While soccer isn’t nearly as popular here as it is in other parts of the world, it seems to get its due in the US during the Olympics, at least. And when the women’s national soccer team won gold after a hotly-contested battle against Brazil at the 2008 Games in Beijing, its members became superstars.
Despite leading for most of the final and being just 6 minutes away from winning their 3rd World Cup, the U.S. fell to Japan in the Women's World Cup Finals.
America came through in one of the most exciting games in US soccer history. The women defeated Brazil 5-3 on penalty kicks to advance to the Women's World Cup semifinals.