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A Greater Goal: The Epic Battle for Equal Pay in Women's Soccer―and Beyond―a YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Finalist
More than 250 women have played on the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team, and most contributed to the battle for equal pay. This narrative nonfiction book by the award-winning author and journalist Elizabeth Rusch traces the evolution of that fight, bringing this important rights issue in sports and in our culture to the attention of young readers. Features extensive back matter.
With the passage of Title IX in 1972, the doors opened for young women to play sports at a higher level. But for the women on the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team, being able to compete at an international level didn’t mean fair treatment and fair compensation.
From economy-class airplane seats and inadequate lodging to minimal marketing and slashed wages, the women representing the United States at the Olympics, the World Cup, and other tournaments had reason to be fed up. They were expected to—and did—win, but they weren’t compensated for their talent and dedication. With the help of their union and in collaboration with the men’s team, they secured an equitable contract in 2022 that ultimately benefited both national teams as well as athletes of the future.
Elizabeth Rusch’s A Greater Goal chronicles how members of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team fought to receive fair treatment and equal pay despite the intense pushback they received from U.S. Soccer, the governing body of soccer in the United States. With a narrative that includes player profiles and vignettes framed from team member perspectives, A Greater Goal illuminates the work, support, and grit needed to be treated with equality in a world that often undervalues the contributions of women.
Features extensive back matter, including a call to action, additional resources, and an index.
With the passage of Title IX in 1972, the doors opened for young women to play sports at a higher level. But for the women on the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team, being able to compete at an international level didn’t mean fair treatment and fair compensation.
From economy-class airplane seats and inadequate lodging to minimal marketing and slashed wages, the women representing the United States at the Olympics, the World Cup, and other tournaments had reason to be fed up. They were expected to—and did—win, but they weren’t compensated for their talent and dedication. With the help of their union and in collaboration with the men’s team, they secured an equitable contract in 2022 that ultimately benefited both national teams as well as athletes of the future.
Elizabeth Rusch’s A Greater Goal chronicles how members of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team fought to receive fair treatment and equal pay despite the intense pushback they received from U.S. Soccer, the governing body of soccer in the United States. With a narrative that includes player profiles and vignettes framed from team member perspectives, A Greater Goal illuminates the work, support, and grit needed to be treated with equality in a world that often undervalues the contributions of women.
Features extensive back matter, including a call to action, additional resources, and an index.
336 pages, Hardcover
Published July 9, 2024
16 people are currently reading
1915 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Rusch
31 books73 followersELIZABETH RUSCH is an award-winning book author, magazine writer, editor, writing teacher and speaker. Her wide-ranging passions include astronomy, volcanology, art, music, history, nature, waves, jokes, crayons, and mud — anything that catches her fancy. She is inspired by stories of exploration and discovery, stories that have been overlooked by history, and stories that grapple with persistent questions. Whether writing fiction or nonfiction for children or adults or teaching workshops, she hopes her work opens doors, opens minds, opens possibilities.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
October 10, 2024
One of my favorites of 2024! An infuriatingly informative book on the fight against discrimination in the USWNT. Being a soccer fan and having a large sequence of events happen just a few years ago made it even more interesting! It brought to light all of the inequality that women face in the workplace. Very well written as well!
November 8, 2024
a non-fiction book for teens about a subject that did not on the face of it seem that interesting to me proved to be a read in a single sitting page turner. It is about more than just the fight for equal pay, although that's the central subject. It's a history of women's soccer and the great players that we have loved to cheer for over the years, it's about how the men's soccer national team stood in solidarity with the women, it's about how court cases and union negotiations work, and it's about the more general topic of women being paid less than men. Very handily presented in short sections, so that deep dives into particular bits don't get overwhelming. Highly recommended! If you have a soccer loving teen in your life, get them this book!
