The ‘99ers: What We Know About the US Women’s Soccer Team Movie

Is The ’99ers the next A League of Their Own? It’s been a minute since we’ve gotten a truly great movie about women’s sports. Most tend to focus on individuals, like King Richard, about Venus and Serena Williams’ father, or the Harding biopic I, Tonya. Team sport movies are few and far between, but Netflix’s next adaptation of a true story all millennials will remember is getting us excited.

Based The Girls of Summer: The US Women’s Soccer Team and How It Changed the World by New York Times journalist Jeré Longman’s book, The ‘99ers follows the iconic 1999 USWNT team that defied the odds for a World Cup win that spawned a thousand bedroom posters. It’s set to be directed by Nicole Kassell from a script written by Katie Lovejoy, Dana Stevens, and Peter Hedges.

Here’s everything we know so far:

Who were the so-called ’99ers?

The 1999 Women’s United States National Soccer Team was comprised of 20 athletes, with the lead goal-scorers being Mia Hamm, Michelle Akers, and Kristine Lilly. The starting goalkeeper was Briana Scurry, and the (spoiler?) winning shot during the penalty shoot-out was scored by Brandi Chastain, who gave us this iconic image:

PASADENA, : Brandi Chastain of the US celebrates after kicking the winning penalty shot to win the 1999 Women’s World Cup final against China 10 July 1999 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. The US won 5-4 on penalty kicks. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE) AFP PHOTO/Roberto SCHMIDT (Photo credit should read ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images)ROBERTO SCHMIDT/Getty Images

With two women already cast, we have a sense of who the movie will focus on, but we don’t know for sure. 20 lead characters would be… a lot.

The 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup was the most-watched women’s-only sporting event, and the final match between the US and China provided a tense and dramatic conclusion that made stars of the team.

Who is in the cast?

The first role to be announced was My Lady Jane star Emily Bader as Mia Hamm, and fans were immediately on board given the two women’s facial similarities.