President Joe Biden welcomed the Gotham Football Club to the White House on Monday, the first National Women’s Soccer League championship team to have the distinction.
Biden reflected on the underdog story the team, which represents both New York and New Jersey, carried through its 2023 season. Gotham's squad went from last in the league to defeating all its naysayers in a single year.
"You never gave up, and you kept the faith, as my mother would say," Biden said. "You retool the roster, hired a new coach, something clicked. And after a tough season, you're the final team to make the playoffs. The saying goes, winners simply win."
He also noted that last year's NSWL final set a league record with 25,011 fans attending the championship game at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego.
"I think it's fair to say everyone — everyone — watches women's sports," Biden said.
Biden then welcomed to the stage former U.S. women's national soccer team star Ali Krieger, who played with Gotham until her retirement last year. He noted that he was the vice president the last time he saw Krieger, who had been part of the 2015 Women's World Cup championship team.
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Krieger spoke on behalf of her teammates, who she said were "deeply honored" to be the first in the NWSL to be invited to the White House for such an achievement.
"Reflecting on my career, I recall times when women's soccer lacked coverage and support," Krieger said. "Our progress since those days has been remarkable, from our humble beginnings to becoming champions. Both Gotham and the NWSL have seen tremendous growth with more fans, greater engagement and increased recognition."
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The work, however, is far from over, Krieger added. Every time the players touch the field, Krieger said, they keep in mind the young girls who dream of a future in sports.
Though Gotham FC is the first NSWL team to reach the White House, it is not the only women's soccer team to be invited. Two other now-defunct leagues have been formed in the U.S. since 2000— the Women's United Soccer Association and the Women's Professional Soccer league.
Former President Barack Obama invited the Sky Blue FC with the WPS league to the White House in 2010, which was the New York and New Jersey team at the time. The league shut down two years later.
The NWSL has been praised for its investment in the sport, increasing viewership both in stadiums and through broadcast partnerships. In June, the NSWL reported that attendance was up 42 percent year-over-year by the league’s 12th season.
Its players' union recently negotiated a new collective bargaining agreement that gave more control to athletes about where they play, eliminate the draft and give free agency to all players. The contract also doubles the league-minimum salary while expanding parental leave and child care benefits for players.
“This moment is not just about titles or trophies, it’s about paving the way for them being the first is historic, but it’s even more important that we ensure we are not the last,” Krieger said.
This story first appeared on NBCNews.com. More from NBC News:
