The Players Tribune

Soccer

ALL STORIES

Alyssa Thompson’s mom shares a message with her daughter as the USWNT forward makes her World Cup debut. 

The Players' Tribune

Aitana Bonmatí in her own words: “Cuando eres una niña que crece en Cataluña, los años de Pep pertenecen a la leyenda. Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets, Messi.... Conoces al equipo, ¿no?” 

Aitana Bonmatí

Marta is dedicating this World Cup to little girls everywhere: “We have come so far. And I am beyond excited to see where things go next.”

Marta

Naomi Girma pens a letter to Katie Meyer: “There are friends, and then there are true friends. Katie Meyer was a true friend, in every sense of the word.”

Naomi Girma

People in Ireland always talk about the men’s first World Cup, in Italy in 1990. We want this to be our Italia ’90. 

Katie McCabe

İlkay Gündoğan says goodbye to Manchester City F.C.: “Today is bittersweet. Goodbyes are never easy, but it’s even harder with this team.”

Ilkay Gündoğan

Richarlison shares his story: “When we were knocked out of the World Cup by Croatia, it was hard not to let the sadness overcome me. But gradually, that feeling of love came back to my heart.”

Richarlison

Brad Stuver believes that good can be done with small actions.

Brad Stuver

Fabinho wrote this for Liverpool: “This season has been frustrating, but we have lived history in these last few years together. I’m so proud to be a part of this club.”

Fabinho

Bruno Guimarães shares his story: “I really took ‘the long way’ to this moment, but I think that maybe I appreciate it more because of all the setbacks.”

Bruno Guimarães

For Martin Ødegaard, it’s always been Arsenal: “I’m so proud to be captain of this club and I feel like I’m going to be here a long time.”

Martin Ødegaard

Sara Björk Gunnarsdóttir is fighting back: “This is about my rights as a worker, as a woman and as a human being.”

Sara Björk Gunnarsdóttir

For Fikayo Tomori, there’s no place like AC Milan: “At a club like this you can’t do things half-hearted.”

Fikayo Tomori

The Players’ Tribune captured some of the madness during the U.S. team’s opening games against Wales and England.

The Players' Tribune

Gabriel Martinelli has always dreamed of playing for Brazil in the World Cup: “You are watching the Selecão and you’re thinking, Imagine wearing that shirt at a World Cup.” 

Gabriel Martinelli

Ahead of the World Cup, Romário wrote this for Neymar: “No matter who you are, it is impossible to conquer anything alone.”

Romário