The stage is set, the players are poised to perform, and the globe is ready to witness the ninth edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup this month.The summer tournament is being co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand for the first time ever and the favourites - the United States Women’s National Team - will be hoping to bring home the goods again for a fifth time.GiveMeSport is looking back at 11 of the most iconic USWNT World Cup moments which helped shape women’s football and grow the beautiful game in the USA.Our picks include Megan Rapinoe’s best Bruce Springsteen impression, the tea sip celebration that wound up Piers Morgan, and the Brandi Chastain image that has gone down in sporting history.
First-ever trophy lift in 1991
The inaugural Women’s World Cup tournament took place in Guangdong, China, and saw the USWNT lifting the trophy for the very first time.
FIFA, who were reluctant to bestow their ‘World Cup’ moniker to the tournament, titled it the 1st FIFA World Championship for Women's Football for the M&M's Cup. However, it is still regarded as the first World Cup for women’s footballers.
After defeating the likes of Chinese Taipei and Germany in the quarter and semi-finals, Anson Dorrance’s squad came up against Norway at the Tianhe Stadium.
Two goals from Michelle Akers sealed the deal and helped the USWNT to triumph 2-1 over their Norwegian opponents.
The side lifted the first-ever Women’s World Cup trophy in front of 63,000 people and, as they say, the rest is history.
Born in the USA, baby
You can’t discuss the USWNT dominance in international football without somehow mentioning the country's tour de force, Rapinoe.
Way back in 2011, the California native was making her tournament debut and scored her first goal against Colombia in the group stage.
The striker netted in the 50th minute. And, while the goal itself was excellent, it was her iconic celebration which has since stuck in fans’ minds.
After scoring in the top right corner, Rapinoe sprinted over to the flag and spotted a field microphone.
While celebrating the goal, she grabbed the mic, tapped it to make sure everyone could hear her, and sang the words, “Born in the USA”.
A hilarious moment which showed Rapinoe was not afraid to perform both on and off the pitch. It’s a celebration that deserves to go down in history.
Rose Lavelle is faster than the speed of light
When former Manchester City player Rose Lavelle snatched the ball from Stefanie van der Gragt in the 2019 Women’s World Cup final, the then 24-year-old proved why she was already one of the world’s best.
Her third goal of the World Cup tournament came in the 69th minute after a solo run from the centre circle.
She buried it in the back of the Netherlands net and sealed the deal for the team to win.
Following the goal, she told the media: “It’s been a long journey. It doesn’t seem real yet. I hasn’t hit me, it’s so surreal, to be part of this group and to play with these players.”
Alex Morgan asks fans 'what's the tea?'
In 2019, English broadcaster Piers Morgan branded Alex Morgan as a ‘cocky’ American after she put a glorious header past Lionesses goalkeeper, Carly Telford.
To celebrate the goal, she ran across the pitch of Stade de Lyon and held her arms outstretched.
After being joined by US teammates Lavelle and Tobin Heath, Alex lifted her hand to her mouth and proceeded to tip her head back and pretend to ‘drink’ from a teacup.
Piers took to his Twitter account to share a photograph of Alex in the stance and wrote, “Come on @Lionesses. Make these cocky yanks choke on it.”
Later on, he called Alex’s tea-sipping celebration a “declaration of war.”
Speaking about the controversial moment, Alex later said: “My celebration was actually more, ‘That’s the tea,’ which is telling a story, spreading news.
“I know Megan Rapinoe has the best celebration. I had to try and step up this game,” she added
Alyssa Naeher saving Steph Houghton’s penalty
If you’re a Lionesses fan, then you may not claim former England captain Steph Houghton failing to convert from the penalty spot in 2019 as an ‘iconic’ moment.
However, for US Women’s National Team fans, Alyssa Naeher’s semi-final stop can definitely be considered to be legendary.
The Chicago Red Stars goalkeeper was under pressure to keep the USWNT dream alive in the 84th minute.
Luckily, she managed to get her hands around Houghton’s goal. Thus, England were denied the chance to advance.
Rapinoe’s legendary celebration in France
The goal celebration that inspired Morgan’s 2019 tea sip was the arms-wide-open stance Rapinoe had used earlier in the tournament.
The US came up against tournament hosts in the quarter-finals of the competition in a game held at Parc de Princes in Paris, France.
Unfortunately for Corinne Diacre’s side, Rapinoe set the tone for the afternoon as she opened the game with a sensational free kick in the fifth minute.
