Christina Unkel & Lori Lindsey on the Perils of Speaking Out, Protest, and Berger’s Epic Save

In this episode of The Soccer Podcast USA, Christina Unkel and Lori Lindsey connect the dots between protests across women’s sports—from the WNBA All-Star shirts and the USWNT’s equal pay campaign to the emotional stand taken by Brazilian players at Copa América. Christina shares a personal story about the real consequences of speaking out as a FIFA referee—and how leaving that role gave her the freedom to use her voice. Lori breaks down Ann-Katrin Berger’s gravity-defying save at the Euros 2025 quarterfinals and the mentality behind elite goalkeeping. Plus: a guest cancellation turns into a poop story, All-Star Games get a fashion makeover, and how culture, courage, and sport keep colliding in 2025.⏱️ Time‑Coded Highlights:00:00 – No guest this week—just Lori, Christina, and a poop emergency 💩 01:14 – Shoutout to Jill Loyden: advocate, goalkeeper, and game-changer 03:39 – Christina: “I still feel like an imposter—even after winning a championship” 04:50 – Tampa Bay Sun's players get a five-week mental reset before the new season 06:29 – Can we revive the I-4 Derby? Fans want it, Florida needs it 07:11 – Euros shine, AFCON & Copa lag behind—why global women's soccer isn’t equal 08:17 – Lori: “It’s disheartening and infuriating—enough is enough” 10:06 – Christina on U.S. vs global disparities: “Some are fighting for rights, some for water” 11:42 – What real accountability would look like in international women’s football 13:21 – Christina couldn’t even get into WNBA All-Star events: “Women’s sports? Sold out.” 15:29 – From Pacers to Fever: How fans grow into women’s sports—and profit from it 17:11 – Lori: “You speak out together—because there’s power in numbers” 19:02 – Christina: “I was retaliated against for advocating as a referee” 22:13 – Giving voice to the voiceless: why Christina went into TV 24:47 – Copa América Femenina: talent, emotion, chaos—and not enough support 26:27 – VAR, adrenaline, and Berger’s epic save vs France 🔥 29:27 – Lori on Sweden’s PK meltdown: “They didn’t even practice penalties?” 31:52 – Lucy Bronze wraps her own leg mid-match. Is this the new normal? 33:01 – “The best save I’ve ever seen”—why Berger’s moment is already iconic 34:21 – A cancer survivor at 34, Berger proves greatness has no age limit 35:53 – Can elite goalkeepers let teams play riskier, higher lines? 36:43 – Lori on tournament burnout: “You crash—then you rise again” 39:26 – Christina: “You can’t sneak out anymore—being a women’s footballer means fame” 39:48 – All-Star Games: fashion, culture, and zero defense 🏀 41:32 – Why All-Star weekends matter: cross-pollination, merch, and megawatt panels 44:07 – Would you rather play the best of your league—or a global powerhouse? 46:29 – Lori’s tournament reset: semi-finals, Copa, and then…NWSL returns 47:28 – Christina: “Boxing Day is sacred. Let’s keep it that way.” 🎁 48:05 – Tactics on the wall? Nah, just hotel art—kind of 😄 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.