I believe, you believe, SheBelieves, we all believe in Emily Sonnett.
Emily Sonnett’s longevity on the USWNT can be uniquely measured in SheBelieves Cup appearances. She is the tournament. The tournament is her. She’s an anomaly, having been part of the tournament since its inception.
As Sonnett brought home her record eighth cup title this month, she quietly reminded the world that she’s been around, shoring up the USWNT back line for a hot minute. She was around to send off USWNT great Abby Wambach in 2015, she was there for Alex Morgan’s controversial tea celebration vs England, and through the long fight for equal pay. On a team where longevity is certainly not a given, and every call-up and cap continuously has to be earned, Emily Sonnett has managed to make herself a mainstay on the USWNT for the last decade.
From championship shirts to cardboard cutouts of her face, Sonnett’s SheBelieves Cup legacy has been celebrated with plenty of humor and joshing around, but her impact on the USWNT is anything but a joke.
Emily Sonnett prefers consistency over pomp and circumstance
Emily Sonnett is an absolute workhorse. Her style of play isn’t always the prettiest to watch, and her growth has been steady rather than exponential, but as her game progressed, her tenacity and bold choices have been met with a new maturity. She’s smart and won’t go down without a fight. Paired with her ability to perform at a remarkably high level in a number of different positions, she’s become indispensable.
Even through the uncontrollables…injuries (all things considered, she’s had remarkably few), coaching changes, and a new era focused on the ushering in of young talent, Sonnett’s proven her stability and reliability and continues to be rostered for every major tournament.
Despite being a World Cup champion and Olympic gold medalist, Emily Sonnett is someone I imagine you still have to look in the eye and say, “You do realize you’re actually exceptionally good at soccer, right?” How can you not get behind a player like that?
Will we see Emily Sonnett with her cheeky grin and “run through a brick wall” mentality at the SheBelieves Cup in a year’s time? I believe…yes.