Hey Prime members, you can listen to Men in Blazers ad free on Amazon Music download the app today.
Hi, I'm Lindsay Graham, host of Wondrous Business Movers. In our latest series, Phil Knight
bets the future of his little known shoe company Blue Ribbon Sports on a big move, creating
his own in-house brand. With this bold direction, Phil creates one of the most recognizable
and successful companies in the world, Nike. Listen to business movers becoming Nike on
Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. You're listening to the Men in Blazers media
network suboptimal radio. Wow, I got to play a sport for my job. And sometimes when you're
in the suck in the grind, you like forget to reflect on the beauty of that. And so I
think now it's just anything I do. If I just go and warm up, I'm like, I get to warm up
again where I used to joke a bit, my gosh, this must be my one millionth warm up of my
career. And now I'm like, one million in one, one million in two, like a warm up. So I
think perspective is always important in life. And Madden's given me a huge difference.
My guest today is a fierce back to back world cup champion, who's defined herself as the
heart and soul of the US women's national team, repelling all cameras with an intelligent
ferocity, reveling in every opportunity to smite, smother and dominate, even losing
a few teeth in the pursuit of victory. And anyone who's watched her play knows what
a warrior my guest is willing to attack by sea, by land, by air. And we're speaking to
her in a remarkable moment. However, weeks after she's just returned to the game she
loves after 611 long days away, returning as a new mother to future US men's national
team captain, Madden Matthew works. It's been some transformative journey. And I'm genuinely
elated 66 days into the World Cup kicks off. Oh, from that delirious second year franchise
Angel City, and your defending champion US women's national team. It's Juliet.
Thank you so much for the introduction.
Juliet, first of all, congratulations to you and your husband, Zacha, some becoming
parents. You said Madden nine months old already. Has it failed to be nine months without more
than four consecutive hours of sleep?
I feel pretty good. Coffee has been my new fuel. So between that and water, I have to
make sure my hydration levels are right. But we're doing good and Madden's just so fun.
Coffee is your friend matter of national significance. We must know is Madden working
the drills yet? Can you confirm if he's chosen soccer over your husband's acts beloved NFL?
We don't know yet. He hasn't quite used his feet yet. So he grabs everything so far. So
doesn't mean that he can't be a goalkeeper. Doesn't mean that he hasn't decided. So
it's undecided as now.
I like to imagine Madden will be on men's captain in 2046, possibly playing alongside
a then 78 year old Tim Reem. But I want to pick your story arc up in a place of challenge
two years ago, the Tokyo Olympics 2021. And you played despite screening your MCL just
a few months before a bronze medal one for the US, which would be a triumph for almost
any other program. But because it contained the dual traumas losing to both Canada and
Sweden, you know, given the prestige of the US women's program, that third place finish
was experiences of disappointment. As a player, Julie, you once said that an Olympic loss in
2016 sat stewing in your soul for years. How hard was the Tokyo experience for you mentally?
How long did it take for you to process?
Obviously it wasn't a typical type of Olympics kind of still going through the quarantine process
of like isolation and protocols and all that. So it definitely put a loop maybe a different
side mentally that I don't think most are prepared for and not having your family and
friends there for something that you trained for so long, as well as it being extended,
made it get difficult because you know, you you plan your peaks and when you want to be
at your best and having, you know, it pushed back kind of changed the landscape of like
kind of the maintenance for your body as well. So yeah, it just changed a lot. I mean, you know,
at the end of the day, I think, you know, we didn't perform in the sense to be in that
championship game and that's on us. And that's tough. It's tough to swallow individually and
collectively. And yeah, I think stepping away from it, just all encompassing was just tough.
Understanding being Olympics and getting the bronze is incredible. I think it'll just take a while.
I think a lot of people told me like to process that it is.
How long does it take for you personally? I think years. I think also in my
circumstance of after and then going through a family and stepping away and kind of having that
being like, wow, was that was that my last game with the national team? Is it like, I think that
kind of changes your perspective. Yeah, that's fine because you did just use the present tense
when I asked you how long it's going to take to get over it. You talked about it as if it's still
taking you time to process as if it's still something that you're coming to terms with.