Prior to the set piece, Morgan had been taken down by French defender, Griedge Mbock Bathy.
After the latter earned herself a yellow card, Rapinoe stepped up to the plate and made sure her free kick was on target.
Evading the reach of Sarah Bouhaddi, the forward’s ball hit the back of the net, and Rapinoe herself rushed over to the crowd.
Opening her arms out in celebration, she looked up into the sky and drank in the atmosphere, before netting another in the 65th minute.
The US veteran was awarded Player of the Match and the pose itself has since become synonymous with women’s football.
Mia Hamm becomes the USWNT goalkeeper
Legend of the game, Mia Hamm, managed to clock up 276 appearances for her national team, netted a total of 158 goals, and performed at four World Cups.
However, during a group game against Denmark in 1995, the Alabama-born star swapped her preferred position as a forward to moonlight as the USWNT goalkeeper.
The position change came after Briana Scurry was shown a red card by referee Engage Camara in the 88th minute.
However, Tony DiCicco wasn’t expecting his goalkeeper to be sent off so late in the game and thus had already used up all his substitutes.
Therefore, it was up to Hamm to keep her team’s 2-0 lead alive.
In the dying minutes of the group game, Hamm was forced to make two spectacular saves and managed to keep Keld Gantzhorn’s side from scoring.
It’s a moment which has gone down in Women’s World Cup history — and thankfully we have the pictures to prove it!
When Abby Wambach's head kept them in the game
It was 10 July 2011, and the USWNT were in danger of bowing out of the tournament in the knockout round.
Thanks to a goal delivered from the penalty spot by Marta and a second added in extra time, Pia Sundhage’s side was 2-1 down, and it looked like it was all over.
However, Rapinoe, then 25, took a chance in the 122nd minute. Hitting a long cross into the box, her brilliant ball found the head of Abby Wambach.
A powerful header from the former striker forced the game to go to penalties and kept the USA’s dream alive when they beat Brazil 5-3.
Of course, the squad did eventually lose out to Japan in another penalty shootout. But, Rapinoe’s assist and Wambach’s goal will forever be a legendary moment to remember for decades to come.
Brandi Chastain’s goal winner
If we’re talking iconic Women’s World Cup moments, it’s impossible not to discuss how in 1999 Brandi Chastain became the poster girl for women’s sports across the globe.
After her teammates Carla Overbeck, Joy Fawcett, Kristine Lilly, and Hamm had already converted, Chastina was named as the last penalty taker in the final shootout against China.
A missed penalty by China’s Liu Young meant that Chastain’s kick would be the title decider — and she delivered.
After slotting the ball past Geo Hong, the Rose Bowl erupted as the USWNT had clinched their second Women’s World Cup win.
In celebration, Chastain whipped off her jersey and sank to the floor in a powerful stance which helped put women’s football on the map.
Carli Lloyd scores a hattrick before full-time
It’s fair to say that New Jersey star Carli Lloyd wasn’t prepared to play around in the 2015 Women’s World Cup final against Japan.
Coming in with vengeance, Lloyd scored her first goal of the game just three minutes into the match and netted her second two minutes later.
Lauren Holiday made it three in the 14th, and within 16 minutes, the veteran herself had scored her hat-trick. That’s three goals within 13 minutes!
Yuki Nagasato pulled one back before halftime, and an own-goal from Julie Ertz made it 4-2 for a spell. However, Heath sealed the deal in the 54th minute and the USWNT secured their third-ever Women’s World Cup win.
13 times a charm, right?
In the group stage of the 2019 Women’s World Cup, the USWNT caused controversy by beating Thailand 13-0.
Morgan opened the scoring in the 12th minute and continued to score four more goals (53’, 74’, 81’, 87’).
Joining her on the scoresheet was Lavelle, who scored a brace (20’, 56’), Lindsey Horan (32’), Sam Mewis (50’, 54’), Rapinoe (79’), Mallory Swanson (84’) and Lloyd (90+2’).
However, despite the mega scoreline, the team were heavily criticised for their celebrations. Morgan was seen counting off her five goals on her fingers which lead to two former Canadian players calling the game “classless” and “disgraceful”.
In a statement made to Fox Sports, Rapinoe said: “If anyone wants to come at our team for not doing the right thing, not playing the right way, not being the right ambassador for the sport, they can come at us because I think our only crime was an explosion of joy last night.”