Ben Shelton’s love for his girlfriend, Trinity Rodman, was clear to see once again, but this time without their usual playful, upbeat energy. Instead, the moment was filled with disappointment, as the USWNT star found herself on the losing end of the 2025 NWSL Championship yet again.

It didn’t take long for Rodman to break down in tears before making her way over to Shelton, who was waiting for her pitchside in San Jose’s PayPal Park. What followed was a heartfelt scene: the World No. 9 holding his girlfriend close for an extended embrace and planting a gentle kiss on her forehead. But what exactly happened?

Trinity Rodman entered the NWSL Championship as a second-half substitute for the Washington Spirit on November 22, hoping to help turn things around. But Gotham FC’s Rose Lavelle scored the lone goal late in the match, handing the Spirit their second straight championship loss and setting the stage for an emotional night.

For Rodman, the tears weren’t just about the defeat. Her future with the Spirit has been a major topic of conversation, especially now that she’s a free agent. Reports from ESPN even suggest that major clubs in both England and the U.S. are interested, adding another layer of pressure to an already emotional moment.

Understandably, after the match, Rodman shared with reporters that the loss felt “sad” and that she leaned on Ben Shelton for support. She explained that while her team had been by her side all year, “sometimes you just need your outside supporters,” and Ben Shelton is exactly that for her.

Rodman further said she wasn’t crying only because they lost a game, but because of the effort she and her teammates put in all season. “It sucks and it’s not just we lost a soccer game,” she said, adding that the work behind the scenes made the loss heavier than it looked.

And to make the night even tougher, Rodman also acknowledged that her sprained MCL affected her performance and that she wasn’t at her best. She put it simply: “I still don’t feel like I was my full self tonight,” acknowledging that this was the second straight final where she didn’t feel completely healthy.

That reality left her frustrated, as she felt she “definitely underperformed,” especially in such an important game. The injury and timing made the loss even tougher to swallow.

Meanwhile, Ben Shelton was dealing with his own disappointment at the end of his tennis season after dropping out of the ATP Finals after the group stage. However, as the 23-year-old works on bouncing back from his own season-ending setback, it looks like he may already have some unexpectedly powerful support in his corner.

6x grand slam champion eyes Ben Shelton for a big upgrade

Boris Becker, the six-time Grand Slam champion who rose to fame as a teenage superstar, recently revealed on the Becker Petkovic podcast that he’s genuinely interested in the idea of coaching Ben Shelton.

During the episode, Andrea Petkovic shared a vivid dream she had about Shelton’s future, one in which Becker coached him to a Grand Slam title and became the first player to break the Alcaraz-Sinner dominance. She even joked that if her prediction came true, she should get “a job as a witch or fortune teller.” Ultimately, Becker didn’t brush it off; instead, he admitted the vision actually intrigued him.

Becker said it was “a very good dream,” but pointed out that coaching Shelton would mean embracing “a bit American” lifestyle and constantly traveling for training and tournaments. Still, he confessed the idea genuinely appealed to him, hinting that it wasn’t just a fun hypothetical.

“The player totally attracts me,” Becker explained, saying he understands Shelton’s explosive style and feels he could help him improve. He added, “I’m sure I could help him,” even though he noted that his family responsibilities make such a commitment less realistic now.

Anyway, now as Ben Shelton shifts his focus to the upcoming season, it’s clear he already has big believers in his corner. That said, do you think Trinity Rodman’s emotional reaction shows the growing pressure young stars face in both soccer and tennis?