You did leave with that thought that that might possibly have been your last kick of a ball in
the US Women's National Team jersey. Yeah, I I've been so lucky to have a long career with the
national team. But every year, I mean, you you continuously have to fight and prove yourself to
be on the team regardless. And obviously, as as time goes on and, you know, processing what that
looks like with my family off the field and just the reality of age and what that looks like.
So I think, yeah, like, I didn't necessarily know and, you know, after the whistle blue,
I just remember kind of just sitting there and just being like, wow, like, like, I'm not like
somber the right word like that. Like the saddest of ways is just the last game we ended up winning.
So it was great in that aspect that we came together to get a win, to get the bronze medal.
And that's incredible in itself and not to take away from that as well.
But I think just, you know, looking around, then it's just an empty stadium and, you know,
you're in a huge tournament and it's just kind of like quiet and it was a lot. Like, I knew that
it was also Carly's last game. It was like, you could just see, you know, her reflection and then
everybody else is just kind of like an interesting time, at least for me in Virginia. I don't want
to speak for other people, but it was just like an interesting time. You are someone that does
dwell on loss in such a fascinating way. I remember you talking about the Olympic loss in 2016.
Is it true you made the background of your phone? They're quite harrowing sounding image of a single
shot that you missed. There are real chants in the tournament so that you're reminded of that
failure on the daily until you just went out there and won the World Cup.
Yeah, I just hate losing. I have a problem.
So it was just like motivation of just like its seconds of games, its moments of games,
it's just stuff that you remember to when you go back and train because one day, you know,
in training in weeks, whatever, like it all adds up. And so like, just don't forget to do the
little stuff. And it was just like being so happy. Like, I was so say, I'm so young then, but like,
it just was a good moment for me to just kind of be like, look, like, just at least learn from
every game that you play in. As I said, you were rushed back to play the Olympics from an
old-time MCL sprain and you stepped away in the wake of it first to recover properly to heal.
And then embarking on a remarkable new chapter of your life. That would be coming in mother.
And Julie, we've spoken to a number of athletes on this show. Elite athletes who have chosen to
have kids mid-career and they've talked about the tension between absolute and uninterrupted
devotion to yourself, to your craft, to excelling on the field, prioritizing training, performance
above everything else. And also that profound desire to build a family off it. Everyone is different.
How did you exact think through that balance as you talked through the right time for you to take
this step? To be honest, I think you don't know. Like, you don't know the exact time. I think we
kind of just rely on our faith to be like, okay, like, this is just kind of what we're going to
figure out. And even that, like, when we did find out that we were praying, we were obviously
elated and excited. But then what does that look like after? I think instead of just like being
overwhelmed with like the thought process of everything, and we just kind of took it
month by month and just kind of figured it out.
There's a plan 100% always as you had this conversation to return to the field or
where even you are unsure. I think the desire in the back of my head was always like, how do you not
want to be back to something that you love so much? And I think at the same part, yeah, like,
my selfish desires of being on field now have changed because Madden is my and our first priority
in making sure that he is everything is around him, basically. And so obviously being in not an
underbears all market that kind of logistically changed things for me and how that looked like
for my family as my family is just so important. And obviously I think it's hard to step away
from a game that you love so much or anything that you do that you just love to just be like,
okay, I'm done. It's tough and it's a tough reflection and tough conversations to have.
And so I don't think it'd be like, yeah, I for sure was like, I'm back because the reality is,
I didn't know what my body was going to be like. I didn't know like what it was going to be like
to be a mother. I knew that my whole life was going to change. So I didn't really have very many
answers. August 11, 2022, your life did change. You gave birth to your first child, Madden,
Matthew, or Julie, first of all, happy belated mother's day. Thank you. And now when you have a
baby, everybody gives parenting advice. And I always find out somewhat surreal because every
mother experiences the early days of motherhood differently. Every father does too. Every baby
again is different. How has it been for you? How would you describe the early adventures,
the early experience, the only feelings of motherhood in your own words?
