NFL courts women’s soccer player

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Carli Lloyd (right) at a joint Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens practice on Aug. 20 Associated Press/Photo by Matt Rourke

One of the stars of the World Cup–winning U.S. women’s soccer team might have a future in the NFL. Carli Lloyd, a two-time FIFA player of the year, passed on an offer to kick for an unnamed NFL team in a preseason game this week but is seriously considering pursuing a career as a pro placekicker, her manager said.

Can she compete in the NFL? If Lloyd’s performance at a Philadelphia Eagles practice last week is any indication, yes. Lloyd stopped by for fun and nailed several field goals—one from 55 yards out. She declined the offer to play this week because the game conflicted with the U.S. women’s national soccer team match on Thursday against Portugal.

Dig deeper: The U.S. women’s slate of victory tour matches has seen strong ticket sales so far, which could bolster the players’ case in an equal pay dispute. Read Kyle Ziemnick’s report for Muse about the significance and struggles of women’s soccer.

Lynde Langdon

Lynde is WORLD’s executive editor for news. She is a graduate of World Journalism Institute, the Missouri School of Journalism, and the University of Missouri–St. Louis. Lynde resides with her family in Wichita, Kan.

@lmlangdon