Hope Solo says she wants to return to USWNT – but it might be complicated

Hope Solo is not ready to give up on playing for the USA.

The suspended goalkeeper who stirred controversy at the Olympics by calling Sweden’s team “cowards” says she wants to return to the U.S. women’s national team. But her priority, she adds, is continuing to fight U.S. Soccer over equal pay for the women’s team.

"Let's be honest, it's not my decision if I return to the national team. I find it an honor and a privilege to represent our country at the highest level in a sport that I love, in a position that I love,” she told the Associated Press in an interview Thursday. "And I would do almost anything to play at that level once again. I say almost, because at this point in time I believe our fight for equality is much bigger than being on the national team again.”

Solo was suspended in August after calling the Sweden team cowards for their defensive style of play when they eked past the U.S. in the Olympics quarterfinal. The U.S. federation responded by suspending Solo for six months and terminating her contract, citing her comments along with other past transgressions.

She will be eligible for reinstatement in February, but only if coach Jill Ellis brings her back — and that’s a big “if.” The U.S. doesn’t have another major tournament until the World Cup in 2019, and there’s plenty of reason to think Ellis will try to move away from Solo by then.

Hope Solo trains with Ashlyn Harris, left, and Alyssa Naeher, right.

While Solo, 35, has been one of the world’s best goalkeepers and the USWNT’s undisputed starter for years, her tournament in Rio was surprisingly disappointing. She let in two goals on errors against Colombia in the group stage — although the Americans still won their group, the draw to Colombia raised concerns about Solo’s steadiness in high-stakes games for the first time in perhaps years.

As questions about Solo’s form popped up, it shined a spotlight on the USWNT’s lack of suitable backups. Because Solo has started consistently over the past several years — even in inconsequential friendlies — Alyssa Naeher and Ashlyn Harris both had precious little international experience in net. Given that Solo is 35 and inching toward the end of her career, a better backup plan looks like a major concern. Solo’s absence now gives Ellis a chance to assess the goalkeeper pool more than the coach has since taking over the USWNT in 2014, and she may decide it’s best to move on completely.

With Solo planning to stay involved in the USWNT’s fight of equal pay and stating her hope to return, she will force Ellis to make a difficult decision either way.

Solo was one of the leading players in filing a lawsuit against U.S. Soccer alleging gender discrimination in the way the federation pays the men’s and women’s teams. Solo also led the charge in getting the USWNT to change their legal representation and put up a fight in their collective bargaining agreement negotiations, which she has alleged is the real reason U.S. Soccer suspended her.

The USWNT’s contract expires on December 31, but neither side has filed a 60-day notice to terminate the contract and USWNT players have not vowed to strike, so the contract will simply roll over into the new year as the two sides negotiate. The lawsuit is still pending.

"When we're supposed to have a new CBA by Jan. 1, now is the time you can be scared — you can be scared of going on strike, you can be scared of losing employment and a paycheck,” Solo said. "And I think that I have been used as an example, and my firing instilled a lot of fear in the players. And I also know fear is what has held many movements back."

That’s part of the reason she is able to be so vocal now, she added. Since she is no longer on the team or being paid by U.S. Soccer, she has nothing to lose.

"There's no turning back for me," she said. "I think with some of the players there are different intentions — because they want to play the game that they love. It's easier for me to fight and put everything into it than it is for them."

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