The Red Stars’ Julie Ertz is the best women’s soccer player in the world

Julie Ertz doesn’t get the credit she deserves. Red Stars fans can help change that.

The shortlist is out for the BBC’s Women’s Footballer of the Year 2020 award, and Ertz is there with four other amazing players - reigning FIFA World Player of the Year Megan Rapinoe, Arsenal’s goal machine Vivianne Miedema, England and Lyon’s Lucy Bronze, and, yes, Chelsea’s (that’s hard to say) Sam Kerr.

Ertz is often overlooked as the best player on her own team. Many fans probably pegged Kerr as the Red Stars’ top player last season after her 18 goals won the NWSL’s Golden Boot race, and Rapinoe’s been busy collecting basically every award possible—the World Cup Golden Boot, Golden Ball, FIFA’s World Player of the Year, the Ballon d’Or, and Sports Illustrated’s Sportsperson of the Year.

But, who was the common link between Kerr and Rapinoe last season?

Julie Ertz.

I love this quote from Red Stars Coach Rory Dames, after the NWSL Championship loss last season (from Business Insider):

“I don’t have enough words or enough time to generally share how special I think Julie is, both as a soccer player and as a person,” Dames said. “She’s the backbone of our group, she’s the face of our franchise, and she has been since the day she arrived.”

It says something that even though Rapinoe racked up all the international awards, U.S. Soccer named Ertz its Female Player of the Year. And, it was Ertz wearing the captain’s armband for the U.S. in a 3-0 win over Canada in the Concacaf Olympic Qualifying Final earlier this week—in her 99th cap for the WNT.

Ertz outworks nearly everyone. She leads by example. She always shows up for her team, even in the toughest matches.

In a sport where spine is crucial, Ertz is the backbone. She makes her teammates better.

Let’s go help Julie Ertz win the BBC’s Women’s Footballer of the Year Award.

Go vote!