Hope Solo announces she will be running for U.S. Soccer President

After U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati announced he won’t be running for a third term, Hope Solo becomes the second woman to join the race.

On Thursday, former U.S. women’s national soccer team goalkeeper Hope Solo announced that she will join the race for U.S. Soccer President.

Yes, you heard that right, Solo who has been on the outskirts of U.S. soccer since her suspension following last year’s Rio Olympic Games when she called the Swedish team “cowards,” is running. But, given the current climate of what has become a whirlwind of a year, can we honestly say we’re surprised by this? Can we honestly say we’re surprised by ANYTHING?

Solo has always been unpredictable, yet confident, so here we are. Solo will join a long list of candidates, now at nine, for the position and is just the second woman in the race, joining Kathy Carter.

Solo announced her decision to run for U.S. Soccer president via Facebook on Thursday.

"“I know exactly what U.S. Soccer needs to do, I know exactly how to do it, and I possess the fortitude to get it done,” Solo said in her Facebook post. “I have always been willing to sacrifice for what I believe in and I believe there is no greater sacrifice then fighting for equal opportunity, integrity and honesty, especially in an organization like the USSF that could give so much more to our communities across the nation.”"

Solo’s post was lengthy and thorough, setting up her qualifications with how her involvement in U.S. Soccer shaped her and where she sees it’s future. She organized her thoughts with four core principles.

Solo offers an interesting perspective with her direct involvement as a player on the women’s side, however the business and operations expertise that the other woman candidate running, Kathy Carter has, will be an area that Solo will have to thoroughly study.

Next: The future of U.S. Soccer is female

From the outside looking in, it is fair to speculate why someone who has been suspended and really deleted from scene of U.S. Soccer has any interest building it’s future. Solo went from an iconic career, the face and praise as the best goalkeeper in the U.S. to someone bogged down in the public eye by off-the-field trouble. With the national team, Solo had 202 appearances and notched 153 wins in net. She continues to claim the international record for shutouts with 102.

Even before Solo has a chance to “save” the day, she must receive three official nominations by Tuesday to run as an official candidate. Sports Illustrated’s Grant Wahl clarified on Thursday that Solo’s spokesperson says she already has the three official nominations needed.