Julie Ertz can’t remember a time when she wasn’t completely enthralled by soccer. For the 27-year-old midfielder, it’s not just a game, it’s a way of life.
“Growing up, I just fell in love with the sport right away,”
Ertz said. “I felt the most me when I was out there playing on the field.”
In 2017, she was named U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year, and going into this summer, Ertz is expected to be a key component of the 2019 national team. She’s known for her ferocious tackling skills and uncanny ability to find the back of the net on set pieces.
But Ertz wasn’t always an international superstar. In fact,
only a couple of years ago she was playing a completely different position.
Nearly a year after she burst onto the scene as a 23-year-old center back for the 2015 national team, Ertz was benched, forcing her to make a decision — she could either sulk about her demotion or put in the hard work to mentally and physically overcome the obstacles in her way.
“As an athlete, you see adversity all the time and those are
the challenges that either make you or break you,” Ertz said. “For me, that was
through injuries, not playing, and being benched. What I learned from that
experience was that adversity can be your best friend if you allow it to test
your character and who you really want to be.”
Ertz didn’t just battle back to regain her spot on the team, she completely reinvented her game and became one of the best defensive midfielders in the sport today. That willingness to change her position and the grind she went through to achieve greatness is a testament to her reputation as a teammate and fan favorite.
“I always wanted to be a versatile player because I loved
the sport so much and thought each position could teach me something
different,” Ertz said. “I want to be the best teammate I can be and so, for me,
versatility means being reliable for my teammates. Whatever they ask of me, I
want to do.”
Ertz also knows that being a successful female athlete comes
with extra challenges and obstacles. She credits the generation of female
soccer stars who came before her and recognizes that they helped lay the
foundation for players like her to become national icons.
“As I got older, it was huge to watch the women who paved the way for me,” Ertz said. “Seeing those women push boundaries allowed me to dream and that’s the biggest thing I want to thank them for.”
Now that Ertz and her teammates are the face of a new era of
women’s soccer, she’s embracing the opportunity to continue the legacy of being
a role model for the next generation.
“I just want to let every young, aspiring athlete or person know that whatever your dream is, don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t or shouldn’t go for it,” Ertz said. “Any boundary can be a new boundary, and it’s important to know that we’re behind you and that you’re not alone.”
It’s about that time again — the greatest tournament in
soccer is just around the corner. The feeling is palpable, the intensity is
unmatched; fans’ emotions hang on every pass, every shot, and every save. But
before the madness starts and chaos ensues, you need the correct kit to display
your pride.
This year, Nike designed all their kits with detailed input
from professional players, followed by 3D scanning and motion capture in the
Nike Sports Research Lab to properly define their women’s-specific fit. On many
kits, they also added slogans on the inside of the neckline to give inspiration
to the wearer.
The USA home kits have a deep, personal meaning to many of
the players on this year’s national team. The Nike Swoosh and red-and-navy
stripes on the arm cuff pay homage to the 1999 team, whose iconic tournament
win inspired many current athletes to get into soccer in the first place. The
jerseys feature three stars above the crest to signify the United States’ three
tournament trophies while the 50 states print on the back represents the
nation’s collective support for the team.
While the home kits pay tribute to the past, the away design
is a nod to the future. The inspiration behind these kits is that being
American is about standing out and boldly displaying your pride. The stars-and-stripes
pattern spread across the all-red jersey is symbolic of the American flag. Although
these kits focus on what’s next, Nike still wanted to pay tribute to the USA’s
past accomplishments, so they placed three white stars representing the three
championships on the royal stripe at the back of the neck.
Inner Pride –
“Mulheres Guerreiras Do Brasil” meaning “Women Warriors of Brazil”
Pelé, Ronaldinho, Marta. When you think of these famous
Brazilian footballers, you think of the iconic yellow they sported while creating
some of the most memorable moments in international soccer history. Nike didn’t
stray far from Brazil’s traditional look with these kits, embracing the colors
the Brazilian national team has worn since 1954.
Inner Pride –
“Mulheres Guerreiras Do Brasil” meaning “Women Warriors of Brazil”
Brazil’s royal away kits start with a bold geometric pattern
at the neck that slowly fades towards the bottom of the jersey. The pattern is
inspired by bright stars and the royal color represents the sky on a cool,
clear night in Rio. Brazil also pays tribute to their men’s team tournament
wins with five stars above the crest.
Clean and Classic. That’s the best way to describe England’s
home kits. The traditional white is sacred to England and Nike wanted these
jerseys to display the country’s loyalty and heritage. If you look closely, you’ll
find a very subtle, tonal floral print that represents the roses specific to the
neighborhoods around London. These jerseys also display red-and-maroon striping
on the sleeve cuffs to punctuate the crispness of the white base.
Where England’s home kits embrace a minimalistic design, the
away jerseys boast an aggressive maroon floral print, hand drawn to include
poppy, primrose, and rose – the native flora of the country. Nike separated the
pattern into four quadrants, a nod to St. George’s Cross. These kits use an
off-white color for the logo that keeps the overall theme bold, but still
evokes the history of a proud nation.
Inner Pride – “Nos
Différences Nous Unissent” meaning
“Our Differences Unite Us”
For this year’s host country, Nike decided to honor
tradition by staying true to France’s “Les Bleus” national team nickname. The
solid navy base is accented with rose gold lettering, providing the proper pop
for the iconic French Football Federation crest. The jerseys also include a
subtle hint of red, white, and blue taping at the sleeve to represent the
French flag. According to Nike, these kits personify the sophistication of the
French and are a nod to the high-end, exclusive clothing produced by the
country.
Inner Pride – “Nos
Différences Nous Unissent” meaning
“Our Differences Unite Us”
To contrast the solid blue home jerseys, Nike’s white away
kits feature a pattern of small hexagons, spread across the shirt like polka
dots, that pay tribute the France’s unique border shape. The inner pride phrase,
“Nos Différences
Nous Unissent,” is printed with a small “o” to represent Chanel and France’s
rich history of fashion.
Described by some as the most exuberant kit in the bunch,
Australia’s home jerseys use white, yellow, and green brush strokes to
represent their creative, youthful team. Incorporating design elements from
Melbourne’s famous Hosier Lane, Nike created a ’90s-style look that combines
the colors of the Australian countryside with the graffiti art culture seen in
the country’s urban areas.
Inner Pride – Crown
symbol to represent the country’s monarchy.
For the newly designed Dutch kits, Nike created a digital
tulip, a geometric design that represents the country’s iconic flower. These
kits also mark the first time the Netherlands will forgo the traditional lion
crest for a lioness, representing the pride and ferocity of the women’s team.
This year, Norway’s home kits combine the team’s trademark
red and blue into a “winter sweater” print inspired by the country’s decorated
ski jumpers. The design combines snowflakes and flowers to honor the beauty and
variety of Norway’s weather.
To remind the Chinese team of the powerhouse spirt of the
1990s, these light grey kits feature an intricate phoenix pattern. The design
was created to represent femininity and virtue, paying tribute to the “Steel
Roses” nickname given to the team.