If I was to put into short, say beautifully overwhelming,
in everything, I can't even put in words like the emotion that it comes with. And I knew everyone
is like, Oh, it's the best thing every candidate. There's no word to kind of describe where this
person and your their whole life. And like, that's so powerful in itself. And it's been incredible
to watch Zach become the best dad like ever. He's so supportive. Like, I wouldn't be able to even
choose to be back in soccer. Like, it's just so fun. And he's made it just so much more enjoyable.
Like, he was obviously a huge part of why I was able to come back. And it's a great balance for me
with doing something that I love and keeping it as something that I love and not letting it kind
of affect everything else. Because then I can kind of switch to Kate. Now I'm mom mode.
So it's been a great balance for me. I should add, man, this arrival is you've already hinted was
not the only massive transformation in your life at this time. You also moved back home.
Almost 10 months before you gave birth, Zach was traded to the Arizona Cardinals,
which is the NFL franchise closest to where you grew up in Mesa, Arizona. And amidst all of this
change, I did wonder when you were lost on our show, you told me how you often dream about soccer.
Imagine not so much the glory of it all as the tactics of it, the scenarios.
I was really struck by that that even a sleep you are living through in your subconscious.
Do those dreams continue through pregnancy and into motherhood? Or would it feel like you've
learned and forgot a new language? No, I think that's probably the part of like,
wanting to come back. Like it's funny, like I just felt like I became a different student of the
game for so long because obviously because I couldn't play, I was watching it and I was watching it in
a different way. And not that I didn't enjoy watching the tactics of the sport before, but
for some reason, it just because I couldn't necessarily be on the field to do that, I just
was able to watch games kind of differently and watch it develop. And it didn't change by no means,
but it did give me more drive in the back of my head to want to come back.
In this period, how frequently did you watch the US women? I spoke to players
who were part of the team and then not able to play for different reasons. And they talked about
occasionally how hard it can be to watch the team go on without you when you're not able to impact
proceedings. Were you tuning in glued watching or did you find it difficult just to spectate?
I think right away after the Olympics, I needed to separate myself from soccer in a healthy way.
And so I think in the beginning, it was more of just to decompress in that way. And then obviously
finding incredible news that Madden was on his way after that when the craziness of moving and
getting zacked traded here and finding out where we were pregnant and moving closer to my family.
And it was all this stuff at once that I think after everything kind of like settled down and
I could like breathe, then I just enjoyed being the student again and kind of accepting like,
hey, you're away from soccer. And what is that going to look like in the future? I don't know.
And instead of being overwhelmed with that, I just allowed myself to fall in love with being
a fan of the sport, which is an interesting thing because not that I wasn't a fan when I was playing,
but I was a player watching the sport because I was a player rather than a fan.
So how does that feel? Do you watch the game differently as a fan? Or are you still feeling
you wish you could launch you the television screen and just tackle some of it?
Yeah, I definitely launched the television version. But I think my husband was like,
you're crazy. Especially when the men's World Cup was on and I would talk about,
well, how are they doing this? Or they should do this? Or whatever game we were watching?
And luckily, Zach was just like, yeah, yeah, yeah, probably. He's probably like,
I don't know what you're talking about, but it's no different. It's not going to take me out from
wanting to watch tactics and play and all that. But it was just different.
In this time of year, speaking to a lot of your teammates, you're still in the WhatsApp groups
participating, checking in. Are any of them beckoning you back to the squad? Or are they just also
leaving you alone, allowing you space? I think overall, especially after Olympics, I think space
was good. And also at the same time, it's like, you don't want to be a distraction at all. Like,
I wasn't obviously clearly going into camp. Like, I don't know what my future necessarily holds.
And, you know, it's the time of just like typical after a big tournament. I mean, you have turnover,
you have to bring younger players in, you need to try new things, you have all this stuff. And
to be able to just kind of support from a distance and watch and learn was a good space for me to
be in and kind of just to step away and enjoy the process of motherhood.
