It’s a testament to Becky Sauerbrunn’s career that, when most think of Portland Thorns FC's central defender, they think of big things. Big, career defining things, piled up on a resume few players at her position have ever been able to rival. Multiple World Cups. An Olympic gold medal. A series of NWSL Best Defender honors as well as two championships in that league. As young defenders are growing up, they want to be Becky Sauerbrunn.
With that resume in mind, Sauerbrunn’s goals coming into 2020 were surprisingly, and perhaps refreshingly muted.
“I had a plan for myself that I was going to feel the waters out, see organically where I was within the team,” she remembered.