USWNT: The deserving TIME Athlete of the Year

The USWNT were named the TIME Athlete of the Year after defending their World Cup title this summer. They are much-deserved winners of the award.

It is the end of the year. Even more than that, it is the end of the decade, and if you have paid one iota of attention to the media circle in recent weeks, you will know it is awards seasons, the time for handing out semi-meaningless and egregiously over-debated prizes for individuals, team and organisations involved in sport and the world around us.

Largely, it leads to discussions like who is better out of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, but sometimes, awards are handed to players and/or teams that carry a far greater and deeper meaning than the basic definition of the award itself. And this year, we have the prime example of this.

This week, the U.S. Men’s National Team was named the TIME Athlete of the Year. It is easy to see why. They defended their World Cup title in the summer. They put women’s soccer — and women’s sport more generally — into the public limelight.

The piece that details their award speaks extensively on the social and sporting impact that this brilliant team has had in 2019. Most importantly, they did something that very few sportsmen and women have ever done in any sport: they defended their world title. It is hard enough to prove that you are the best in the world once. The USWNT have now done it twice in succession.

They also played with a panache and pride that was infectious. Their demolition of Thailand, while a little brash and abrasive at times, was a clear illustration of their brilliance. They then beat France in the quarter-finals, England in the semi-finals and Netherlands in the final, three teams who were all tipped as potential USWNT-topplers as the changing of the guard in women’s soccer began.

And this all came under their unwavering banner of fighting for what they believed in.

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Led by Megan Rapinoe, who was named the Female Ballon D’Or earlier this month, the USWNT, like other high profile sports stars, did not remain quiet on societal, political, social and climate-based issues. They demanded equal pay for women, Rapinoe stood up for Colin Kapernick and attacked white privilege, while openly gay U.S. stars flourished on the world stage throughout.

Whatever you may think of their views, whether you agree or disagree with their politics, that it was Rapinoe imploring her male counterparts to take hold of their mantle and pedestal and make the most of it and not her more famous colleagues was extremely telling. The USWNT were willing to put their head above the parapet, deal with the flak that was to come their way, and speak out on what they believe to be right. And that, in and of itself, is admirable.

Usually, awards and medals and individualised celebrations do not mean much, especially in a team sport. But when they recognise a team that is creating history on and off the field, they are most welcome.

The USWNT are the TIME Athlete of the Year. And I cannot think of a more deserving winner.