August 18, 2024
Such an inspiring read. I was vaguely familiar with the US women’s national soccer team’s fight for equal pay, but journeying through the details of their struggle was fascinating and emotional. As a woman who played competitive sports through college, I know the struggles of unequal conditions for men’s and women’s teams far too well, both from playing on boys teams when there were no other options, and playing for a women’s team in college that was all but ignored by administration in comparison to the men’s team. I can’t even imagine how much more difficult these disparities are at the highest level, when everything is extremely high risk. I am so grateful for every player on that team who fought for decades and never gave up. Their actions have positively impacted essentially every female athlete. This was especially great to read in the wake of the 2024 Olympics, where women won 67 out of 126 medals for the US. And my algorithm is of course biased, but I mostly heard about women’s events with the occasional men’s sprinkled in. EVERYONE WATCHES WOMEN’S SPORTS!!!!
December 25, 2024
An informative page-turner that chronicles the exhausting, decades-long fight for equal pay for the USWNT. My admiration of the players is even deeper after reading about the monumental effort they put in on and off the pitch to bring about historic change.
January 1, 2026
I don't read a ton of nonfiction books, but this book was so good (and I don't even play Soccer).
January 6, 2025
Infuriatingly eye opening.
"In 2018, the US Men's National Team had failed to qualify for their World Cup. If they had simply qualified, US Soccer would have paid the team $8 million - $38 million if they won. In 2019, the US women's team had qualified, won all three group-stage games, and won all three games in the elimination round so far. Even if they won the whole tournament, taking home the World Cup trophy US Soccer would only pay the team $4 million."
HOW DID IT TAKE SO LONG TO FIX THIS?!?!
I am not a huge soccer fan. I am not a nonfiction fan generally. But this title certainly held my attention.
"In 2018, the US Men's National Team had failed to qualify for their World Cup. If they had simply qualified, US Soccer would have paid the team $8 million - $38 million if they won. In 2019, the US women's team had qualified, won all three group-stage games, and won all three games in the elimination round so far. Even if they won the whole tournament, taking home the World Cup trophy US Soccer would only pay the team $4 million."
HOW DID IT TAKE SO LONG TO FIX THIS?!?!
I am not a huge soccer fan. I am not a nonfiction fan generally. But this title certainly held my attention.
October 9, 2024
SPOILERS AHEAD
A Greater Goal by Elizabeth Rusch is a novel depicting the fight for equal pay for the US Women’s National Soccer team (USWNT) over the span of nearly 40 years, while connecting the women’s stories to a worldwide gender pay gap. The story is told in chronological order, beginning with the 1991 M&M’s World Cup, when the USWNT won gold, and no one in America knew anything about it. The teammates spoke about how there was a disparaging gap between how they were treated vs. the men, and how they were not paid equally.
This led the women to start advocating for more news coverage by U.S. Soccer. They thought that if they brought in more revenue, they should be treated the same as the men and earn the same percentage of their winnings. U.S. Soccer denied their request; the women continued to gain more notoriety, and yet the fight continued in the same fashion for years. Eventually, in 2016, the USWNT filed a complaint against U.S. Soccer with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), claiming that they were discriminating against the team based on their sex. The EEOC claimed that they were “unable to determine…whether there had been discrimination,” and they wouldn’t help the USWNT (Rusch 128). This led the team to realize that they would have to sue U.S. Soccer using the money from their own bank accounts. The team, many of whom could barely afford to pay their rent, struggled with the idea, but in the end decided that it was necessary.
At the same time, the 2019 Women’s World Cup was happening, and the team won first place. All eyes were on the USWNT, and there was growing support for equal pay from those who had been watching the events unfold. 2154 days after the lawsuit was filed, the USWNT finally won their case. They received “$22 million in back pay to players” and “an additional $2 million fund to support their retirement and charitable endeavors” (Rusch 234). The book ends with a guide on how to help solve the wage gap in the workplace and provides resources to aid readers.
