US Women's National Team ready to forget Olympics ghosts

The U.S. women's Olympic soccer team is ready to kick off the 2024 Summer Olympics against Zambia at the Stade de Nice on the charming French Riviera. With a resume to envy, the Americans enter the competition with a respectable record of 8 wins, 1 loss and 3 draws this year. They have also won the Concacaf W Gold Cup and the SheBelieves Cup. But will all this history be enough to exorcise the ghosts of the last Olympic edition, where they suffered an unexpected defeat?

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Not only do the USA have the most wins in the history of the Olympic women's soccer tournament, but they have also been a constant presence since the sport's inauguration. With an impressive record of 27 wins, 4 losses and 7 draws, they have already shown the world what they are capable of. However, at the 2021 Olympics, postponed due to the pandemic, they were stunned by Sweden, a setback that still stings in the collective memory of the team and the fans.

In this tournament, captain Lindsey Horan, with 150 international appearances, leads a group that mixes experience and youth. Seven of the players who helped win the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup are back, bringing that extra dose of confidence. What's more, the match against Zambia will mark a historic moment: it will be the first meeting between the two teams, adding the Copper Queens to the select list of 58 different opponents faced by the Americans.

Zambia, who are taking part in their second Olympics, come in as an unknown quantity. In 2021, in their Olympic debut, they played an electrifying game against China, ending in an unlikely 4-4 draw, with Barbra Banda scoring a hat-trick. Although they went out at the group stage, they showed that they are not in the competition for nothing. They have an outstanding record at the 2022 African Women's Cup of Nations, where they finished third, beating the mighty Nigeria.

This debut promises to be a real litmus test for the Americans, who have faced some wear and tear in their international campaigns. The loss to Sweden at the last Olympics and the irregular matches in recent friendlies show that the road to gold will not be easy. The scenario is challenging and the pressure on the players is immense. But, as the saying goes, big moments call for big characters.

The match against Zambia at the Stade de Nice, a stadium that has hosted major events such as the 2016 UEFA European Championship and the 2023 Rugby World Cup, will be a litmus test. The stadium, also known as the Allianz Riviera, is expecting a spectacle that lives up to its reputation. The Americans have a positive record playing in France, with 13 wins from 15 matches, including a significant victory over France themselves in 2021.

The USWNT haven't played in Europe since October 2022, when they faced England and Spain in friendly matches. Their recent record isn't the brightest, with two wins, two losses and a draw. But if there's one thing that defines this team, it's resilience. Horan's leadership, the experience of players like Alyssa Naeher and the impetuous youth of new stars are the ingredients needed to turn things around.

The challenge against Zambia is great, but the potential of the Americans is greater. The question remains: can they turn the weight of history into motivation for a new chapter of glory? The answer begins to be written at the starting whistle in Nice.