The U.S. National Soccer Team was in town this weekend to play a friendly against Ireland — it was the first stop on the World Cup Victory Tour — and so I gather there was some sort of team brunch. Christen Press, who scored a goal when she started in place of Megan Rapinoe in the semis, dropped by in this completely great poppy color-blocked dress. I love it. I don’t know if the rest of the team skipped this event, or just opted out of being anywhere near cameras, or what, but Christen more than represented for the lot of them. Although of course we did have a pic of two others…

US Women's Soccer Team Brunch, Inside, Los Angeles - 04 Aug 2019

Tobin Heath looks so calm and sensible. She’s like your old R.A. in college who comes back to visit the dorm after working for a year, and seems so poised and adult all of a sudden. And there’s Megan Rapinoe, wearing truly terrible pants and orthopedic-looking loaders and still being a total damn boss. We took the beans to the game at the Rose Bowl, and they proclaimed it the best night of their entire lives. Alex Morgan and Rapinoe didn’t play, but Jill Ellis did send on Rose Lavelle for the last 15 minutes, and her footwork in person is just as breathtaking as it was on TV. Heath scored the first goal of three, there were a lot of fireworks, and several chants of “EQUAL PAY” rang out in the stands — one of which was started by the dudes behind us. The beans were quite aghast to hear about the pay disparity. (They also asked me if the guy players were “more obnoxious when they score than the women are,” and… I mean, I answered in the affirmative.) In all, it was an awesome night, and hooray for these athletes and pioneers, and Christen Press, I salute your poppies.

[Photos: Shutterstock]