In your absence, Coach Flack-Coandenowski oversaw the beginnings as your hint at of a
generational overhaul with that national team. You weren't the only veteran to step away
after the Olympics. But that evolution included a few stumbles as many and most evolutions,
though, including the team's longest loss streak since 1993. And you are and have been one of the
most impactful one player armies of a midfielder. Does it impact you, the team's record?
Does it awaken some stirring sense of duty inside you? Be like, Batman, suddenly seeing the bat
signal leading to drop everything in charge back on the field? No, because I think I've been
a part of the process of like just understanding the development and the importance of it.
And also being a part of women's soccer growth, like really from the beginning of my career from
now, just seeing kind of where it goes and the resources that, you know, not just US
soccer is put in obviously to us or the end of itself being put in, but Europe, other countries,
and national teams. So obviously the development of competition is going to thrive and they were
close games. So I think in our past, we're so used to being the one that was such a close game and
getting the win. And that's a developmental thing that you learned through, you know,
the veterans that kind of teach you about the experience and the grid and all that kind of stuff.
So you can see that the younger ones are learning. And that's what's important because, yes,
obviously we want to win every single game. But you're developing for overall cup, you're developing
for the Olympics, you're developing the process of making sure that they understand that experience.
And sometimes, unfortunately, learn from your mistakes more than you do your wins. And if you
don't expose the younger ones to that or a little bit of failure and you're just used to winning all
the time, you're not going to be exposed for when stuff gets hard, especially during a tournament
because tournaments are wild, wild, like it's unbelievable. Like it's just like mayhem of just
your do or die time and like, how else are you going to learn that if you don't just allow the
younger ones to thrive in it? So when exactly did you decide to return Julie? Is it something that
happens slowly? Does it gnaw on you and grow? Or does it crystallize quickly? Does it hit you
like a bolt of lightning one day? And it's just like sit up in bed immediately clear. It's time to
return to football. The dream of coming back is kind of always etched in the back of your head.
But I do think there was a specific time-ish where I was like, okay, I can do this because there
was a process. Like if I was able to come back, I wanted to come back where I felt like I could
actually compete. And I didn't know when my body was going to feel like that. I didn't know if my
body was going to feel like that. So I think the process of the journey of like coming back and
it being like, oh, I can't, oh, I can't, oh, I can't. I think you're just kind of like,
like, of course, I would have been like, yeah, I would love to be back every month,
some postpartum. But it just wasn't the reality for me. And I think I just kind of allow the process
of just getting back and healing. And it took longer than I kind of thought. But it was just a
process. I feel like that's the best way I can explain it. You told the story about navigating
that notion, the push and the pull of wanting to be home and also wanting to play again.
A conversation you've processed every step of the way with your husband, Zach, and you told the
story of being on the couch, quite an emotional conversation you had when you both realized it
was time for you to return. Do you remember what you said? Zach was like, put on, I'm like,
slightly embarrassed, but it's so funny. Like highlights, like a highlight reel,
like a me playing because he was like, are you, you need to just like reflect on like, if you're
done, like this, this is like, that's your past highlight and no be your past, like, that's it.
And I remember sitting there. And of course, I'm just like tearing up because it's just,
you bring back the memories that you can never have like playing, like you're just grateful for
everything that you've had. Whoa. And so like, I think like just talking with Zach and everything
and being an athlete himself, obviously, two, two athletes that are closer to the later of the career,
then obviously they're beginning of their career. You just don't expect it. And like, you never
want to be there. Like, you never know when the right time, because it's never the right time to
ever be done in something that you love, because it's like, how do you like reflect that? And I think
like the amazing connection that Zach and I have through sport is a reflection of just what
opportunities like soccer has given me. And I think sometimes when you're away from it for so like,
whatever you said, six hundred and eleven days, it doesn't feel that long, but it also feels like
like a heartbreak at the same time. You're like breaking up with the love of your life,
almost kind of thing, because it's just something that's been a part of you your entire life. And so
it's it was an emotional, beautiful thing of just honesty and just talking about what sport is and
how incredible it is and how unifying it can be and opportunities it's given people. It was it
was clearly an emotional like reflection, but a pivotal moment in in my return.
