Saturday’s WSL finale was emotional for so many players and fans, but especially for my family as we watched Sam Kerr play her last game for Chelsea. I teared up watching her walk onto the pitch with her son, Jagger. In true Sam fashion, she scored one of the most beautiful goals of the day, showcasing her natural ability and instinct in front of goal. Seven seasons of magic for the Blues, and I know she will continue to shine wherever she ends up next. We’re so incredibly proud of her! 🥹

Back at TWG HQ, we’re gearing up for an epic Champions League final this weekend. I’m excited to share a brand-new episode of “The Captain with Lindsey Heaps” dropping tomorrow, which explores Lyonnes’ unbelievable UWCL journey. Then we’re sitting down with her teammate, Lily Yohannes, for “Friendlies” on Thursday with an inside look at her breakout season. And to celebrate this year’s UWCL campaign, join us after Saturday’s match on TWG Live as Becky and I react to all the drama after the final whistle. 🎙️

Also, we just dropped a new episode of “Teaming Up” with The Athletic’s Tamerra Griffin, who is always a delight, and don’t forget to catch “Mewis Squared” with me and Kristie on Friday! ⚽️

As for me, I enjoyed a quintessential Vermont weekend. Pat and I rode bikes to the farmer’s market, ate dinners outside, and planted flowers. I even swung by the Vermont Green women’s practice as they prepare for their season opener tonight. More from my weekend on today’s episode of “Good Vibes”! 💐

And keep reading for the latest!

Love,
Sam

P.S. From winter signing to spring silverware! Even knee surgery couldn’t keep this shirt‑tuck legend from the party.

Barcelona 🇪🇸 vs. OL Lyonnes 🇫🇷 (Saturday at 12 p.m. ET, Paramount+)

In less than a week, a new Champion of Europe will be crowned in Oslo. The undisputed queens of contemporary football, Barcelona, who have three UWCL titles to their name, face perennial powerhouse OL Lyonnes, who are chasing a ninth trophy in a final loaded with passion, history and an air of redemption.

Convinced they were on track to win the tournament in 2025, the Spanish giants watched their dreams of a three-peat slip away as Arsenal, revitalized under new coach Reneé Slegers, claimed their second UWCL trophy since 2007. It’s been a bumpy season for La Blaugrana with financial strain forcing the club to part ways with players and lose vital depth, including defender Ingrid Engen (to Lyonnes, of all places), and it only got worse when Aitana Bonmatí fractured her leg in the fall. Yet somehow, the squad has refused to cave. Now, with Bonmatí back on the pitch, Barça has another chance to restore themselves to the top of the podium and prove their dynasty isn’t done yet.

Meanwhile, Lyonnes are hoping to spoil the party. The irony is rich: the French side recruited former Barça manager Jonatan Giráldez, perhaps to help decode exactly what makes his old club tick. With Giráldez at the helm, veterans including USWNT star midfielder Lindsey Heaps, and a slew of summer signings – like German star forward Jule Brand and USWNT midfield dynamo Lily Yohannes – Lyonnes will be hoping to wear Barça down with pace on the wings and a bench stacked with game‑changers.

This year’s final marks the fourth time the two European giants have met, with Lyonnes besting Barça twice, although the Spanish side has most recently had the edge with a 2-0 victory in 2024. Will Lyon grab a jaw-dropping ninth title, or will Barça bounce back and claim their fourth? 

Before the drama unfolds, check out some of the standout players to watch and tune into “Good Vibes” today for Sam’s full UWCL breakdown:

🤩 Barça’s Top Players

Alexia Putellas – As captain, Putellas wears her lifelong devotion to the club on her sleeve (her emotional response after making the final said everything). With her contract expiring this summer, this could be her final Champions League run with La Blaugrana. The first player to win the UEFA Women’s Player of the Year and Ballon d’Or Féminin in back‑to‑back seasons, she’s also tied for fifth all-time in UWCL assists.

Aitana Bonmatí – Considered by many to be the greatest footballer in the world, Bonmatí was named MVP when Barça won their first UWCL in 2021, and has since picked up three Ballon d’Or trophies. Coming back from a leg fracture, she returned in the semifinal against Bayern. Could she be the missing piece to tilt the balance in her team’s favor?

