Who Is Allie Long? New Details On The U.S. Women's Soccer Midfielder Competing In The World Cup
It's her first World Cup.
instagram The first part of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup began on June 11th, and ends today, with the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team facing off against Sweden. So far, these ladies have defeated Thailand 13-0 and Chile 3-0, and they sure are a force to be reckoned with. If they win this game, they will advance to the next round, and assuming they make it all the way to the finals, the last game will occur on July 7th.
The U.S. team is the most successful team in international women’s soccer, winning three Women’s World Cup titles and four Olympic gold medals. It’s quite impressive, and their recent lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation for unequal pay has called attention to the unfair pay gap when compared to the male counterpart team, who doesn’t win nearly as often.
We’re curious to know more about the players and their personal lives. After all, knowing the personal life of an athlete sure does add another layer, right? So, who is Allie Long? Here are 7 things to know about the midfielder on the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team.
1. Soccer runs in her blood.
Long’s great uncle was a big soccer fan and started the first girls club in Long Island, where Long is originally from. Her mother also grew up playing it, and did so her entire life. And while Long was growing up, she and her mom would play soccer together in front of their home.
2. She began playing in high school.
When she was a teenager, she played soccer for the Northport Cow Harbor Mustangs of the Long Island Junior Soccer League, the Albertson Soccer Club, and was a member of the Olympic Development Program of the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association. She was also on the varsity soccer team and helped her team to remain undefeated for all four years.
Long was named to the All-State first team as well as the All-County team for all four years, and was Newsday’s Player of the Year and the Suffolk County Player of the Year. Her amazing skills helped her earn a scholarship to Penn State.
3. And she continued to play in college.
She attended Penn State and played for the Nittany Lions for the 2005 and 2006 seasons, before she transferred to the University of North Carolina and played for the Tar Heels. She was named to Soccer America, Soccer Buzz, and the Top Drawer Soccer National Teams of the Week, and was on the watchlist for the Hermann Trophy.
4. She eventually made the switch to professional.
In 2009, she was drafted by the Washington Freedom but became a free agent in 2010. She was then signed by Sky Blue FC in 2010, but played for Paris Saint-Germain during the 2011 season. In 2012, she signed with New York Fury, a semi-pro league and in 2013, signed with Portland Thorns FC. In 2018, she was traded to the Reign FC, whom she currently plays for. Long also represented the U.S. in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Throughout her career, she’s won many awards, including NWSL Best XI in 2015 and 2016, and NWSL Second XI in 2014.
5. She also plays indoor soccer.
Long currently plays futsal, which is played indoors. She mainly plays on competitive men’s teams for prize money in New York City boroughs. She also has the nicknames “la rubia” (blondie) and “la blanquita” (little white girl), as she is adored by fans in the area. According to Long, it’s her favorite place to spend the off-season: “It’s hands down the best training I get.”
6. She’s married.
In October 2016, Long tied the knot with her long-time boyfriend, Jose Batista. Batista introduced Long to futsal — and he’s a former professional soccer player as well! In attendance at the wedding were her teammates Alex Morgan, Tobin Heath, Ali Krieger, Ashlyn Harris, Christen Press, Emily Sonnett and Lindsey Horan, and Morgan and Heath were her Maids of Honor.
7. It’s her first World Cup.
Though she played in the 2016 Olympics, this is the first World Cup for the midfielder. What does she have to offer? In Long’s words, “Number one, playing in the Olympics and (Jill Ellis, their coach) seeing me in that environment, and just being on the team the last three years has given her a comfort level in knowing what she has in me. I think that I can offer consistency, and I’m someone in the midfield who can calm it down and just keep possession on the ball and win tackles off the ball.”
She added, “There were definitely times when I was like, ‘How is this going to happen?’ But every time I started to go down that path, I just wouldn’t let myself. I worked hard. I was training hard every single day, and it motivated me by not being there to be at my best every day in the offseason, so that when I did get my chance, I would be ready.”
Samantha Maffucci is an editor for YourTango who focuses on writing trending news and entertainment pieces. In her free time, you can find her obsessing about cats, wine, and all things Vanderpump Rules.