SHEBELIEVES CUP HISTORY

2022 SHEBELIEVES CUP

The 2022 SheBelieves Cup featured the first two match days at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif., before moving to Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Tex., for the final doubleheader. The USA’s opening game was a surprising 0-0 draw with a talented Czech Republic team, but most of the credit went to Czech goalkeeper Barbora Votíková who made eight saves to help her side earn a point. The USA then rallied to route New Zealand (in a match that oddly featured three own goals by the same New Zealand player) and Iceland, both by 5-0 scores, to win the tournament. Mallory Pugh scored three times for the USA, but Catarina Macario was named MVP after her two goals in the finale against Iceland. Ashley Hatch and Kristie Mewis also scored for the USA in the tournament. Iceland finished second in a fine performance after defeating New Zealand, 1-0, and downing Czech Republic, 2-1, while the Czechs and the Football Ferns finished third and fourth, respectively after not winning a match.

2021 SHEBELIEVES CUP

The 2021 SheBelieves Cup, which was played in its entirety in Orlando, Fla. due to the COVID-19 pandemic, saw the USA clinch its fourth SheBelieves Cup title and became the first back-to-back champion in the tournament’s six-year history. The American women registered wins over Canada (1-0), Brazil (2-0) and Argentina (6-0) and in the process became the first team to not allow a single goal at the competition. USWNT midfielder Rose Lavelle, who scored the game-winning goal in the opener vs. Canada, was voted the Visa SheBelieves Cup MVP. Brazil finished second in the tournament with wins over Canada (2-0) and Argentina (4-1).

2020 SHEBELIEVES CUP

In the 2020 SheBelieves Cup, which was the USA’s final competition before the sports world shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the American women took the title while sweeping all three games, 2-0 vs. England, 1-0 vs. Spain and 3-1 vs. Japan. The victory against Spain came on a last gasp header from Julie Ertz that whipped the sold-out crowd at Red Bull Arena into a frenzy. Spain finished second after wins over Japan (3-1) and England (1-0) and Alexia Putellas, who scored twice in the tournament, was named the first-ever SheBelieves Cup Visa MVP.

2019 SheBelieves Cup

In the 2019 SheBelieves Cup, the USA finished second, in part because the Americans allowed an equalizer in second half stoppage time in a 2-2 draw with Japan to open the tournament. The USA then drew England, 2-2, and beat Brazil, 1-0, but England won the event after a 2-1 win over Brazil and a 3-0 win against Japan. Japan went 1-1-1, beating Brazil 3-1 to finish third, while Brazil failed to win a game and finished fourth. This tournament saw even more goals scored than in 2018, with 19 hitting the back of the net.

2018 SHEBELIEVES CUP

In the 2018 SheBelieves Cup the goals finally started flowing. After the first two tournaments produced nine goals each, 16 were scored over the six games in 2018. The U.S. games were tight as the Americans defeated Germany 1-0 on a goal from Megan Rapinoe, tied France 1-1 on a goal from Mallory Pugh, and then defeated England 1-0 on an England own goal that was created by a Megan Rapinoe cross. England finished second by virtue of its 4-1 win against a France team playing a few reserves and a 2-2 draw with Germany. France finished third but did end on a high note with a 3-0 victory against Germany while the Germans finished fourth after failing to win a game.

2017 SHEBELIEVES CUP

In the 2017 SheBelieves Cup, the USA defeated Germany 1-0 in the opening match on a goal from Lynn Williams but fell to England 1-0 and France 3-0. France won the tournament, Germany was second, England third and the USA finished fourth. France defeated England 2-1, drew 0-0 with Germany and downed the USA 3-0.

2016 SHEBELIEVES CUP

In the 2016 edition of the SheBelieves Cup, the USA defeated England and France by 1-0 scores and downed Germany, 2-1, in the de facto championship game to take the inaugural tournament title. Germany finished second, England was third and France fourth. None of the games were decided by more than one goal, as the tournament included three 1-0 victories, two 2-1 victories and one 0-0 draw.