Ewa Pajor – The Polish striker embodies the definition of dominance, with a lethal header and the joint‑highest goal tally in this season’s UWCL, alongside Arsenal’s Alessia Russo. She joined the Spanish side from Wolfsburg in 2024 and set a new record for the most goals scored in a single season (43) across all major competitions at Barça. Most recently, she netted a pair of stunning goals in the semifinal vs. Bayern to ensure her team’s victory.

💫 Lyonnes’ Difference Makers

Lindsey Heaps – This is the USWNT captain's swan song before departing for Denver FC in the summer, and she’s looking to make it count. After helping the French giants lift the UWCL trophy during her 2021/22 loan spell, she now aims to bookend her time in Europe with another title and to rewrite the memory of their 2023/24 defeat, the last time the two sides met.

Jule Brand – After impressing in the Euros, it’s no wonder Michelle Kang scooped up this 23-year-old German winger. In her first season with Lyonnes, she has flourished, delivering big moments when it mattered most, including scoring the winning goal in the UWCL semifinal to defeat the reigning champions Arsenal 4-3 on aggregate and book her team a place in the final.

Melchie Dumornay – Hailing from Haiti, this young forward has collected four Player of the Match awards, and her vision was on full display when she slipped a brilliant ball to Brand late in the semifinal, punishing Arsenal for switching off and willing her team one step closer to UWCL glory. With back‑to‑back Young Player of the Season honors, she is making a case for herself for the Ballon d'Or.

Also: Watch the fastest goal in a UWCL final scored by a Brazilian fan favorite.

🌊 San Diego Wave 2-1 Washington Spirit 💛

San Diego climbed to the top of the table after snapping the Spirit’s eight-game unbeaten streak (not to mention throwing some serious shade at Jose the Coyote). In her first-ever start, San Diego striker Trinity Byars scored her first NWSL goal. But Washington rallied to find the equalizer with defender Rebeca Bernal heading home a corner whipped in by Leicy Santos. While a fairly even matchup, 18-year-old Wave midfielder Kimmi Ascanio broke the deadlock in the 88th minute to beat Spirit goalkeeper Sandy MacIver and snatch a dramatic, last‑minute win for the Wave.

👑 Seattle Reign 0-2 Gotham FC🦇

In a rematch of the 2023 NWSL Championship, fifth-place Gotham extended their unbeaten run to five games against the Reign. After a bit of brilliant footwork from rookie Jordynn Dudley going one-on-one versus her defender, Jaedyn Shaw pounced on a loose ball in the box and converted her third goal in three games to open the scoring. Then, captain Tierna Davidson doubled the lead, finishing off a recycled ball from a corner – her first goal of the season and first since returning from an ACL tear. Seattle will be eager to turn things around after five winless games, but the night still offered some silver linings: defender Sofia Huerta marked her 100th club appearance and Laura Harvey became the first head coach in NWSL history to reach 300 matches.

Elsewhere in the League: The final member of ‘Triple Espresso’ is finally back! Mallory Swanson made her first appearance in 559 days for the Chicago Stars since giving birth to her daughter Josie.

Plus: In honor of the throw-in theatrics of Orlando Pride’s Kerry Abello over the weekend, check out some of the best NWSL flips ever.

Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea all closed the 2025/26 WSL regular season with wins, wrapping up a campaign defined by dominant performances at the top, but bittersweet roster shakeups on the horizon.

The title winners, City, signed off on the season with a resounding 4-1 victory against West Ham, with Bunny Shaw adding two more to her tally of 21 goals and claiming the Barclays Women's Super League Golden Boot for a record third season in a row. Despite the successes she’s had at the club over the years, her future with City is up in the air with multiple clubs eager to sign the Jamaican striker, including Chelsea.

Meanwhile, after winning their midweek match against Everton, Arsenal locked in second place with a 3-1 win over Liverpool to guarantee automatic qualification to the UWCL league phase next season. The match also served as a farewell for two long‑time pillars of the club: attacker Beth Mead, who is reported to be headed to Manchester City, as well as Ireland captain and Gunner Katie McCabe, who captained her side and celebrated an assist in her final appearance. 

In one of the weekend’s closer contests, Chelsea beat Man United 1-0 with one last emotional goal from striker Sam Kerr, which saw her equal Fran Kirby’s all-time goal-scoring record for the Blues. Kerr confirmed that she would be leaving Stamford Bridge after six-and-a-half seasons, having scored 115 goals in 157 appearances across all competitions, including a club-record of 64 goals in the WSL.

