The Legacy of Hope Solo: The Best Keeper the USWNT Has Ever Seen
In 2022, Hope Solo was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame, further validating her legacy as the best USWNT goalie ever.
Years with the USWNT
Hope Solo played on the USWNT for 16 years. During this time, she won two Olympic gold medals and the Golden Glove in the 2015 World Cup. In that same World Cup, she played all possible minutes for the USWNT and only allowed three goals.
In her career as a goalkeeper, she ended with 102 shutouts. Solo also contributed to a USWNT winning streak of 55 games, which remains the best streak the team has seen. She was a fan favorite during her career and the backbone of the USWNT.
Solo seemingly set the standard for American goalkeepers. She defined herself with her last-minute saves, her decision-making at key moments, and her huge personality. She has a fiery passion for the game and the bravery to do whatever it takes. Solo is undeniably calm in the goal and fantastic under pressure. Moreover, Solo became a household name surrounding the USWNT.
Filling Hope Solo’s Shoes
Currently, the women’s goalkeeper is Alyssa Naeher, who followed right after Solo. Naeher helped the Women’s National Team win the Women’s World Cup in 2019. She has been reliable in the net and has also had big-time statistics. Naeher has had the most saves in the NWSL and won the Goalkeeper of the Year in 2014.
Naeher has done a phenomenal job filling Solo’s shoes in statistical terms, but they are also very different from each other. Comparing herself to Solo, Naeher has described that, “There’s not much that’s actually black and white; everyone has their own style, their own way they play.” So when it comes down to their individuality, it becomes difficult to compare the two soccer prodigies.
Leaving Behind a Legacy
Like Naeher mentioned: it isn’t black and white. In addition to her incredible achievements, Solo also had more regrettable moments on and off the field. Her controversies and the negative way she treated her teammates and opponents tarnished the way the public and team viewed her.
She was suspended multiple times from the USWNT. Once in 2015 due to an undisclosed incident and again in 2016 when US Soccer terminated her contract. Off the field, Solo has had multiple run-ins with the law, including abuse charges in 2014 that were eventually dropped and pleading guilty to driving while intoxicated and resisting arrest in 2022.
She released an autobiography in 2012 titled Solo: A Memoir of Hope, where she wrote about her upbringing and life hardships and let readers and fans in on her journey. The controversy surrounding Solo is undeniable, but yes, she is the best goalkeeper the women’s national team has seen, and what is most admirable is the way she set the standard for US goalkeepers.
She’s known for being scrappy and getting the job done no matter what. This is why she set such a high bar that any goalkeeper to follow will have to bring their heart and entirety of a player to do what she has done and live up to each milestone.
Featured image via Getty Images
_
GIRLS SOCCER NETWORK: YOUR SOURCE FOR GIRLS SOCCER NEWS
Girls Soccer Network
Your source for girls soccer news
