Julie
Ertz
- Position Midfielder
- Number 8
- Date of Birth Apr 06 1992
- Hometown Mesa, AZ
- Height 5' 7"
- Club unattached
The world got its first look at Julie Ertz during the 2015 World Cup: the Chicago Red Stars defender, NWSL Rookie of the Year, and 23-year-old starting center back was a dominant ball-winner in the U.S.’s run to the title. Coming into the 2019 World Cup, Ertz is no longer the rookie. So whether she’s playing as a back or a holding midfielder, she is sure to be an absolute force.
A Different Approach
Julie Ertz will tell you how young she was during the last world Cup. “Going in, I was so naïve—everything was so new to me. I had no expectations,” says Ertz. It was a contrast to how she felt going into the 2016 Olympics. “I did have expectations.” Which made it all the more painful when the U.S. suffered their earliest Olympic exit ever. “It was a horrible heartbreak that I’d never had before,” says Ertz. In no way does she feel like she’s coming off a World Cup victory. “It feels like we’re coming off a loss. This year, with the chance to beat Sweden, I definitely have a chip on my shoulder now. Last round, I had nothing to lose. This time, it feels like I have everything to lose.”
The Ertz Family Foundation
Julie and her husband, Zach Ertz, a tight end for the Philadelphia Eagles, started the Ertz Family Foundation—a charity that creates opportunities for children in sports and education. “Sports helped me grow. Without them, I probably wouldn’t have been able to go to college. I couldn’t afford it. You never know how many opportunities come up through sports—they changed my life.” Now, she’s looking to use sports to change others’ lives, and the pair has used their foundation to do everything from creating scholarships for kids in Haiti, to developing an SAT-prep and college readiness program for athletes at a high school in Richmond, CA.
A Different Approach
Julie Ertz will tell you how young she was during the last world Cup. “Going in, I was so naïve—everything was so new to me. I had no expectations,” says Ertz. It was a contrast to how she felt going into the 2016 Olympics. “I did have expectations.” Which made it all the more painful when the U.S. suffered their earliest Olympic exit ever. “It was a horrible heartbreak that I’d never had before,” says Ertz. In no way does she feel like she’s coming off a World Cup victory. “It feels like we’re coming off a loss. This year, with the chance to beat Sweden, I definitely have a chip on my shoulder now. Last round, I had nothing to lose. This time, it feels like I have everything to lose.”
The Ertz Family Foundation
Julie and her husband, Zach Ertz, a tight end for the Philadelphia Eagles, started the Ertz Family Foundation—a charity that creates opportunities for children in sports and education. “Sports helped me grow. Without them, I probably wouldn’t have been able to go to college. I couldn’t afford it. You never know how many opportunities come up through sports—they changed my life.” Now, she’s looking to use sports to change others’ lives, and the pair has used their foundation to do everything from creating scholarships for kids in Haiti, to developing an SAT-prep and college readiness program for athletes at a high school in Richmond, CA.
