
Another day, another snub for Becky Sauerbrunn.
It’s baffling how Sauerbrunn, arguably the best defender in the world and linchpin to the United States team which won the 2015 Women’s World Cup, was left off yet another all-star team.
FIFPro unveiled its first-ever Women’s World XI on Thursday, and it included U.S. defenders Meghan Klingenberg and Julie Johnston. It did not include Sauerbrunn. Nor did FIFA’s all-tournament team for the 2015 Women’s World Cup include Sauerbrunn. And Sauerbrunn wasn’t one of the 10 finalists for the FIFA World Player of the Year award and with no write-ins allowed, Sauerbrunn didn’t get any votes (as I wrote, she would have been in my top three had write-ins been allowed).
It’s ludicrous that the three-time defending NWSL Defender of the Year and the new co-captain of the world champions would be left off both lists, with no disrespect to anyone on them. One list — the all-tournament team — was selected by a panel of FIFA ‘experts.’ The other — the World XI — was voted on by a select group of players around the globe.
The thing about Sauerbrunn is that she does all of the little nuances which soccer purists appreciate and admire, but few of the flashy things which the general sports fan can recognize as exceptional play. That thought seems counter-intuitive for the World XI, considering it is voted on by players, but alas.
This video, made by Trevor Haywood of Backheel and Soccer Morning with a little inspiration from The Equalizer, sums up just about everything:
I see @BeckySauerbrunn has been snubbed from another Best XI. #USWNT pic.twitter.com/SKZuks2zAO
— Trevor Hayward (@HeyHayward) February 18, 2016
Y’all: Becky Sauerbrunn really does exist. And she really is world-class. It is OK to vote for her for actual worldwide awards. Like Adele saying, “hello” — just listen.