Elizabeth Rusch does a great job at connecting the USWNT’s fight for equal pay to the effects of economic inequality in regards to gender discrimination. The book itself is laid out in a manner that easily helps the reader to understand. The chapters are fairly short, with most only being 2-3 pages long. This ensures that the reader can comprehend the material, and makes it easier to quickly pick up the book without a huge time commitment. Each chapter also has a witty title and a timestamp. For example, Chapter 13 is titled “Blood and Guts on the Field” and has a timestamp of “2000s” (Rusch 50).
Rusch decided to have three styles of writing included in her work. Most of the book is written as a narrative, dealing with facts, timelines, and interviews. The second was that certain chapters depict a play-by-play of important soccer matches, showcasing the women’s talent. The third style was a quick look into different women that had been affected by the discriminatory pay. Rusch focused on specific players and events that occurred as a result of their soccer careers.
One example of the player-focused chapters was chapter 18. “Pawning Gold” was three pages long, and focused on 2 time gold-medal winning goalie Briana Scurry. Scurry had a severe head injury as a result of a game two years earlier, and had been in constant excruciating pain. She said how she had to pawn one of her gold medals to help pay for the surgery, but only received $5000 that had to go towards food and rent, and “she still couldn’t afford the surgery” (Rusch 66). Even in a job that should have paid hundreds of thousands of dollars, women were still not receiving the pay that they deserved, and it affected their daily lives.
All in all, Rusch delivers a compelling story that does justice to the issue of sexism in women’s soccer as a part of global discrimination in women’s pay.
A Greater Goal by Elizabeth Rusch is a novel depicting the fight for equal pay for the US Women’s National Soccer team (USWNT) over the span of nearly 40 years, while connecting the women’s stories to a worldwide gender pay gap. The story is told in chronological order, beginning with the 1991 M&M’s World Cup, when the USWNT won gold, and no one in America knew anything about it. The teammates spoke about how there was a disparaging gap between how they were treated vs. the men, and how they were not paid equally.
This led the women to start advocating for more news coverage by U.S. Soccer. They thought that if they brought in more revenue, they should be treated the same as the men and earn the same percentage of their winnings. U.S. Soccer denied their request; the women continued to gain more notoriety, and yet the fight continued in the same fashion for years. Eventually, in 2016, the USWNT filed a complaint against U.S. Soccer with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), claiming that they were discriminating against the team based on their sex. The EEOC claimed that they were “unable to determine…whether there had been discrimination,” and they wouldn’t help the USWNT (Rusch 128). This led the team to realize that they would have to sue U.S. Soccer using the money from their own bank accounts. The team, many of whom could barely afford to pay their rent, struggled with the idea, but in the end decided that it was necessary.
At the same time, the 2019 Women’s World Cup was happening, and the team won first place. All eyes were on the USWNT, and there was growing support for equal pay from those who had been watching the events unfold. 2154 days after the lawsuit was filed, the USWNT finally won their case. They received “$22 million in back pay to players” and “an additional $2 million fund to support their retirement and charitable endeavors” (Rusch 234). The book ends with a guide on how to help solve the wage gap in the workplace and provides resources to aid readers.
Elizabeth Rusch does a great job at connecting the USWNT’s fight for equal pay to the effects of economic inequality in regards to gender discrimination. The book itself is laid out in a manner that easily helps the reader to understand. The chapters are fairly short, with most only being 2-3 pages long. This ensures that the reader can comprehend the material, and makes it easier to quickly pick up the book without a huge time commitment. Each chapter also has a witty title and a timestamp. For example, Chapter 13 is titled “Blood and Guts on the Field” and has a timestamp of “2000s” (Rusch 50).
Rusch decided to have three styles of writing included in her work. Most of the book is written as a narrative, dealing with facts, timelines, and interviews. The second was that certain chapters depict a play-by-play of important soccer matches, showcasing the women’s talent. The third style was a quick look into different women that had been affected by the discriminatory pay. Rusch focused on specific players and events that occurred as a result of their soccer careers.