National Women’s Soccer League

Kansas City Current 🩵 vs. Portland Thorns🌹(Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS/Paramount+)

A rematch of the 2022 NWSL Championship, which saw the Thorns achieve their third title, goes down this Sunday at CPKC Stadium. Third-place Portland have stumbled in form recently, falling 3-1 to Racing Louisville and drawing with Angel City 0-0 at home. The sixth-place Current are aiming to stretch their winning streak to four games as they continue to climb the standings after a bumpy early start to the season. 

San Diego Wave 🌊 vs. Orlando Pride 💜 (Sunday, 7 p.m. ET, Victory+)

San Diego’s hold on first place could face a challenge from Orlando this weekend. The ninth-place Pride have three defeats in their last four games, but former league MVP Barbra Banda is on a roll after scoring her sixth goal in five games over the weekend, and currently leading the NWSL Golden Boot race with nine goals this season. 

Queens Classic: Gotham 🦇 vs. Washington Spirit  💛 on July 15, 2026

This summer, Gotham FC will make history, hosting the first-ever women’s sporting event at Citi Field as they take on the Spirit in a rematch of the 2025 NWSL Championship. As part of this historic night, we’re excited to offer an exclusive 20% discount on tickets for members of the Men in Blazers/The Women’s Game community. Visit this site and use the code THEWOMENSGAME to unlock your seats.

This week’s question: Which WSL/WSL 2 team has been promoted and relegated the most times?

Respond to this email (or reply here) for a chance to win a coveted TWG patch.

Last week’s answer: With the FA Cup final on May 31, we asked: after the women’s competition debuted in 1971, which club went on to win eight titles and appear in 10 of the first 11 finals? And the answer was Southampton!

Congrats to Katie McCloskey, who was the first person to respond correctly. Katie, your patch is on its way! 💌

Christina writes: Hi Sam, I am an American living in New Zealand and I’m an avid soccer fan and an OG “Good Vibes” listener. I look forward to all the Women’s Game pods and love how you are growing your corner of the internet so intentionally. You have such a great rapport with your cohosts and your interviews are incredibly genuine, entertaining, and well done. When I listen to you and Kristie, I feel like I’m hanging out with my three millennial nieces 6,000 miles away who are also sisters and best friends. I am obsessed with the USWNT and always look forward to your post-game lives. I am also a very big NWSL fan and I’m so thankful for NWSL+ so I can catch every game ahead of your weekly wrap ups.

I want to let you know about an awesome soccer story from New Zealand. On Sunday, in front of a record breaking crowd of nearly 6,000, the Wellington Phoenix Women won their semi-final game in extra time against the Brisbane Roar to make it into the A-League Grand Final! It’s the first time a NZ team, men or women, have accomplished that! The crowd and atmosphere were epic and the players were, as always, incredibly gracious. After a very long, hard fought game, they greeted their fans for well over an hour! It was the most memorable Mother’s Day. Makayla Wood, one of three Americans on the Phoenix, played her final year of college soccer at the University of Kentucky and scored a brace in the 2-0 win (3-2 on aggregate). If you go to the Wellington Phoenix IG page, you can see all the amazing footage/images of their historic win. It is definitely worth your time because it is well and truly the epitome of Good Vibes FC!

Up the ‘Nix in the Grand Final on Saturday!!

Love from Christina and Pixel, my Cavoodle who is a soccer fan in her own right and watches all the games, cheers on my teen at her games, and is honestly a heckuva defender herself.

Sam writes: Hi Christina, First off, Happy belated Mother’s Day to you as a mom and as a dog mom to Pixel, which is the cutest name ever. Thank you for listening all the way from New Zealand, which I’m already a big fan of thanks to my friend Ali Riley. It means so much that the pod makes you feel more connected; that’s exactly the kind of energy we always hoped to put out when we started TWG.

I loved hearing about the Wellington Phoenix Women and their extraordinary, history‑making run to the A‑League Grand Final! Even though the result didn’t go their way against Melbourne City over the weekend, getting that far is huge, and I hope they can build on the experience and come back even stronger. Thanks for taking the time to write in! <3

Love,
Sam

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