No American sport has a reciprocal relationship between its players and its fans like women’s soccer does. It’s like there’s this unwritten responsibility for a pro player to inspire and interact genuinely with the next generation.
You see the snaking lines after games as the players authentically sign autographs and chat with the little girls — and those very players have stories how they once stood in lines themselves. And you see the crowds at national team games, such as the recent USWNT game in St. Louis, with shrieking girls wearing their favorite players’ jerseys and holding handmade signs — abbreviated love letters on posterboards.
There’s just a beautiful appreciation from the fans for the players. There’s just a beautiful appreciation from the players for the fans.