One example of the player-focused chapters was chapter 18. “Pawning Gold” was three pages long, and focused on 2 time gold-medal winning goalie Briana Scurry. Scurry had a severe head injury as a result of a game two years earlier, and had been in constant excruciating pain. She said how she had to pawn one of her gold medals to help pay for the surgery, but only received $5000 that had to go towards food and rent, and “she still couldn’t afford the surgery” (Rusch 66). Even in a job that should have paid hundreds of thousands of dollars, women were still not receiving the pay that they deserved, and it affected their daily lives.
All in all, Rusch delivers a compelling story that does justice to the issue of sexism in women’s soccer as a part of global discrimination in women’s pay.
December 26, 2024
As a longtime feminist it's tempting to comfort myself about topics such as those raised in this engaging, important book by reflecting on how far we've come and how much progress has been made. But it's just as clear that we have far to go. Covering the decades of efforts by the players on the U. S. Women's National Soccer Team to be compensated equally for their play as compared to the men's team, this book is inspiring, empowering, and detailed with just enough soccer lingo and description of action on the field to keep teen soccer fans engaged. There are so many individuals who came together to reach this particular goal of equal pay--and readers will relish having their perspective on the journey as well as acknowledging the importance of working together for a common cause. The book's cover, its title, and the facts the author presents about just how unequal the pay has been over the years, not just in soccer or sports but in many other areas as well, may serve as something of a rallying cry for the next generation to keep pushing forward and standing its ground. I thoroughly enjoyed this one with its suggested readings and source notes and a firm nudge to readers not to be afraid to take up space and demand to be paid for what they're worth.
July 25, 2024
I have only a passing acquaintance with the sport of soccer--and no passion for it. And I definitely support equal pay for equal work, regardless of gender. But I didn't have any real passion around that topic either. I checked out this book because I've met Liz Rusch, and I know she's a meticulous researcher and writer.
All I can say is wow! I never would've expected this book to be so engrossing, but it is. And it's lit up my interest in both of its topics. Rusch does a great job of coalescing a million facts and complicated legal processes into a very readable story. And she clearly helps the reader understand the implications of this story--implications for our larger world of humans, soccer aficionados or not. This book is full of heroes (and villains, of course), and I couldn't put it down.
Highly recommended!
All I can say is wow! I never would've expected this book to be so engrossing, but it is. And it's lit up my interest in both of its topics. Rusch does a great job of coalescing a million facts and complicated legal processes into a very readable story. And she clearly helps the reader understand the implications of this story--implications for our larger world of humans, soccer aficionados or not. This book is full of heroes (and villains, of course), and I couldn't put it down.
Highly recommended!
June 23, 2025
A Greater Goal was all about the fight for equal pay for the US Women's National Soccer Team. It went through the timeline, from the creation of the team in 1985 to 2022 when they finally achieved their goal. Over 250 women worked together to make it happen.
I cannot even believe all that they had to go through, and the disrespect that they had to endure. As I read this book, there were so many times that I felt my blood boil, but the way it was written was so hopeful that I managed to keep my heartrate down a lot more than I expected. I felt so proud of these women. The courage that they showed was amazing. As a former soccer player myself, I could imagine what they were going through, but I feel that this book is a good read for anyone and everyone. Reading this really illustrates what it means to be a working woman. The wage gap is still a horrific thing, and I had heard this before, but this book does a brilliant job of making it feel real. I think that is a lot of what the problem is. Statistics are indisputable, but in the day to day we simply do not see things statistically.
I wish that politically this sort of progress could continue to be made. I hope that things can change to make that more possible.
I cannot even believe all that they had to go through, and the disrespect that they had to endure. As I read this book, there were so many times that I felt my blood boil, but the way it was written was so hopeful that I managed to keep my heartrate down a lot more than I expected. I felt so proud of these women. The courage that they showed was amazing. As a former soccer player myself, I could imagine what they were going through, but I feel that this book is a good read for anyone and everyone. Reading this really illustrates what it means to be a working woman. The wage gap is still a horrific thing, and I had heard this before, but this book does a brilliant job of making it feel real. I think that is a lot of what the problem is. Statistics are indisputable, but in the day to day we simply do not see things statistically.
