In a Chorus of Loud Voices, USWNT Captain Becky Sauerbrunn Mastered the Subtle Art of Leadership
Since 2019, and even prior, referring to the U.S. women’s national team as “Megan Rapinoe’s team” would have been backed by ample evidence both on and off the field. Her performances and outspoken nature were often the most prominent, resonant, and impactful. Whether dominating the 2019 World Cup or championing equal pay and trans rights, she was always a pivotal figure.
However, that last statement also aptly describes another USWNT icon: Becky Sauerbrunn. If any player has left an enduring mark on this program, it is surely Sauerbrunn, who excelled as the steadfast center back for club and country. She has been described by various teammates as introspective and analytical — Portland Thorns defender Meghan Klingenberg referred to her as a “constant stream of information” — yet she has let her actions do the talking in a composed manner. While Rapinoe thrived in the spotlight, Sauerbrunn shone as a leader behind the scenes.
Nevertheless, the two were not polar opposites. At her 2023 retirement press conference, Rapinoe, generally her spirited self, became emotional when discussing Sauerbrunn.
“It is particularly difficult to even just talk about what Becky means to me,” Rapinoe expressed through tears. “As a person, as a player, we’ve been playing together since I think we were like 16 years old. You just go through so much.
“It’s hard to imagine not being Becky’s teammate. Whoever (was) captain, I was like, ‘Whatever, Becky’s my captain.’ Whether she wears the armband or not, whether I’m wearing it or not, even when I’m wearing it, I’m like ‘Becky’s captain.’ She’s just such an incredible leader, person, and I think just an amazing example for everyone.”
Megan Rapinoe highlighted how Becky Sauerbrunn was always her captain. (Maddie Meyer / Getty Images)
The veteran defender stands out as the only player with over 150 appearances in both the NWSL and the USWNT, according to Opta. She is a four-time NWSL Defender of the Year and a three-time league champion, in addition to being an Olympic gold medalist and World Cup winner. Many of her teammates have acknowledged her leadership within the team.
Even so, Sauerbrunn has typically evaded headlines due to her quieter nature on the defensive line, yet she has always understood how and when to make her influence felt. You might not notice her presence in the heat of the moment, but upon reflection, it becomes clear how much impact she had.
Sauerbrunn has never shied away from standing up for her beliefs. In 2017, during the first Trump administration, she denounced Islamophobia and efforts to hinder aid to refugees from Muslim-majority countries. That year, she also joined Rapinoe in kneeling during the U.S. anthem to protest anti-Black police brutality, along with remaining in the locker room during the anthem for an NWSL game. She played a significant role in the leadership group during the USWNT’s equal pay battle. Before their 2019 lawsuit, she was one of five players who collaborated on a 2016 Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint regarding their pay disparity with the men’s team. In 2022, she was among the first players to endorse the collective bargaining agreement that established equal pay for the U.S. men’s and women’s national soccer teams.
Becky Sauerbrunn was at the forefront of the USWNT’s struggle for equal pay. (Tim Nwachukwu / Getty Images)
In 2021, she joined many female athletes in calling on the Supreme Court to safeguard abortion rights and authored a 2023 op-ed for the Springfield News-Leader, advocating for the inclusion of trans girls and women in sports within her home state, Missouri.
Throughout this, Sauerbrunn has cultivated an on-field career as one of the most esteemed center backs globally. Her understated style has been key to her success. She excelled at recognizing developing angles and thwarting offensive strategies before they unfolded. Her ability to survey the field, interpret runs, and foresee passes was outstanding. She could execute a last-minute tackle as well as anyone, but it was her knack for constricting players, limiting their approach angles, and guiding them where she desired that proved immensely effective.
From stepping into a World Cup match in 2011 after starting defender Rachel Buehler received a red card, Sauerbrunn’s decade-long dominance at her position has been remarkable. She progressed from a player who once admitted she struggled with long passes — as shared with former teammate Sam Mewis on The Women’s Game podcast — to one who garnered complete trust and confidence at the height of her career. Four different USWNT head coaches relied on her unwavering performance throughout her 219 caps.
And it’s that same reliability that makes this year’s retirement particularly striking — amid an unprecedented transitional phase for the USWNT.
Although we all foresaw this moment after Sauerbrunn’s previous year on the pitch with the Thorns, her presence on the backline always provided a sense of comfort. Certainly, Sauerbrunn might say that comfort is a hindrance in sports, urging that successful teams should seek discomfort in pursuit of improvement. Yet for fans who watch out of passion, Sauerbrunn’s presence felt like the ultimate reassurance.
She is departing on her own terms, and that is all any player can hope for. She described it as “a soccer player ending” on The Women’s Game — concluding a season with a playoff run and an entire focus on the field. From her beginnings, playing professional soccer on high school fields with makeshift lines and changing in trailers, to now, with a flourishing league, a players’ union, and equal pay for the national team, what more can one do but face forward?
Sauerbrunn recently shared on her Instagram about participating in a broadcast boot camp, and she has already made a name for herself in the media landscape through her contributions to Mewis’ podcast. She will undoubtedly approach this next chapter equipped with the same intelligence, integrity, and commitment that characterized her playing career, enriching us all in the process.
(Top photo: Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images)
