It was pretty obvious from the title, Hope Solo vs. U.S. Soccer, that this would be a contentious film. Some view her as haughty while others see her as a heroine. One thing that cannot be debated is that she’s one of the greatest goalkeepers this country has ever had. Period.
A legendary figure in women’s soccer, Solo holds the U.S. record for most career clean sheets (102), has won two Olympic gold medals and a Women’s World Cup (2015), and has made over 200 appearances for the USWNT. Although her talent is unquestionable, some of her decisions have been subject to scrutiny. In this revealing documentary, she acknowledges her mistakes, but these pale in comparison to the unfair treatment she received from U.S. Soccer, which effectively ended her playing career.
It takes less than a minute for U.S. Soccer to come under fire, making for an exciting introduction and setting the tone for the next 70 minutes. Beyond the federation, she calls out former coaches and teammates, including an exclusive crop broadly referred to as the “99ers”, a nickname for the USWNT that won the Women’s World Cup in 1999. While they’re widely credited for bringing more attention to women’s soccer, Solo is reluctant to extend further grace. Out of everyone that made up that roster, the only player that was willing to come forward and be a part of the film was Michelle Akers. Before you can even adjust your seating position to prepare for what’s to come, Solo’s airing out names that denied her requests for the film (interviews on camera or online). Some of those players were Mia Hamm, Megan Rapinoe, and even former coach Jill Ellis.
Firsthand accounts are given through her former college coaches at the University of Washington (Lesle Gallimore and Amy Griffin), FIFA Female Player of the Century Michelle Akers, her best friend and former teammate Cheryl Hirss, former coach Pia Sundhage, legal counsel Rich Nichols, and PR manager Melinda Travis.
Solo made a handful of bad judgment calls and owns up to them, even giving details behind those choices. But some of the harsher treatment she received later in her career was downright deplorable. One of the earliest controversies between Solo and U.S. Soccer came in the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup. For the last 17 years, I never knew why Solo, the best goalkeeper of the tournament who was playing the best ball of her life, would get pulled for the semifinal match in favor of Briana Scurry. Scurry was a legend and is a great example of why representation matters (she was the only Black player for a while) but she was on the brink of retirement and wasn’t in as good a form. In the film, Hope details how two teammates went to their head coach in secret and complained about Scurry not getting a farewell match. After all this time, I never expected the reason for Solo’s absence to be because of something so petty. She was also the subject of bullying and retaliation during the tournament.
Hope Solo overcame a challenging upbringing to become the top women’s soccer player in her home state of Washington and eventually the best in the nation, and ultimately, the world. Her fame skyrocketed after the United States won the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, and her face was recognizable everywhere. From the public’s perspective, we witnessed suspensions, controversial statements, and personal issues. However, behind the scenes, U.S. Soccer was effectively blacklisting her. When the NFL faced a similar situation with former quarterback Colin Kaepernick, it was due to his social justice and civil rights activism, which damaged the league’s reputation and bottom line. Solo’s public statements also harmed U.S. Soccer’s image, and when she inquired about her contract and salary, she was met with hostility.
UNTOLD: Hope Solo vs. U.S. Soccer gets a 9.5 out of 10. She unloads on U.S. Soccer and mentions names, dates, and times of past abuses, shedding light on things that went unnoticed by the public. It’s a must-watch if you’re a soccer fan and a good film overall if you’re a fan of sports documentaries. It’s rated TV-MA for coarse language and has a runtime of 1hr and 13 mins.
UNTOLD: Hope Solo vs. U.S. Soccer premieres Sept. 3 only on Netflix
-Jon Jones
Photos: Courtesy of Netflix