Alyssa Naeher - The Orphan
SOCCER - GOALKEEPER - USWNT - CHICAGO RED STARS
ARCHETYPE: THE ORPHAN
Day 13/135
Athletic Accomplishments
Any soccer player will tell you that there’s something a little weird about goalies. Who wants to be the one you blame when a ball goes through the net? Who wants to be the only one who can use her hands? Who wants to dive on a live ball while forwards come flying through at full speed? It’s strange. But it’s also so essential and so freaking badass.
Alyssa Naeher is the starting keeper for the U.S. Women’s National Team, which should be enough for you to know and love her. But these credentials aren’t too shabby either:
2014 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year
2014 NWSL Best XI
2016 NWSL Second XI
2018 CONCACAF Goalkeeper of the Year
2018 CONCACAF Best XI
2019 World Cup Champion
The way she plays is strategic, yet simple. She’s extremely agile, athletic, and explosive, which is crucial as the last line of defense and the fortress that protects the kingdom.
Naeher knows when to charge the ball, when to go to ground, and when to just clear it out of danger. She’s decisive and knows when to commit. And she’s demure, calm, and somewhat quiet. It’s not from a lack of intensity, but rather from a self-assuredness. She doesn’t play goalie for the attention or praise. She does it because she belongs between the sticks.
P.S. - I also learned that Naeher scored 2000 points for her high school basketball team. ATHLETE.
Character Archetype: The Orphan
For too long, Alyssa Naeher had been defined not by her own career, but by her predecessor’s. When Naeher became the starting goalie for the U.S. Women’s National Team, it was not without controversy because Hope Solo, the team’s previous keeper, was one of the most notable faces on the team and in women’s sports generally. While Solo was a phenomenal keeper, she also had her demons (which we’ll get into on a later post—stick with us). So, ONCE AGAIN, we’re here talking about Hope Solo when we should be talking about Alyssa Naeher.
But that’s kinda the point. Because as The Orphan archetype, it felt as though Naeher rose to prominence, kind of out of nowhere. She had always been the quiet, backup keeper on the sidelines who we didn’t have to hear much about. And then all of a sudden, Solo was out, Naeher was in, and the pressure was ON.
Great news sports fans. She’s every bit as athletic and dynamic a player as Solo. If you don’t believe me, go back and watch the 2019 World Cup semifinal, where Naeher had three huge saves and stopped England’s captain, Stephanie Houghton’s PK in the 83rd minute, allowing the USWNT to hold onto their 2-1 lead and advance to the finals.
She was everything we needed her to be because she’s always been everything we needed her to be. Like The Orphan archetype, she proved she’s more than just a nobody, from nowhere. Alyssa Naeher is the real deal.
She no longer walks in Solo’s shadow. She is writing her own story now, and it comes with a lot of glory, a lot of praise, and a whole lot of hardware.