The 1999 USWNT World Cup team has assembled in New York City ahead of this weekend’s 25th anniversary celebration at Red Bull Arena, as the current version of the team squares off against Mexico in one of their two final tune-ups ahead of the Olympics.
The whole team was kitted out with merchandise celebrating the team, with all sporting t-shirts or hats that are part of a new line from online retailers Foudys and State Champs. Nike also announced a line of reissued jerseys and tracksuits from the 1999 USWNT World Cup, including the white jersey worn by field players.
The only downside: there’s no inclusion of a goalkeeper jersey, despite Briana Scurry’s massive contributions to the 1999 victory.
I thought for sure there would be a Bri Scurry 99er kit I could buy ☹️ that’s super disappointing
— Bella Bixby (@bellageist) July 11, 2024
Scurry was all smiles when speaking with the media ahead of Friday’s training session, as the shouts of her teammates echoed down the halls of the stadium. Scurry wasn’t even aware yet that her goalkeeper-specific jersey would not be available as part of the ‘99ers reissue, though Nike will have name and number sets for every member of the 1999 World Cup team.
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“I didn’t know that it wasn’t available,” she said, when told that there was some social media outcry over it not being offered. “We need to hop to it. Nike, what’s up? I need to call someone.”
Scurry’s jersey from the 1999 final, which the U.S. won in penalty kicks against China, is displayed at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture along with her goalkeeping gloves.
It’s not the first time there’s been major disappointment over the lack of goalkeeper jersey options. Mary Earps, goalkeeper for England’s women’s national team, hit out at Nike in a press conference ahead of the 2023 Women’s World Cup over the sports manufacturer’s decision to not make her shirt available for public sale.
“It’s hugely disappointing and very hurtful,” she said, adding she had worked to try and find a solution at the time with the FA and Nike, including offering to fund the printing run herself. “It’s a very scary message that’s being sent to goalkeepers worldwide, that you’re not important.”
Nike subsequently backtracked over the decision after the World Cup ended. In a statement, the company said they were “committed to retailing women’s goalkeeping jerseys for major tournaments in the future.”
Nike released an initial collection of shirts in October 2023 which sold out within hours, and a second batch sold out within five minutes in December. In April, the NWSL launched sales of goalkeeper jerseys — with the league also a Nike partner — and within three hours of launch, current no. 1 USWNT goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher’s shirt was sold out in most sizes.
just went looking at #nwsl goalkeeper kit stock out of curiosity — Alyssa Naeher's $145 kit already sold out S-XL (league announced GK jerseys on sale 3 hours ago)https://t.co/8bYA7tlwcx
— Meg Linehan (@itsmeglinehan) April 17, 2024
So, even as the larger project of increasing access to women’s sports merchandise is ongoing, there’s a more specific challenge too in ensuring that every player’s jersey is accessible for fans.
“I think an understanding of the position would be helpful. Apparently, marketing people think the only cool people are the people that score the goals, as opposed to saving the goals,” Scurry said.
“Alyssa Scores goals also, so maybe she’s a hybrid” Scurry said with a laugh, referencing Naeher’s penalty kick form over the past year for the USWNT. “The rest of us should start scoring goals.”
(Lutz Bongarts/Bongarts/Getty Images)
