Natalie Portman: How the ‘Godmother’ of Angel City FC brought women’s soccer to LA | espnW

ESPN’s Julie Foudy talks to actress Natalie Portman to find out how she was able to bring the top women of the entertainment industry together to form a NWSL club in Los Angeles in Angel City FC. From Eva Longoria, Jennifer Garner, Becky G, as well as tennis superstar Serena Williams, Natalie and Julie talk what the ambitions are behind LA’s newest soccer club and their plans to elevate women’s soccer to “prime time” viewing.
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[@Nobodyyoucarabout]

Padme started a football team.

[@koreankid1011]

It’s Fútbol

[@satanshameer690]

@@koreankid1011 that's spanish

[@NoCluYT]

Because of obiwan?

[@mmmunick2996]

Dont let your som go to the games, shes a predator.

[@bmann5260]

Last person I expected to see on this channel.

[@denisherlock3023]

and probably still similar in terms of football knowledge

[@23dbz]

I thought she was going to start a pod racing team 😞

[@TruthC03]

I'm sure all 7 of their fans are excited

[@seanodonogh1184]

Being pretty generous there

[@abiodunodeleye7984]

Ok, Einstein

[@jasonsmith8500]

Wait fans.... you mean bots

[@audrey9016]

They know it's financially meaningless. they are just interested in having their social justice badge of honor.

[@lisagreen714]

Wow you just sound like a guy who is seriously uninformed about the sport of women's soccer. You can so easily be proven petty and wrong.

[@charlespeligroso8706]

I think it's going to work. One of the factors is that it is forming organically, instead of the league manufacturing a team via the establishment.

[@dillonswarath3541]

Im in love cause natalie is into football omgg

[@theprogamerz2895]

yeah same I love that so much

[@jtmr.1645]

Padme😍😍😍

[@River87-]

I love it! Can’t wait

[@bcpac]

Muchas gracias! Thank you! Pro women are mothers of daughters or sons who might love the beautiful game I love, futbol. Gracias mi amor.

[@TannerBubba66]

So this is why David made Natalie a part owner. Lol

[@agoodamerican614]

"Beckham-kin I have the high ground"

[@BennoYaKnow22]

I like that natalie criticize Israel gorgeous woman too.

[@davidt3956]

Just about every supporter of Israel criticizes it. The problem is the antisemites who lie about Israel and refuse to admit anything good.

[@alibabar864]

@@davidt3956 Bro when there was no state of Israel before World War 2.What is the basis for forming a country on another people's land and bringing displaced Jews from Europe and giving them right to form an oppressor state on another country land?

[@davidt3956]

@@alibabar864 I'll also add that one easy way to recognize an antisemite is on an article about women's soccer, you folks start whining about Israel because the person being interview is a Jew or Israeli. You can't stay on topic, you just stick with hatred, ignorance and lies.

[@alibabar864]

@@davidt3956 I don't hate Jews.I am not an anti Israeli.When defenders of Israeli army and government will stop their atrocities against Palestinians and apologise for their mistakes I will stop criticising Israel and Jews.

[@davidt3956]

@@alibabar864 Yes, my child, you do hate Jews. You lie about Jews and Israel because your faith tells you to do so. You do that in every post. "Atrocities"? You mean like the Arabs rejected peace, equality and democracy by rejecting UNR181 to wage a 70+ year long war that uses terror as a regular tool? Yeah, those atrocities are good, because Islam says they're good. Again, you continue with something completely off topic to the article, which is about football, because you're antisemitic.

[@KidFlash8294]

God I love Natalie Portman.

[@rashidjurgens9992]

THIS IS INCREDIBLE WTH

[@ani4226]

Natalie 💓💓💓

[@Duke898]

Her husband is impressed, most impressed.

[@ununseptium7961]

Women's football is very marketable and fun to watch.

[@taufikislam5170]

No one would even bothered take free tickets even if offered; that's how marketable it is!!!! To have fun there are stand up comedies.

[@mmmunick2996]

Its extremly boring, people just say its fun because it is the political corect openion.

[@ununseptium7961]

@@mmmunick2996 I can see it being boring for a neutral, but not for fans.

