If I were typing this story last month, I’d be doing so from a cozy studio hotel off Wentworth Avenue in the Surry Hills neighborhood of Sydney, Australia.
I’d probably be writing in between reporting — maybe about Casey Phair, the youngest player ever to play in a FIFA World Cup, or the Argentina women’s national team. I could be filing this piece before heading down a very slow lift to then catch an Uber to Stadium Australia, where I watched the Matildas and Les Bleues have the longest penalty shootout in World Cup history.
GO DEEPER
We asked all 32 federations about their plans for Women’s World Cup bonuses and prize money
Instead, I’m writing this from my cozy apartment in Northern New Jersey. Soon, I’ll catch a train to New York City for a Gotham FC event formally welcoming World Cup winner Esther González to their franchise. In this industry, the news never ends.
No matter where I’m writing from, or when, one thing remains the same: I will be writing about soccer — and there really isn’t a more exciting time to write about this sport.
But before I go on, let me introduce myself: I’m Melanie Anzidei, and I recently started writing for The Athletic. You may have already seen my byline during the Women’s World Cup or heard me speak on one of the many great…
