The Chicago Red Stars Are One of the Best NWSL Teams–So, Why Haven’t They Won a Title Yet?

The Chicago Red Stars is one of the brightest teams of the NWSL. But for one reason or another, they’ve never won a league championship. Fans of the team have been left wondering why for years. With one of the best rosters top to bottom in the league, on paper, the Red Stars should be nearly unbeatable. So, what’s stopping them from going all the way?

The Red Stars are one of the original teams of the WPS, the league that came before the NWSL. After departing the WPS in 2010 they joined up with the Women’s Premier Soccer League for a one year stint before co-founding the Women’s Premier Soccer League Elite. This Elite league would last just one season before the official founding of the NWSL as we know it today.

Their roster currently includes some top players. Kealia Watt, Mallory Pugh, and current USWNT keeper and midfielder Alyssa Naeher and Julie Ertz, just to name a few. But despite strength at every line and frequent visits to championships, they’ve consistently fallen short. In the past, they’ve had the likes of Sam Kerr and Christen Press at their disposal, and have been a true attacking threat in the league. But since Kerr and Press have departed, the team hasn’t really looked the same in the final third.

The Red Stars have reached the postseason playoffs in five consecutive seasons, reaching the final just once in 2019. They’ve frequently fallen to NC Courage, the undisputed big guns of the NWSL. The Red Stars falling to the same team so often in the final stretch presents another interesting question: what do they have to do to defeat the Courage? Seemingly, once they figure out that hurdle, the Red Stars could have a title on their hands.

In the 2021 Challenge Cup, newcomers Mallory Pugh and Katie Johnson scored their first Red Stars goals. Once Pugh, Johnson, and Kealia Watt solidify their partnerships up top, they could be a fearsome trio and add some serious bite back to the Red Stars attack.

They have all the pieces to make a championship-caliber team; it could be that they just haven’t had their moment yet. With some of their biggest names bouncing back and forth from USWNT duties, Red Stars just need to find a balance. They need a stable lineup that can perform consistently, no matter what they’re up against or what other tournaments are going on. 

Despite never bringing home the gold, the Red Stars have a long and important history in women’s soccer in this country. They have been a mainstay for years and it is only a matter of time they reach their full potential.

Featured Image via @ChicagoRedStars on Twitter

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