It's incredibly beautifully told the loves of your life, Zach, Madden, and football surrounded
by all three of them. Yeah. And you know, football is magnificent. It's a thing that bonds us. But
for you, it's also there's there's a grinding side. There's a mountain that you have to climb. It's
not just a switch that you flip back on. Yeah, when you decide, Julie, that the return is real,
we back up. What was it in your mind that you were turning to? Was it specifically the possibility
of one more will cut the back in you back? It was also the club level, you know, the daily grind,
the locker room, the competition, sweet, sweet competition. What was the gravitational pull in
your mind? Gosh, so many, right? Like, obviously, I understood the timeline of a World Cup year.
Obviously, that's not not in your back, if you're mind of how incredible that tournament is and
even just a possibility of being a part of that. And because soccer is my outlet that I can be,
where there's nothing else that I can be that like, Julia, it's on the soccer field, anywhere else,
like the competitiveness, the aggressiveness, the wanting to grind the team commodity, the locker
room, like stuff that like, you just can't replicate in life. So you just miss it because it's a part
of you that you kind of just can't express in any other way. I tried on the pickleball court and
all these other like endeavors of things, but it's just just the battle part of it that
everyone loves so much is just hard to replicate. So yeah, I think it's that it's just the beauty
of the national team of representing your country and wearing the crust is just just nothing like it.
So you like the wind sprints to the vomit, the grueling regime of physical pain, nutritional
discipline and shakeable focus. So you just like, yeah, I love that too. It was a part of you like,
Oh my God, I know I want to get back there, but I've got to put myself through help to even step
foot in the field again. I think I took it week by week of just getting back. I had incredible
supports from other moms that have come back and just kind of understand that at least the,
Hey, this is what this is what I've done. This is kind of was my timeline understanding that.
Yeah, I mean, do I hate pushing myself to run until I puke? Yes, that grind wasn't that great. But
then once you hit over that hump and you're like, okay, like, it just you sometimes you just have
to kind of get over the suck and then you just wait into the new suck. And then I don't know,
it's also a process that you learn about yourself. I've learned so much about myself and being a mom
and being a soccer player and all that and the reflection of you're like, wow, I got to play a
sport for my job. And sometimes when you're in the suck in the grind, you like forget to reflect on
the beauty of that. And so I think now it's just anything I do, if I just go and warm up, I'm like,
wow, I get to warm up again where I used to joke up in my gosh, this must be my one millionth warm
up of my career. And now I'm like, one million in one, one million in two, like a warm up. So I
think perspective is always important in life. And Madden's given me a huge difference that I've
enjoyed. You mentioned, you know, we're living in an incredible age where motherhood and elite
athletic performance have never been more intertwined. So many US women's national team players have
kids, Alex Morgan, Crystal Dunn, Jessica McDonald, Ali Krieger, more and more and more.
Which ones are you speaking to about this new work life balance?
I mean, we're back in campus. Just cool to see. And I also think it's even just being around
players who have had that. So like in 2015 World Cup, it was A-Rod, Boxy and Piersi, who all
also had their kids around. So it's like, I was able to see these super moms. And I had respect
then because I already knew it was incredible. But now it's obviously to a whole new level. And as well,
a gratitude to them that I feel like I can't even repay because of the resources that they fought
for that I'm able to have now to perform with that support that they didn't necessarily have. And I
think that's an emotional piece that you could even talk to that those moms had to go through
so much to just fight for the term soccer mom to be to the level that it is now and to be able to
get back and return and play and do both and then be supported in both. And so just to even be around
them and like learn from those that I have played with and of course the moms now and
Crystal's timeline has been immense for me and inspirational just because she did have
Marcel kind of right before Madden and just watching her process and her mentality has been
incredible. And then a big one to help is has been Shayna Matthews is with the Jamaican national
team who has three boys. So it's a club at this point and I'm just like love watching them because
I think it's just it is as inspiring to watch them do it. Even on the hard exhausting days,
you're like, okay, this is this is special. Motherhood FC. I love that. April 8th, 2023 in Austin,
Texas. You ran back onto the field against Ireland back for the first time in 611 long days. You
were received by cascading cheers. Alex Morgan was the first to give you a hug. Becky Sauer rune
placed the captains home band upon you and you ran in. Take us back to that moment, Julie.
