“The USWNT is not what it used to be“, was the consensus after Twila Kilgore’s side lost to Mexico in the group stage of the W Gold Cup. But that was the only misstep as the 4x World Champions won the 3 subsequent matches to win the inaugural edition of the competition. The final against Brazil was not the most entertaining match for the US fans as the side had just 43% of the possession leading to a single goal. Regardless, it still managed to shatter some viewership records.

CBS Sports has shared a report that the USWNT’s match against Brazil was the most streamed match ever on Paramount+. Paramount+ is one of the premier OTT streaming services in the country. Furthermore, this match added to a 59% growth in households, a 33% rise in streaming minutes, and an increase of 66% in average streaming minutes compared to the SF against Canada. But is this the first time we’re seeing a spike in women’s soccer numbers? Definitely not!

Such metrics underline the increasing popularity and interest in women’s soccer. In October 2023, USWNT icon Megan Rapinoe‘s final home game witnessed chart-breaking numbers. The match had 683,000 viewers and was even ahead of certain EPL games in the viewership chart! Moreover, the upcoming NWSL season will see 3 new broadcasting partners besides CBS, as the $240 million media rights deal will have Amazon Prime Video, ESPN, and Scripps Sports stream matches as well.

Such moves will increase the impact and reach of women’s soccer and indirectly benefit the USWNT. The Gold Cup victory came at the right time for the USWNT. Their stocks were low following the disappointing 2023 World Cup. Hence, this victory has done a steady job of silencing critics. But, a former USMNT star is still not satisfied.

Despite Gold Cup triumph, US soccer veteran terms USWNT’s display against Brazil as ‘bad’

Alexi Lalas was among the ones who were not happy with how USWNT played in the final. He shared his thoughts via X, “I thought it was a bad performance and a good result.” He further explained his point, saying, “It’s a USWNT still in transition that lacks ruthlessness, direction, and identity. But winning is much better than losing….in my professional opinion.” Perhaps Twila Kilgore’s side performance against Mexico in the group might have played a role in Lalas’ assessment.

In the said match, the US was outplayed in all departments. The score of 2-0, actually is a poor reflection of how much Mexico dominated the game. But this was a learning point for the USWNT. As per interim boss Twila Kilgore, this loss had a ‘key impact’ on how the USWNT approached the remaining games tactically. And judging by the results, the tactical tweaks worked out perfectly.

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