The Indelible Legacy of the 1985 U.S. Women’s National Team
At the Queen’s Match tonight, Reign FC honors the 1985 United States Women’s National Team. The group of 17 women changed the soccer culture in America forever, establishing a strong foundation for every player after them to build upon.
Up until this point, the team’s story has largely gone unrecognized. Hastily documented and overshadowed by later teams, the pioneers of the of the game are reclaiming their legacy, 40 years later.
Though the team may not have realized it when they were first selected for the roster at the National Sports Festival in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, it quickly became clear that this was something different, something extraordinary. Something that would ignite a period of rapid change and growth in women’s soccer.
“It was just another team and another tournament, until it wasn’t,” shared Cindy Gordon. “When we were on the field in Italy, we were in our uniforms, and they played the national anthem. That was one point I definitely remember feeling like this was something different. This is playing for our country. This is a really big deal.”
Michelle Akers, who would go on to make 155 appearances for the United States Women’s National Team, shared a similar sentiment.
“I just didn't understand the global realm of the game or that we were really representing our country, playing for that team, until [head coach] Mike Ryan yelled at us about the national anthem and made us shout it out really loud. It was like an awakening that has constantly had layers added to it over the years and decades.”
The team’s path to the tournament was anything but easy. It was unconventional and required a deep level of commitment from each and every player. From being notified with no prior warning that the team would be selected following the National Sports Festival final, to a whirlwind trip to Italy, including a brief stop in New York to train as a team for the first time, the grit and tenacity of the team was instilled in every player, in the DNA of the team, from the get-go.
“I would describe all the players on the ‘85 team as very passionate. They're all very scrappy, they're all fighters and all of us had made our play the number one thing in our life. Everybody was very high achievers, and you can even see that if you follow people in their careers after we got out of soccer. We were just a real feisty bunch of fighters,” said Gordon.
The team didn’t win a single game at that first tournament in Italy, but that didn’t matter. Despite having just a few days of training before the tournament, the team came together and made it clear from the beginning that they were going to give it their all on the field. Though the other teams may have been more technically skilled than the U.S. side, no one would ever outwork the team. That never-say-die mentality has carried through to every iteration of the USWNT – from the team that played in the first Women’s World Cup, to the team that most recently won a Gold Medal at the 2024 Olympics Games.
“There are certain things we tried to carry with us,” said Henry. “Being as flexible as you can for the team. You have to be what the team needs at the time, and you can't be selfish, you have to do everything for the team. If it's to start that game or if it’s for you to sub in that game, you do your role. That's really important, but also, we are just fighters. We do not back down. We have always had that fire in us and it's going to be a battle every single time. So, I think that mindset and our work ethic competing at the highest level, those are the takeaways from that ‘85 team.”
The legacy fostered by the 1985 team, long before the women’s game rose to global recognition, will never be forgotten. Join us in honoring the pioneers of the game as Reign FC take on Chicago Stars FC Monday night at 7:00 p.m. - Get tickets HERE.