Captain America: The Avenger

BECKY SAUERBRUNN struggled in her first go-around with USWNT captaincy. But because of those failures, the veteran defender feels more equipped than ever before to lead a team in transition

- Emma Baccellieri

FIFTEEN MONTHS INTO his tenure as coach of the U.S. women's national soccer team, Vlatko Andonovski decided who he wanted as captain. Veteran center back Becky Sauerbrunn was widely respected as a model teammate, cerebral and generous, a calming presence on and off the field. But when he called her into his office in January 2021, he did not launch into a statement of congratulations or try to surprise her with a flashy announcement. Instead, he asked a question: Do you want to be captain?

Andonovski may have been fairly new to the national team, previously coached Sauerbrunn in the NWSL, and he knew his history. She had been captain of the national team once before-in 2016 and '17, under former coach Jill Ellis, alongside co-captain Carli Lloyd-and it had proved trying. Ultimately, Ellis reassigned the captaincy, and Sauerbrunn was left stung by the whole experience. Andonovski believed she was ready to take on the role again. But he wasn't sure whether she'd want it.

"He knew how hard it was for me," says Sauerbrunn, who is heading into her fourth World Cup. "Having that and then having it taken away and kind of working through that process... I really learned from that."

She didn't know whether the captain's armband would ever come back to her. And while Sauerbrunn was surprised by Andonovski's offer-"I wasn't even sure why he was bringing me in for a conversation," she says-she knew her answer as soon as she heard the question. She wanted another shot.

"The only reason she took it on is because she thought she could help the team," says close friend and former USWNT teammate Meghan Klingenberg, who plays alongside Sauerbrunn with the Portland Thorns. "It's not like, Wow, this is a status thing for me. That's not who Becky is. She took it on because she felt like with that armband, she could help the team win and make people better."