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She recently appeared in Sports Illustrated.
By Samantha Maffucci — Written on Jun 18, 2019
From June 11th to 20th, soccer fans can watch the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup! The tournament includes 24 teams, with the U.S., Chile, Sweden and Thailand in group F. And so far, the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team is a force to be reckoned with, winning a 13-0 game against Thailand, and a 3-0 game against Chile. They’ll finish out the tournament with a game against Sweden.
The U.S. team is the most successful team in international women’s soccer. They have won three Women’s World Cup titles and four Olympic gold medals. And with their recent lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation for unequal pay, winning this tournament is just another reason they deserve the same pay as their less successful male counterparts.
Whether or not you’re a fan of soccer, there’s no denying that they’re totally kicking butt! And aside from their clear talent and ambition, getting to know the players’ lives and personalities just adds another layer. Who is Abby Dahlkemper? Here are 4 things to know about the defender for the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team.
1. She’s had a thriving career.
Dahlkemper played on the UCLA Bruins from 2011-2014, the Pali Blues in 2013, the Western New York Flash from 2015-2016, Adelaide United FC from 2015-2016, and has played for the North Carolina Courage since 2017. During the 2017 season, she was named NWSL Best XI, as well as NWSL Defender of the Year. In 2018, she won the 2018 NWSL Best XI and was a finalist for Defender of the Year.
She’s also played against international teams, representing the U.S. in each game. She played in the 2013 Four Nations Tournament, 2014 Six Nations Tournament, and began playing on USWNT in 2016. In 2018, she won the SheBelieves Cup with USWNT and is playing in her first World Cup this year!
Though she’s considered a rookie, Dahlkemper credits fellow teammate, Samantha Mewis, for her transition in feeling at home with USWNT. Mewis has said, “Abby is self-critical, and that is why she’s grown so much, but I think she’s still learning to be her own biggest fan and I think that’s something I’m still harping on with her... The team is lucky to have you [Dahlkemper].”
2. She appeared in the swimsuit issue of Sports Illustrated.
This year, Dahlkemper posed alongside her teammates — Crystal Dunn, Megan Rapinoe, and Alex Morgan — for the 2019 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue! And by the looks of it, she’s a natural model in addition to athlete.
3. She had a scary battle with sepsis.
At the end of 2016, Dahlkemper was unable to play for USWNT due to sepsis in her foot, and didn’t return until June 2017. She required weeks of recovery, including a catheter to dispense antibiotics, and surgery to clean out the infection. Dahlkemper called it a “race against time” as doctors moved to prevent the infection from spreading up her leg.
But it’s an ordeal that helped her, in the end.
“I think it was that time away that made me really want to get back on the field. It made me realize how much I love and cherish the game and playing. Everything happens for a reason. That was a hard time, but it was an important time because I was able to build some resilience and realize how badly I wanted to achieve some goals of mine... It really made me take a step back and realize how much more I wanted to keep pushing in my soccer career,” she said.
4. She’s dating a fellow athlete.
Dahlkemper is in a relationship with Aaron Schoenfeld, a soccer player on the Maccabi Tel Aviv team in the Israeli Premier League. And he’s been at the World Cup to cheer on his partner!
Samantha Maffucci is an editor for YourTango who focuses on writing trending news and entertainment pieces. In her free time, you can find her obsessing about cats, wine, and all things Vanderpump Rules.