USWNT legend Heather O'Reilly expressed great pride in her squad for winning TST 2024, $1M prize.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
US Women win TST 2024 Women's bracketVictory comes with $1M prizeCaptain O'Reilly speaks expresses 'pride'WHAT HAPPENED?
The US Women defeated the North Carolina Courage 6-3 Monday night at Wakemed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C., claiming the $1M prize for the women's division.
Led by USWNT legends Carli Lloyd, Allie Long, Ali Krieger and Heather O'Reilly, the squad won four-straight after losing their opening game to claim the title.
AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Though this was the second edition of The Soccer Tournament, 2024 was the first time a separate women's division was contested, after the inaugural event of the tournament was a mixed field.
O'Reilly, as team captain and founder, spoke postgame of what the feeling was like to lead her team to the title and find the "sisterhood" she's missed since retiring professionally.
Across her storied career, the USWNT star won three Olympic Gold Medals and a FIFA World Cup trophy.
WHAT O'REILLY SAID
"It's very surreal. It's very surreal," she said. "I think like I'm just overwhelmingly proud of a lot of hard work, like behind the scenes to, like assemble a really good team of people and we just like… even last year, getting our butts kicked, it was like time of our life – and then it was almost impossible. … It felt impossible to have this year be even better – and obviously it is!
"To win with these players… it's not the US Women's National Team crest but it feels like, again, this is a sisterhood that means a lot to my life and embodies a lot of things – it embodies determination, it embodies winning, embodies being trailblazers… And, yeah, that's what I feel right now. And it's just an overwhelming sense of pride."
WHAT NEXT FOR THE US WOMEN?
Teammate Joanna Lohman, who represented the USWNT nine times from 2001-2007, said that the US Women are hoping to return to TST next year to defend their title – but suggested that the field will be "doubled" in size from the eight teams that competed in 2024.
It's welcomed competition, but for now, the US Women are going to celebrate their title and the $40,000 that each member of the squad will receive.