The team’s journey attempting to capture a historic third straight title was documented by Netflix. The four-part series, ‘Under Pressure: The U.S. Women’s World Cup Team,’ follows Megan Rapinoe’s final World Cup run and how factors like leading scorer Mallory Swanson’s knee injury and manager Vlatko Andonovski’s substitution choices could have influenced performance.
Netflix announced the project in July and shared a teaser earlier this month. The official trailer, which debuted on Tuesday, hints that ‘Under Pressure’ will examine how the USWNT made an impact off the pitch as much as how it fell short on it in Australia and New Zealand. The docuseries will debut on Netflix Dec. 12.
‘We’ve used success to make things better,’ Rapinoe said as the trailer cuts to a crowd chanting ‘equal pay’ and Crystal Dunn holding her son.
(Warning: Explicit language at end of trailer)
With the trailer now out, here are questions USA TODAY Sports’ Nancy Armour hopes the Netflix ‘Under Pressure’ docuseries answers:
Why didn’t Vlatko Andonovski use subs against the Netherlands and what impact did that have on the players who didn’t get into that game?How did the team feel about the criticism — which got personal — from Carli Lloyd?Where did things go wrong with this team? Was it Mal Swanson’s injury? Becky Sauerbrunn’s? Lineups? Roster selection? There’s some foreshadowing in the trailer when U.S. Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone, part of the squad that won the historic 1999 World Cup, talks about how difficult it is to win one title, let alone two, and notes that no team has won three in a row. Was it simply that?The USWNT is in somewhat of a holding pattern with new head coach Emma Hayes not starting until May. Did the USWNT learn enough lessons to have hopes of a better showing at the Paris Olympics? Or will this whole cycle be a bust?