Ex-junior star Johnston erases doubts, becomes key cog for U.S.
EDMONTON, Alberta — After leading the United States to the women’s Under-20 world soccer championship in 2012, Julie Johnston met Christie Rampone, a fellow center back and the longtime captain of the senior national team.
“You’ll be here,” Rampone told Johnston at a training session of senior players in Arizona. Johnston laughed. “Maybe one day,” she said.
Rampone sensed the uncertainty in Johnston’s voice.
“Don’t doubt yourself,” Rampone said in a mentoring moment caught on video.
Unlikely revelation
Johnston always answered with a reflexive “yes” when asked if she dreamed of playing in the World Cup. But she did not fully believe in herself, and she did not completely understand the dedication required to be among the world’s top players.
“I don’t think I was ever so convinced that it was a possibility for me,” Johnston said.
When coach Jill Ellis named her roster for the World Cup qualifying tournament last fall, Johnston was not included. But an injury left an opening on the back line, and Johnston got a late call-up. Even so, she did not play a minute in five qualifying matches.
Eight months later, Johnston has become an unlikely revelation as the United States faces Colombia on Monday in the round of 16 of the Women’s World Cup. She has supplanted Rampone in the lineup this year, and in a 1-0 victory over Nigeria on Tuesday, Johnston was named the player of the match after tracking back to smother a breakaway and having a goal disal- lowed by a disputed offside call.
On what was supposed to be a team with abundance at forward, the U.S. attack has grown fallow for long stretches. Defense grew into a vital, salvaging force in group play in victories over Australia and Nigeria and a tie against Sweden.
Anchored by Hope Solo in goal and Johnston and Becky Sauerbrunn in central defense, the United States has not conceded a goal in 243 minutes.
“To me, Julie is the story of the tournament,” said Julie Foudy, a star midfielder on the last U.S. team to win the World Cup, in 1999. “She just needed a chance to get confident. I think she’s been the best player on the U.S. team.”
At 23, the 5-7 Johnston is the second-youngest player on the U.S. roster. She has made only 15 international appearances, including 10 since March. She may not be a classic center back, as Sauerbrunn is, having not played the position full time until the U-20 World Cup in 2012. Yet Johnston has excelled with communication along the back line, tactical awareness and anticipation, winning balls in the air, cutting off angles of attack and tackling assertively but not clumsily.
Before the tournament, there was concern about Johnston’s speed and about how Sauerbrunn might have to adjust to playing alongside such a relative newcomer instead of Rampone, now a reserve, who has made 307 international appearances and is participating in her fifth World Cup.
“Julie is not going to be one of the fastest players, but she has a gift that few players have even at this level — her agility,” Smith said. “If you’re talking stop, start, left, right — Julie’s off the charts, like Steph Curry with his agility,” a reference to the NBA’s most valuable player.
‘I needed to grow up’
In 2014, Johnston was drafted in the first round by the Chicago Red Stars of the National Women’s Soccer League. Yet she was an afterthought when Ellis began drafting her plans for the World Cup.
“I don’t think I really understood what it took to be at that level,” she said. “I wasn’t a professional yet. I needed to grow up, to push myself harder.”
When an injury to Crystal Dunn created an opening on the back line last fall, Johnston was brought in the day before the qualifying tournament, though she did not play. She soon joined teammate Carli Lloyd in working with personal coach James Galanis in New Jersey.
“I think he just instilled confidence in her, and made her believe that not only could she be a starter on this team, but she could do really well,” Lloyd said. “I think prior to this, she had just thought, ‘I’ll just wait for my turn and maybe get a chance.’ Now she’s actually gone after it and seized her moment.”