NEW YORK — Esther Gonzalez received a welcome fit for the only current Women’s World Cup winner in the NWSL. The NJ/NY Gotham FC forward was formally introduced to her new metropolitan area at Mercado Little Spain, the Manhattan food hub described as a love letter to the European nation by chef Jose Andres, on Thursday night. The event marked the latest major moment in a whirlwind month for Gonzalez, and served as the latest notice of a seismic shift in women’s soccer.
Less than a month ago, Gonzalez was in Sydney, Australia collecting her winner’s medal as a member of the Spain team that won their first-ever Women’s World Cup. Spain’s victory officially ended the United States women’s national team’s eight-year reign as world champions, and the NWSL’s spell as the full-time home of the World Cup-winning players. It also feels like the unofficial start of a new era for the women’s game — a handful of national teams and leagues can make their case as the world’s best, and will try to stake their claim any chance they get.
While most of Gonzalez’s Spain teammates continue to play club soccer in their home nation, she opted to leave Real Madrid for Gotham just a few days after winning the World Cup. It’s a…
