After Sunday’s historic victory of the U.S. women’s soccer team securing their fourth World Cup win against the Netherlands, team member Jessica McDonald, 31, took the moment to celebrate with her 7-year-old son, Jeremiah.
In an Instagram post McDonald, who plays forward, reposted an image of her and Jeremiah on the field while he sprinkles her with celebratory confetti.
“We did it bud!!! #WorldChamps,” she wrote.
“He doesn’t fully understand, but at least he’s an age right now where he’s actually going to remember this,” McDonald told The Associated Press. “He’s going to look back and be like, ‘Wow, I was there. Wow, my mom is actually cool – like she said.’ ”
Out of the 23 women on the team, McDonald is the only one who adds “mom” to her list of accomplishments. And while she is the team’s solo mom, all of her teammates surround her with support and encouragement as she pursues her career as a full-time athlete.
“She’s always talking about how early she has to wake up to make sure Jeremiah is taken care of,” her teammate Crystal Dunn told AP. “I wake 10 minutes before training and I’m annoyed training gets pushed up earlier and earlier.”
“Hopefully, going forward, more women choose her route and not feel like they have to choose their career over having a family,” Dunn continued. “I think the new generation is going to feel like they have the option of doing both.”
The team will soon head to New York City on Wednesday for their congratulatory parade among thousands of supporters.
As the women secured four wins over the past 8 world cups, we hope the U.S. Soccer Federation sees fit to pay them their worth after such a victory. This is also so they can continue to support themselves and the families they so very treasure while pursuing their dreams.
Congrats to all the women on the Women’s National Team!