Entertainment

NWSL Players Fought Hard For In-Season Vacation — They’re Vacationing Even Harder

By Travis Yoesting July 28, 2022
Featured Image
NWSL players quite enjoyed their hard-earned summer break.
Instagram/The18

When the NWSL players and league agreed to a landmark first-ever Collective Bargaining Agreement in February, most of the focus was on guaranteeing players a living wage, and for good reason. But among the other benefits NWSL players carved out for themselves was a mandatory seven-day break in the middle of the season — an NWSL summer vacation. 

The 2022 NWSL summer vacation ran from July 18 to July 28. You might expect, as some have indeed done, that most NWSL players would take this opportunity to rest their tired bodies for the second half of the season, especially with some intriguing playoff chases heating up. 

But this is the NWSL, y’all. These players do everything full speed, including summer break.

Using the subtle art of stalking social media pages, The18 has found countless NWSL players using the week off to go on vacation around the globe. While not every player was able to take full advantage of the break — folks like Houston’s Rachel Daly and N.C. Courage’s Debinha and Kerolin are still in regional international tournaments — we tracked some of the league’s top players on Instagram. 

Here’s a selection of some of the best NWSL summer vacation photos from athletes who know how to have a good time, even if it’s for a short time. 

NWSL Summer Vacation Photos

Alex Morgan

We are legally obligated to begin with Alex Morgan, I think. The NWSL Golden Boot leader helped the USWNT qualify for the 2023 Women’s World Cup and 2024 Olympics with a Golden Ball performance at the Concacaf W Championship. She immediately began her vacation the night of the final by filling that trophy with margarita and imitating some of the summer’s best trophy celebrations.

The San Diego Wave forward remained in Mexico for her vacation, heading over to San Miguel de Allende. She and her husband Servando Carrasco, who spent some of his early years living in Mexico, enjoyed the town in Mexico’s highlands, though Morgan looked like she’s more comfortable converting a late penalty kick in an international final than riding a horse through a creek.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Alex Morgan (@alexmorgan13)

Megan Rapinoe

Next up on our list is Megan Rapinoe, who already had a memorable summer when she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Like Morgan, Rapinoe stuck around in Mexico after the USWNT’s successful business trip, heading west to Baja.

Since Rapinoe’s fiancée, Sue Bird, did not have the week off from the WNBA, Rapinoe vacationed with her twin sister, Rachael. 

At one point, the OL Reign winger managed to match her neon-green mesh pants to her beverage of choice, which appears to be Mountain Dew but is probably some sort of margarita.

Love the Rush shirt. 

Christen Press and Tobin Heath

The World Cup-winning pair had a coming out party of sorts at the ESPYs. Though Press (Angel City) is injured and can’t do much in way of traveling, Heath (OL Reign) came to visit her in Los Angeles and maybe broke the internet with her post below.

Trinity Rodman

Speaking of the ESPYs, a few NWSL players made it to the award show this year, perhaps most notably Trinity Rodman. The Washington Spirit forward showed rocking a nice dress runs in the family.

Kristie Mewis

It’s almost a given these days that any time the NWSL and USWNT are not playing, Gotham midfielder Kristie Mewis is finding a way to spend time with her girlfriend, Chelsea and Australia scoring machine Sam Kerr. So of course we have photos of the two vacationing together somewhere warm.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sam Kerr (@samanthakerr20)

Lindsey Horan

USWNT boss midfielder Lindsey Horan just went home for vacation, but when home is Colorado, it makes sense. Technically Horan is on vacation for the entire summer since she’s on loan at Lyon, but we’re including her anyway, and there’s nothing you can do to stop us.

Carson Pickett And Abby Erceg

N.C. Courage teammates Carson Pickett and Abby Erceg enjoyed some fine sportsmanship off the pitch with a trip to Tulum, Mexico, together. Pickett made history earlier this year as the first player with a limb difference to play for the USWNT while Erceg is a Football Ferns icon.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Abby Erceg (@abbyerceg)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Abby Erceg (@abbyerceg)

More NWSL Ballers In Mexico

Lynn Williams (KC), Sam Mewis (KC), Katelyn Rowland (NC), Taylor Smith (Gotham) and Meredith Speck (NC) all had a good time together in Mexico, apparently the vacation spot of choice for NWSL players looking to get away for a few days.

Ashley Sanchez

Washington Spirit dynamo Ashley Sanchez didn’t post any vacation photos, but she appears to have used the time off to adopt a puppy. If you ask me, that’s just as good.

Sydney Leroux

Finally, the new Angel City forward might have just stuck around in Los Angeles, but Sydney Leroux let everyone know she kicked her son’s ass in some meaningless beach competition. Shortly thereafter, she kicked the ass of every former boys high school soccer player and their fragile little egos.

Move aside Spring Break, NWSL Summer Vacation is the new holiday hotness.

Videos you might like

Trending On The18