What emotions were you experiencing inside? Was it adrenaline nerves, excitement, fear?
You know, just pure excitement. Like I, I think it was just
like a movie like I did. I felt like I was in a movie like how was this like my return? One,
it was like I had my 100th cap in 2020 and then everything got locked out and like I didn't want
to necessarily celebrate it without my family. And I thought like everybody else did like,
oh, we'll go back and be back in like July like a few months later and like didn't be the case at
all. So three years later and of course it being my first cap back was like kind of not awkward,
but I was like, I'm sorry guys. This is not normal to like be celebrated just to be back
for your first camp where you should just come in and grind and all this. So it meant a ton to my
family like just to they've obviously been through my journey from the beginning. So they were just
unbelievably excited not even that I was like coming back but just that that they felt like
they could celebrate with me. So I think that moment like how was that my first game back? Like
I didn't even know if I was gonna play like I just I was just thankful that you know they could just
have a frame of a jersey and I could get the girls to sign it like that's just what I was
really excited about. So when they mentioned that they felt that I was fit enough to be able to get
some minutes I was obviously really getting inside. I tried to play in a school as possible. So yeah,
it was surreal. It felt like a movie. You wasted no time. You immediately collected the ball,
sparked an attack, elevated the tempo of the game, found those quick passes, evaded Ireland's
physicality and jolted the US side with an energy that you provided. You were flying.
I think it was just build up of joy. I felt like I was a kid on pickup, you know, where you're just
like, I'm surprised I didn't try to shoot it from half line or do something ridiculous where you're
just like, I don't know. I just it was a clearly a buildup of 611 days of just dreaming about playing
and then now it just like was real life and just the joy to play with players that are the best
in the world. Like, how do you not ever be so excited to play with the best in the world? Like,
are you kidding me? Like, to have a midfield of rows and lins and I get a sub in and play with
these players like, wow, what a joy. Like, I just yeah, I think Black Coast correct words. I think
he was saying it nicely was yeah, she went a little bit off script. I said, fair enough.
You also picked up a yellow card within five minutes, which was a true and emblematic signal
that Julie Earts was back. Oh, but final whistle. How natural did it feel? What did you think of
as you walked off? You just like, yeah, we're doing this. Yeah, I did feel that and I felt this
like, odd sense of like confidence and proud moment of like doing it as a mom. Like, I've seen every,
you know, incredible moms do it and come back on the national team and into the end of the SL.
And I didn't know that it was going to be in my story or my journey. So I just was like, at a moment
of just like, okay, like, we're diving into this, like, and the whole thing of like, you know,
to raise a family takes a village and to have my village there with me was just a moment that I
just again, like I keep saying it's a movie because I still can't even believe like I'm
pure. Like, even when I show up to the locker room or I'm going about to go to warm up, you're
just like, all right, like, we're doing this. I say that to my husband every week. I'm like,
all right, we're doing this.
Entrepreneur Phil Knight started a company called Blue Ribbon Sports on the strength of what he
called a crazy idea that American joggers needed better running shoes and that they pay top dollar
to get them. Hi, I'm Lindsey Graham, Hosted Wondering Show Business Movers. We tell the true
stories of business leaders who risked it all the critical moments that define their journey and
the ideas that transform the way we live our lives. In our latest series, Phil Knight sets out to
build an empire by importing athletic shoes from overseas in Japan. But in 1971, a dispute with a
Japanese manufacturer almost brings Blue Ribbon's growth to a screeching halt. In this moment of
crisis, Phil bets the future of his company on a big move. He creates an in-house brand and takes
control of the production of his product. Following this bold new direction, Phil ultimately creates
one of the most recognizable and successful companies in the world, Nike. Follow business
movers wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen ad-free on the Amazon Music or Wondering App.