[@mmmunick2996]

@@ununseptium7961 it is boring for everyone

[@samarv6520]

Wait America get Natalie to talk on their show. And we get bums like Stevie? Ffs.

[@agoodamerican614]

whoa, nichols is football royalty Mr Shelby

[@Extra-dg7uv]

"Throw in coach!!!"

[@mystikkrap]

Comparing a guest appearance from a Hollywood celebrity talking about social justice rather than football to an ex pro talking about matches and tactics.. Is everything alright up there?

[@bigaluk1980]

Great stuff more of this. Women’s football is on the rise but will they be able to tempt the best players from the English league.

[@saminafazlani1580]

👏👏👏

[@user-fh8tk4sp2e]

Where is Anakin?

[@mchannel1365]

Wooow Natalie 😍 I never get over your smartness and on top how cute you are J'habite a Paris , tu souviens ? 😏

[@rattleheadftg]

PADME 😩❤️

[@alibabar864]

I prefer to watch Marta of Brazil or Allyze Perry than any other female football star.

[@davidt3956]

Too many movies, Natalie. The people on the team don't have "superpowers", they have skills that are often ignored because of who they are.

[@Delboy0]

Come on Nat, Abby Wambach didn't earn much money because she dominated a sport where most of the world was amateur, she isn't going to get the same money as Ronaldo when the US is the only country country that takes female football seriously, meaning the there is nowhere near the money in the female game. Let's be honest the US players are not actually technically good and just win by pure athleticism and fitness due to American collegiate system, which is a well funded and more professionalism development system in a largely amateur sport. This funding headstart is the only reason the US dominate. Only in the last 2 or 3 years have other countries started to put money into female football and you can see the 50 year gap closing in the last 2 years. This means in 5 years the US team will not be a top team anymore and let's see if the media coverage holds in the US when the US team is not winning.

[@taufikislam5170]

@@DarthSathion You're the ignorant and delusional one to think that Abby can even touch the level of Ronaldo's left leg alone.

[@trugambit7484]

Will be giving tickets away very soon and no one will go

[@lisagreen714]

Bahahahahahaha! Don't you look like a fool?

[@alibabar864]

How come American women are the best in the world and Brazilian or English or other European women are not as good at football?

[@alibabar864]

@Lone Done Brother despite your thought I love watching Marta of Brazil and regard her as the greatest footballer of all time.She is like a clone of Ronaldinho in a woman's body.

[@bfcclarets4694]

Cause it’s a mans sport in England, you never get girls playing it in school they just sit and watch. No one is sexist that’s just the girls choice in our country

[@nottoomuch87]

@@alibabar864 And they just lost their second coming of Marta to the U.S. 21 yo Catarina Macario moved from Brazil to the U.S. at the age of 12 because there were no opportunities for young girls to play competitive soccer. She attends Stanford University and has declined every invitation to play for Brazil because she wants to play for the USWNT. She's currently participating in their camp. Her childhood idol? Mia Hamm, not Marta. That fact is crazy seeing as how she wasn't even born when the U.S. won the wc in 1999. She was like 5 when Mia retired.

[@nottoomuch87]

The U.S. focuses more on finishing in the final 3rd of the field. They won't ever play the technically beautiful soccer that France/spain/Brazil women play but they are the best clinical finishers and that is why they are so successful because at the end of the day, if you don't put the ball in the back of the net all that beautiful soccer goes to waste. Brazil and France know a great deal about that seeing as how they can never beat the U.S. in major competitions despite being technically superior. France and Brazil have never even won a single major competition despite being the two most technically gifted teams ever on the women's side.

[@alibabar864]

@@nottoomuch87 That won't change the fact that she is Brazilian and not actually from USA.I have got nothing against USA.I am one of those football fans who watches both men's and women's football but it doesn't feel right if someone flbelonging to a country goes on to play for another country.I don't like to see this happening in cricket,football,tennis,rugby or any other sport.

