Hope Solo Offers an Intimate Glimpse of Her Life in Netflix’s ‘UNTOLD’

It was evident right from the title, Hope Solo vs. U.S. Soccer, that this film was going to stir controversy. Hope Solo’s persona splits opinions—some see her as arrogant, while others view her as heroic. Regardless of the debate, there is no denying that Hope Solo is one of the most accomplished goalkeepers the United States has ever seen. Her credentials are impressive, holding the U.S. record for most career clean sheets (102), winning two Olympic gold medals, and a Women’s World Cup in 2015, with over 200 appearances for the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT).

This documentary dives deep into Solo’s storied career, highlighting her undeniable talent while also addressing some of the questionable decisions she made. Despite acknowledging her mistakes, Solo argues that they pale in comparison to the unjust treatment she received from U.S. Soccer, which ultimately brought her playing career to an abrupt end.

The film does not waste any time putting U.S. Soccer under scrutiny, setting a thrilling tone in the first minute that continues for the rest of the 70-minute feature. Apart from the federation, Solo also criticizes former coaches and teammates, including members of the famed “99ers,” the nickname for the USWNT squad that won the Women’s World Cup in 1999. While they are often credited for elevating women’s soccer, Solo is hesitant to lavish them with praise. Out of the entire roster, only Michelle Akers agreed to participate in the documentary. During the course of the film, Solo reveals the names of those who refused to be interviewed, including Mia Hamm, Megan Rapinoe, and former coach Jill Ellis.

Insights are provided by a range of individuals who know Solo well. These include her former college coaches Lesle Gallimore and Amy Griffin from the University of Washington, FIFA’s Female Player of the Century Michelle Akers, her best friend and former teammate Cheryl Hirss, former coach Pia Sundhage, legal counsel Rich Nichols, and PR manager Melinda Travis.

Solo admits to making several poor choices and elaborates on the reasons behind them. However, some of the ghastly treatment meted out to her later in her career is highlighted as particularly unjust. One of the early controversies was during the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup when Solo, arguably the tournament’s best goalkeeper, was benched in favor of Briana Scurry for the semifinal match. Scurry, although a legendary figure, was nearing retirement and was not in top form. Solo reveals that two teammates privately requested the coach to let Scurry have a farewell match, which led to her being sidelined for an ostensibly trivial reason. She also faced bullying and retaliation throughout that tournament.

Despite a challenging upbringing, Solo ascended to the pinnacle of women’s soccer, becoming the top player in Washington state and eventually the best in the country, and arguably the world. Her public profile surged after the U.S. team won the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. However, this fame came with its downside, including public suspensions, controversial statements, and personal issues. Behind closed doors, U.S. Soccer was systematically sidelining her. The treatment she endured is compared to that of former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who faced backlash for his social justice activism. Similarly, Solo’s outspoken comments tarnished U.S. Soccer’s image, and her inquiries into her contract and salary were met with hostility.

UNTOLD: Hope Solo vs. U.S. Soccer is rated an impressive 9.5 out of 10. Solo candidly exposes U.S. Soccer, providing names, dates, and instances of past abuses, shedding light on matters previously unknown to the public. It’s a must-watch for soccer enthusiasts and an engrossing documentary for sports fans in general. The film has a TV-MA rating for coarse language and runs for 1 hour and 13 minutes.

UNTOLD: Hope Solo vs. U.S. Soccer premieres on September 3 exclusively on Netflix.

Photos: Courtesy of Netflix

Source: THE PEACH REVIEW®