The international return was one phase. The second was finding a club,
Angel City FC, that state of the art, big brand, big passion, so-called club,
featuring Ali Riley, Junendo, and featuring soon-to-be an American Nikon, 18-year-old
Alyssa Thompson. What was that courting process like when your club was still TBD?
Is it like every club owner, every former teammate just having you on speed dial,
just blowing up your techs, being like, come play with us?
I was really grateful for the amount of teams that reached out to be wanted, feels good. And
just to see that people believed in my return. I believed in myself as well,
but I just think people need people. I think even just somebody saying,
we're grateful to have you back. It goes a long way. I think just even the confidence part or
the mentality piece and just why you play. It goes a long way, I think. For teams to be like,
I'm not sure if this is a possibility, but if it is, we would love to have a conversation.
And just to open that door. And obviously, I have a lot of different logistics and what would work
for my family and all that as well. But there's so many obviously incredible clubs in the end of
ESL. So it was a processing of what would work. And Angel City was the absolute best fit for me,
and the resources that they've given me. And their want and support of me from the beginning of their
start as a club went a long way. Yeah, I'm fascinated. What's it been like for you? You didn't just
choose a club. You chose one of the most brilliant atmospheres in American soccer,
Bank of California Stadium, the banners, the pink flares. What's that been like to run out and
experience? As a player, one that's been obviously out of the end of yourself for a few years,
to see the growth firsthand is a dream. It's like seeing a dream come true. Our first game that I
played in, it was sold out. And so for those fans that were there, I know that everyone
of the owners or anyone that was connected to the program here was like, how was it? Did you love
it? And I was like, I love it. It was incredible, unbelievable. Was it like waking up from a
sleep and just seeing the whole world to change? You're like, Oh my Lord, since I've been away,
what is this game? This is incredible. Yeah, it's what you've dreamed of. It's why players
have fought to play or even if you saw what players were willing to play on, that our contract wise
were basically nothing. I didn't have a locker room my rookie year. It was why those players
sacrificed so much for those players. Even with Elizabeth's, it's me 18 to get drafted to be there.
That's what we dreamed that we would have so that you could have that. I know so many
women that have sacrificed that so that this could be a reality. So I think to be part of that
timeline to see the growth of the full circle dream, it's just like a thank you to every fan that
ever has bought a ticket. Thank you for every fan who's bought a jersey and like already to see
people holding my jersey. I was just like, gosh, like you just can never get over that as a player
because like somebody was willing to spend their own money to pick your name, to pick your jersey
on the back of it, to be at a game so that your dream could be a reality. You made your debut
against San Diego Wave, your first task to limit Alex Morgan, very next game against your Portland
thorns. You scored the most Julie Urzi goal of on-brand legend. They perfectly time run to the
near post office set piece, heading it past the keeper almost into the net before they'd even seen
you. They set piece headers. They really are one of the greatest weapons of your game. It's delirious.
And as you ran joyously towards your teammates, the announcer shouted with total joy, that
jubilant feeling we'd all been experiencing. Julie Urzi, she's back. Honestly, I thought in
that moment, I was like, God, what does that feel like for you? You know, an announcer screaming
again, Julie Urzi's back as you score. Like it just like it's again, like I feel like I am like a
broken record. It was just it was full circle and it's a moment of like you're just on the process of
just, you know, checking one box at a time, not looking too far ahead. And I think that was like
a moment for me of like other people kind of see like my commitment and my possibility of, you know,
getting back to where I was, but even more so and hopefully better. And so it's just a good support
from the outside as well of just my journey. One of the most incredible parts of this whole
experience is that you are talking about this. So you don't just want to be back. But what you
just said there, you want to be better. You said recently, I love the sport differently than I did
before. And I did love it before, but taking a step away and kind of having a new perspective
has given me a new drive. What is that new dimension of love, Julie?