[@seanodonogh1184]

Talk about football not agendas maybe then people would watch

[@Yky-xh7ej]

True

[@Delboy0]

let's be honest the covid has killed soccer in the US because the biggest thing soccer had over the American sports is the crowd and without the crowd MLS is unwatchable. Women's soccer will soon be dead too because England's WSL has the money the pretigious clubs to attract the best players. Female US soccer will not get anywhere near the coverage when European teams catch up in professionalism and surpass them technically. The US media are only interested in the USWNT because title 9 has given them 50 year headstart on professionalism on the rest of the world so they win all the time, but when they stop winning the US media will not care about them. I'm coming with facts not rampant sexism.

[@wordsinahandle]

The best us women's players will play in Europe as well.

[@wordsinahandle]

@That Guy but broadcast in Asia and rest of the world needs to then be considered by MLS and let's not forget investment and exposure in European teams is more.

[@bfcclarets4694]

@That Guy it’s not about just the money and investments, it’s about playing the highest level to reach your best potential. It’s like if a 17 year old messi joined the mls he would’ve never got the stage he’s at now, all the best coaching, facilities, teams are in Europe it’s basically impossible to change that due to the men’s football.

[@Manuel-uf6sr]

Stupid name. They should have went with LAFC, just like the European women’s team.

[@logirex]

That would be boring AF..

[@12rasengan]

This is better than the two drama players from the nationa team .

[@vivekbiswas5541]

STOP CALLING IT SOCCER PLSSSSS🙏🙏

[@temporaryuseraccount0012]

Why does it bother you so much? Even in England (the place football was invented,) we still casually call it 'soccer.' It's not calling it soccer that's the issue, it's the fact that what they call 'Football' bears no resemblance to the term, since the foot barely touches the ball in 'American Football.' Handball would be a better term, if that wasn't already another sport. 'American Football' should instead be renamed 'American Carryball' or just 'American Rugby'.

[@mystikkrap]

Natalie's calling it the most popular sport in the world. Sorry but I think you have to make an important distinction between the men and women's game. If market forces truly are stronger than what the female athletes are making then fair enough make your own league, promote it, go to town with it. But I sensed a touch of disingenuousness in this conversation when it came to the usual topics about female athletes not getting their fair due. Think maybe Natalie doesn't realize just how popular the men's game is in comparison to the women's.

[@shanebehn1193]

Who watches women’s professional sports

[@lisagreen714]

Women and men with millions and billions of dollars around the world silly.

[@helloareyouthere9992]

It’ll flop.

[@lisagreen714]

You know you look petty, silly, and grossly uninformed about the sport of women's soccer right?

[@debbieelder5140]

Push liberal agenda wherever ESPN can

[@PeskeyStrider2]

Am sure you would be just fine if it was the right wing conservative pushing there agenda right?

[@lisagreen714]

Wow women like you can just stay in your little home of misogyny and stop trying to opine about what you know nothing about.

[@AVERUNS]

All the incels coming here to hate. If you don’t like women’s soccer then don’t click on a video about it

[@TruthC03]

What's even funnier is the incel simps defending them. Pathetic

[@Wizza11]

@@TruthC03 Its not womans soccer its the BS of all these hollywood stars and BS stuff these guys talk about. Like honestly they live in a different world to the rest of society.

[@kadarabdullahi]

@@Wizza11 Then don't click on the video and live a happy life 🤷

[@TruthC03]

@@Wizza11 Totally agree. I'm obviously fine with women playing soccer, couldn't care less. But the pandering, the whining, and the lying they do because theyre greedy is such a turn off.

[@AVERUNS]

@@TruthC03 I don’t watch women’s soccer so that’s why I don’t click on videos about them. But I clicked on it this one time to see losers like yourself with nothing better to do than hate.

[@audrey9016]

Women's soccer is like an NGO charity project, investors will pump in money without any return on their investment. Even the investors know, they are just interested in having their a social justice badge of honor.

[@lisagreen714]

Wow aren't you proven so very wrong!

[@mmmunick2996]

Womans sports is just boring, face it, that Sarah Gordon chick is hot tho 🤣

[@shadowbanbaitaccount7874]

The 'Natalie Portman' half of the screen, genuinely looks like a typical 'deepfake,' with the usual fuzziness of pixels around the face. Are ESPN punking us with a deepfake impersonator here?

[@frog1624]

Go back to the kitchen

[@nikosvault]

but your mom is there already?