I wish that politically this sort of progress could continue to be made. I hope that things can change to make that more possible.
August 16, 2025
As a lifelong soccer player, and a fairweather (i don't pay much attention outside of World Cup) fan.. the names Mia Hamm, Brianna Scurry, Abby Wombach, Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan do mean something to me. But only there success on their soccer field.
This easy to read book chronicles the decades long fight for equal pay for the widely successful women's Soccer Team. Widely successful as in they won world cups and Olympics, have the same employer as the men's National Team, and were not earning close to the same amounts of money.
Sports and revenue and license and contracts and tv rights and merchandising is never black and white. Should everyone be paid exactly the same per game? The same per win ? Should they all have the same charter flights and quality of hotels? Who should have childcare at training camp?
Well, draw your own conclusions in 250 pages.
This easy to read book chronicles the decades long fight for equal pay for the widely successful women's Soccer Team. Widely successful as in they won world cups and Olympics, have the same employer as the men's National Team, and were not earning close to the same amounts of money.
Sports and revenue and license and contracts and tv rights and merchandising is never black and white. Should everyone be paid exactly the same per game? The same per win ? Should they all have the same charter flights and quality of hotels? Who should have childcare at training camp?
Well, draw your own conclusions in 250 pages.
July 31, 2024
Informative. Inspiring. Important.
If you are a fan of women's soccer or a supporter of the fight for equality, then A Greater Goal is absolutely the read for you. I went into this book as the latter and came out as the former too, thanks to Elizabeth Rusch detailing (with some exciting play-by-play) many of the USWNT's big games throughout the years in her thoroughly attention-holding coverage of the battle for equal pay in women's soccer.
"Epic" is a very fitting descriptor for this decades-long equality-seeking endeavor, as well as for Rusch's writing style and structure. 5 stars!
Thank you to Harper for my hardcover copy of this powerful book, won in a Goodreads giveaway.
If you are a fan of women's soccer or a supporter of the fight for equality, then A Greater Goal is absolutely the read for you. I went into this book as the latter and came out as the former too, thanks to Elizabeth Rusch detailing (with some exciting play-by-play) many of the USWNT's big games throughout the years in her thoroughly attention-holding coverage of the battle for equal pay in women's soccer.
"Epic" is a very fitting descriptor for this decades-long equality-seeking endeavor, as well as for Rusch's writing style and structure. 5 stars!
Thank you to Harper for my hardcover copy of this powerful book, won in a Goodreads giveaway.
January 3, 2025
4.5, but rounding up to 5. An in-depth look at the USWNT's fight for equal pay plus an overview of society's wage gap in general. It was frustrating because I had forgotten how obvious the inequality was and yet the federation, lawyers, a judge, etc. claimed it wasn't. Also, vexing is the inequality that still exists in sports, the workforce, etc. and how far we still have to go.
The second half was super engrossing. I highly recommend it for teens and adults. Extensive source list plus recommended reads/links for more information.
The second half was super engrossing. I highly recommend it for teens and adults. Extensive source list plus recommended reads/links for more information.
April 10, 2025
Reading this was a blast from the past, with so many notable female soccer players mentioned. Each chapter was only a few pages long, making it easy to skim through. The chapters go mostly in chronological order, highlighting important moments from the U.S. women's team through the years. It is so sad that these athletes are underpaid, but I don't know what the answer is. Soccer in the United States does not attract the crowds that Europe and other parts of the world can. Without the revenue, it is difficult to pay the players well, both women and men.
October 14, 2024
The point of the book is perfectly clear however the execution of a story for teens leaves everything to be desired about why a teen should care because it's all facts, name, dates, and events, and no real storytelling of a narrative nonfiction variety-- it should have been packaged and delivered like a traditional information text with tables, graphs, etc.
