Talk a couple of times with the swedish goalkeeper Caroline Jönsson A really funny and nice women with both her feet solid on the ground.
Re: what women players did you already meet in real life? I first met Michelle Akers in 1993 at the Chiquita Cup as a writer. I also made sure to talk to Julie Foudy (GWG) and Thori Staples (tremendous defensive plays against China). I met quite a few players from the Freedom between 2001 and 2003; my faves were Siri Mullinix, Steffi Jones, Frenchie, and the Littles. I also had a chance to talk to Brandi Chastain and Lorrie Fair after MLS games when they were sideline reporters. In my perambulations as PA announcer for the W-League's NJ Wildcats, I saw a number of good players such as Staples, Jen Branham, the Tietjen sisters, and the legendary goalkeeper Kim Wyant. In the year after the Cats won the league, I had a chance to spend a couple of minutes with Jill Oakes. I also did a story a few years ago featuring former U.S. national teamer Collette Cunningham. It was a privilege.
(IQremix, cc-by-sa)Re: what women players did you already met in real? @blissett, did you say you have already met any Japan player in real life please? (I would be too nervous.)
Of course I met Japanese players in real life, including my idol! I now remember that you weren't around here during the last World Cup, or you would have read the story about my Aya Sameshima's "Shark" autograph. All of the story of my meeting with Nadeshiko players at Algarve Cup 2017 (including getting to know English fan of Nadeshiko NT @Manchester Nadeshiko, who became a regular poster on these boards after I told him about them) is told in a more extensive and complete way on 2017 Official Nadeshiko Japan thread, here (including pics). Previously I had met some Japanese 2011 champions (and had most of their autographs, including coach Sasaki's) when I had followed the NT at Algarve Cup 2012, when I saw them get their only win in history vs USA (the 2011 WWC final being officially a draw): I remember I recently told about this story in another thread. Finally I managed to meet a pair of times Nadeshiko Japan veteran Emi Yamamoto when she came playing in Italy for a season, in 2012-2013: she had been signed by Napoli, that's quite the opposite part of the country from where I live, but I had managed to meet her (and chat a little and get photos and autographs) when her team had come in the North of Italy for some away matches.
This is the greatest pun-based football story of the year. Sameshima: A SHARK(Thewomensgame, cc-by-sa) Oh god, yeah, my great plan of avoiding a live barrage of terrible wrong opinions, not realizing they would mostly be after the final. I thought I had seen everything later, but I missed the sharkograph! Did you meet that Japan junior team that won the World Cup, that time you cycled to France? I remember that much.
Which year? I met Sameshima and had her autograph in 2017, but I told the story on the international boards (and not only in the "private" Nadeshiko Japan thread) in 2019. Oh, yeah, you'e right: for some reason, when you asked your question I was only thinking about Senior players. Of course, I've been in Concarneau to follow Nadeshiko Japan's group-games at U-20 WWC 2018, and I've got to meet some of the players after the USA-Japan game, getting autographs and photos. All the story is here, including an autograph (not as spectacular as the Shark's one ) from Asako Takakura, the coach of the Senior team who, much reasonably, was following the matches of the U-20 team: there were players from the team that she would have brought to the Senior WWC in 2019.
?? Well, most likely the year when it happened This is a surprising level of pedantry for someone who thinks Greenland and the South Pole are the same. Anyway, this should probably all be in the Crispy Cream thread, yeah they're both spelled with a C