The U.S. faces North Korea today in their first game of the World Cup in Germany. When the match begins, Becky Sauerbrunn (click her name for her bio and interview), a 27 year old defender from St. Louis will be on the pitch. For a time, it looked like she wouldn’t make this roster, but an injury gave her an opportunity to earn her spot and she took full advantage of it.
She was called into the U.S. team for the first time in January of 2008 and then earned a place on the roster for the Four Nations Tournament in China where she earned her first caps. Her first start and cap against Canada on Jan. 16, 2008, which was also Pia Sundhage’s first match as head coach .
She trained with the Women’s National Team, but Sundhage didn’t have room for her and she traveled to Spain with the U.S. U-23s. She did not get another call-up to the senior team until after the 2010 WPS season and worked her way into the mix where she played in five matches, starting three, and made the roster for the CONCACAF Women’s World Cup Qualifying tournament, playing in one match.
