Who Is The Ass Kicker Of The U.S. Women's National Team?
ESPN The Magazine|June 2019

None other than the relentless Julie Ertz

Allison Glock
Who Is The Ass Kicker Of The U.S. Women's National Team?

It’s 10 minutes before practice in the Chicago Red Stars’ training room, and midfielder Julie Ertz is curled up on a massage table, cupping the arches of her feet.

She suctions her skin into a small, pressurized globe, a process that calls to mind medieval torture but allegedly relieves tightness. Her toenails are painted periwinkle blue. A small cross tattoo is tucked behind her ear like a flower.

Ertz winces as she pops the seal of skin, then hops off the table and runs the tender pockets of her feet over a golf ball. She has high arches, a foot shape better suited to ballet than soccer and one that causes her intense discomfort every time she hits the pitch.

“I was 23 in the last World Cup,” the team captain says matter-of-factly. “Now I need to listen to my body more.”

On the floor, various teammates receive their own treatments: icing knees, heating quads, feet submerged in buckets soaking ingrown nails. They chat amiably about the dubious sartorial cred of Uggs, big versus small dogs, new restaurants, Gossip Girl— the free-flowing, unconcerned conversation found in groups with decades of shared history and unambiguous commonalities. Every few minutes, forward Michele Vasconcelos’ toddler, Scarlett, is rolled through the room in a plastic pushcart, a small soccer ball bouncing in the front.

“It was fire,” Ertz shares about the foosball tourney she and a few other players got into last night, noting, “I made Gilly [Arin Wright, née Gilliland] switch positions because she wasn’t defending well enough.” Ertz laughs, says she had no skin in the game beyond “you know, pride.”

This story is from the June 2019 edition of ESPN The Magazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the June 2019 edition of ESPN The Magazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM ESPN THE MAGAZINEView All
The Rape Allegation Against Cristiano Ronaldo Reveals Fame's Protective Shield
ESPN The Magazine

The Rape Allegation Against Cristiano Ronaldo Reveals Fame's Protective Shield

To be the world’s most famous athlete means Cristiano Ronaldo can appear on screens everywhere yet somehow elude the fallout from a rape allegation.

time-read
8 mins  |
April 2019
Michelle Waterson Reps More Than Herself In The Cage
ESPN The Magazine

Michelle Waterson Reps More Than Herself In The Cage

MMA is a violent and unforgiving sport. But instead of shielding her young daughter from her career, Michelle Waterson is bringing her along every step of the way.

time-read
10+ mins  |
April 2019
Kyler Murray Owns His Future In A Way No Other Rookie Has
ESPN The Magazine

Kyler Murray Owns His Future In A Way No Other Rookie Has

As Kyler Murray decides which sport will win his talents, at least one thing is clear: He owns his future in a way no other rookie has.

time-read
6 mins  |
March 2019
Kyle Kuzma Turned A Sneaker Obsession Into A Legit Business Opportunity
ESPN The Magazine

Kyle Kuzma Turned A Sneaker Obsession Into A Legit Business Opportunity

No eight-figure shoe deal? No problem. The Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma walked his own path to sneaker supremacy.

time-read
4 mins  |
March 2019
Bryce Harper Is One Very Big Deal
ESPN The Magazine

Bryce Harper Is One Very Big Deal

He’s baseball’s best-known face and now its richest player. In this exclusive interview, the All-Star talks rejecting $300 million, recruiting Mike Trout and becoming a Phillie for life.

time-read
10+ mins  |
April 2019
Kyler Murray - Will Past Be Prologue For The Possible Top NFL Draft Pick?
ESPN The Magazine

Kyler Murray - Will Past Be Prologue For The Possible Top NFL Draft Pick?

Sizable expectations? Kyler Murray’s got a few: go No. 1 in the draft, become a franchise player and—oh yeah— completely blow up decades of doctrine about short quarterbacks.

time-read
10+ mins  |
May 2019
Eternal Champions
ESPN The Magazine

Eternal Champions

Seven months ago, Brazilian underdogs Chapecoense boarded a plane to play in the game of their lives. Instead, their biggest moment turned into a tragedy no one can forget.

time-read
10+ mins  |
June 26, 2017
What's In A Name?
ESPN The Magazine

What's In A Name?

With the founder of Bikram yoga facing assault allegations, it seems simple: Studios should distance themselves from his name. But it’s not so easy.

time-read
3 mins  |
June 04, 2018
One Formula For Change
ESPN The Magazine

One Formula For Change

To inject excitement back into its races, Formula One needs more than a tweak or new twist—it needs to correct its course.

time-read
2 mins  |
June 04, 2018
All About The Goals
ESPN The Magazine

All About The Goals

U.S. national team hero and Chicago Red Stars defensive midfielder Julie Ertz shares her secrets for keeping her world-champion mindset.

time-read
1 min  |
June 04, 2018