I think probably stems from the reality is that you just can't do it forever. I've learned that
like soccer is again, giving me so many incredible opportunities, friends, teammates and
soccer doesn't owe you anything. Like that's just the reality is like the game moves on. And I think
that's what's sad because you want to make an impact onto the sport. And it's beautiful, but it just
like moves on. Next person plays younger one kind of comes in. And it's like a sad reality because
you're like, but like you aren't isn't soccer going to miss me? And like it doesn't like in that's,
it's like a hard reality. And at the same time, you just then become indebted to the sport that
allowed you to be you and better, a better you like I've been able to do things that I wouldn't
without it. And it's helped me in all aspects of not even just obviously the sport, but like with
my family, like it's been fun to be like a soccer family. I joked like like growing up my mom had
this like red minivan and we had like this, you know, those decal stickers like I don't know if
that's a thing anymore. But it was like a minivan and the wheels had soccer balls on them. And it
said taxi. And it was like the cheese. I'm like, mom, why do you put this on it? But it's just like,
it's allowed my family to do things and travel that I could have never dreamed of. So it's life.
Isn't it amazing? You'll be able to embarrass your children as your mum once did you a
dat taxi sticker for you. I'm gonna get you that sticker. You're gonna find it. I'm sure it's
still out there. It was a hot commodity. I'm sure. But you know, Alex Morgan came on recently and
she said to us that being a mother changed everything for her that before that, you know,
like all athletes as I said, she'd been focused purely on herself. But by being a mother,
caring about something other than herself, a child led her to realize that the world was bigger than
her and that she'd seen the collective differently, the squad. As being a mum, a mum, a mother,
has it changed you as a football? Yeah, I think absolutely. I think even just the way I approach
things like I obviously I feel like now I'm even more like motherly and like just like making sure
really it's like okay. But yeah, I think it's just you also learn how selfish you are, not in a bad
way. I think to be great and be selfish about your career and all that. But yeah, I think you learn
that it's just kind of outside of you. Like just, you know, we're so single or focused sometimes
because you want to kind of develop whatever. And I can't be selfish with my time. Like my child
is first. I got to make sure his needs are there and then mine. And I also don't have like room for
excuses in that way because of you know, this is just kind of the journey that I've chosen. And
my whole perspective has changed in everything and every aspect.
Last question for you, Julie. The World Cup, as we pod just 66 days away, the end point possibly
of a long journey. There aren't necessarily many, weren't sure we'd find you on again. And the squad
has not yet been announced. We have no idea who will make it. But there is the distinct possibility
of magically wearing that US crest again. And I'm wondering when madness say 10 years old,
how would you explain this chapter of your remarkable journey to Madden and what you've learned from
it to him when he's older? Well, I feel like I would have to thank him for allowing me to fall
in love with the sport like child like again, you know, when you're like super young. And it's because
like seeing through his eyes of just almost the innocence of him and the beauty of life and kind of
through like the ups and downs and the hearts, whatever, there's always like joy because he's like
always our joy. He's like the new additive, you know, you don't sleep, you don't do this, but like
you have this beautiful child that just smiles and loves you. Obviously, I got to continue and
prove my worth to be there. And that would be my dream to be on the roster. But even so,
just the journey of watching myself get back and training and being able to play the sport that I
love, it's really like a thank you to him for allowing me to find balance in a sport that
sometimes is like so chaotic of life that you keep me sane, like in the sense of just finding joy
because he's our joy. So it's like in every way, it's like, how do I add Madden in in my life to
to add a balance? And that's just has been I think the key. Two more joy, Julie, you are such an
inspiration. Millions across this nation are rooting for you are inspired by you to you,
to your family, to Madden, Angel City, and the United States, Godspeed and thanking. Thank you.
You amazing courage. Hey, prime members, you can listen to Men in Blazers ad free on Amazon Music,
download the Amazon Music app today, or you can listen ad free with Wonder E plus in Apple Podcast.
Before you go, tell us about yourself by completing a short survey at wonderry.com slash survey.