July 7 (2019)

The United States successfully defends its Women’s World Cup championship by defeating the Netherlands, 2-0, in Lyon, France. One of the most memorable images of the tournament comes in the final, showing St. Louis native Becky Sauerbrunn bleeding above her right eye after a head-to-head collision with Danielle van de Donk in the 54th minute. Sauerbrunn returns to the game two minutes later with a bandage around her head and plays the rest of the match. The Americans’ defense, including Sauerbrunn at left center back, stifles its World Cup opponents, giving up just three goals in seven games. Sauerbrunn, who played every minute during the United States’ 2015 World Cup matches, missed the first game of the 2019 World Cup with a quadriceps injury. She played every minute of the next six games.