

"The U.S. Women's National Soccer Team is one of the greatest collectives the United States has ever produced. For all its World Cups and Olympic Golds, it has never had a history worthy of its name...The National Team is the definitive telling of the team's journey, giving the reader a behind the scenes understanding of the dreams, elite skills, and enormous sacrifices that have brought success on the field, and the huge battle for equality still to be won off it." Roger Bennett, Men in Blazers

"Reading The National Team, I couldn't help but laugh, cry, smile, and have an overall warm feeling...Caitlin Murray has done a wonderful job sharing the history, personal stories, and memories of the national team. Everyone who loves a great, original, genuine story will love this book."  Brandi Chastain

CAITLIN MURRAY has written about soccer for The New York Times, ESPN, Fox Sports, and Yahoo Sports. She was also The Guardian's correspondent during the 2015 World Cup and followed the U.S. team on their path to victory. Her work has also appeared in The Buffalo News, the Oregonian, the Orlando Sentinel, Minnesota's Star Tribune, and many other publications. She graduated with a degree in journalism from the State University of New York College at Buffalo. A native of Buffalo, New York, she now resides in Portland, Oregon. Follow her at caitlinmurraysoccer.com and @caitlinmurr.