The equal pay conversation is in the spotlight because of groups like women's soccer, so a commendable topic to cover.
The equal pay conversation is in the spotlight because of groups like women's soccer, so a commendable topic to cover.
December 11, 2024
“Rusch writes lucidly about the frustration, anger, and determination of the talented athletes who worked together in a fight that took approximately three decades, and readers will come away empowered by her presentation of the impact of collective action. . . .While at its heart, this is an engaging account of a legal battle, there’s also plenty of soccer” [Booklist]
February 5, 2025
The information isn't new, but I appreciate reading this book after reading Just Mercy. It's interesting to hear a story I know so well told through the litigious perspective, considering how it compares to the court cases I read about in Just Mercy.
Unfortunately, unlike Stevenson's book, this one feels reads more like a report and lacks characterization of key people.
Unfortunately, unlike Stevenson's book, this one feels reads more like a report and lacks characterization of key people.
April 18, 2025
From the late 1990's players on the Women's National Soccer team had to fight for pay and treatment worthy or their abilities and skills. They won more games, even more elite games than their male counterparts, but their pay was a fraction of theirs. And the Soccer Federation doesn't seem to care. When some of the key players reach out to the courts, and others to social media, the tables begin to turn, but is it too little too late?
A complicated historical event in women's rights and equal pay, Rusch gives plenty of background without overloading the reader with too many players. A timely text, it was great to read about something so freshly in the news. Although I'm not a soccer fan, I'd really like to see some games now. I liked how many of the charts were also addressed in the text, so the sidebar was reinforcing the story, rather than just enhancing. Well documented, I read on my Kindle so I don't know if there are pictures of the players, but there are certainly source notes.
A complicated historical event in women's rights and equal pay, Rusch gives plenty of background without overloading the reader with too many players. A timely text, it was great to read about something so freshly in the news. Although I'm not a soccer fan, I'd really like to see some games now. I liked how many of the charts were also addressed in the text, so the sidebar was reinforcing the story, rather than just enhancing. Well documented, I read on my Kindle so I don't know if there are pictures of the players, but there are certainly source notes.
October 7, 2025
There were times I had to stop reading because I was so mad. Sexism, misogyny and the patriarchy are some exhausting and enraging. I feel so defeated by this world and what white supremacy and the patriarchy get away with.
YMA 2025 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults finalist
YMA 2025 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults finalist
August 9, 2024
Very interesting and a worthwhile challenge. But the book went on too long. Delighted that women get equal pay. Got angry at US Soccer. The US women's team is amazing. The men's team, well, they try.
November 27, 2024
Outstanding! Such a well-written and insightful book about equality in compensation for teens and adults. I'm really hoping this will be Rusch's second book to be a finalist for YALSA's Excellence in Non-fiction.
February 20, 2025
A wonderful book that will be of great interest to everyone who loves women's soccer but should be of interest to anyone interested in pay inequity. Although written for teens, adults will like this too.
December 9, 2025
Meh, this was fine. I rounded up. It wasn't super exciting or anything. A lot of times I felt like I was reading stuff that had already been mentioned. I don't know, I guess I was just hoping for more from this. Great topic and idea, but not great execution.
August 2, 2024
Infuriating and empowering, the author did a great job of explaining things clearly in both the context of soccer, and of the wider social implications of the fight and the decision.
September 23, 2024
a really great expo on the pay disparity on women’s sports and the impact the uswnt had in advocating for the right to equal wages!
January 28, 2025
I’m no dummy, I know about the pay gap between men and women. But, damn, this was infuriating to read about.
February 13, 2025
equal pay slayyyy
July 9, 2025
Does a great job of laying out the fight for equal pay made by the US Women's National Soccer Team
November 10, 2025
Decent book, well written and informative. I read this for class and it was interesting.
August 23, 2025
I need to say that I liked this way more than I thought I would. Mainly because it is a documentary-type book, but I guess that it really helped that it was soccer-related. This book helped me realise just how hard it is for women to get equal pay.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews