The Rose Bowl in Pasadena will unveil a statue this week dedicated to an iconic moment in U.S. sports history: the 1999 World Cup win by the U.S. women’s national team at the Pasadena stadium.
That statue is set to be dedicated 20 years from the day when Brandi Chastain scored the U.S. team’s final penalty kick to defeat China and win the tournament in front of a crowd of more than 90,000.
The moment – including Chastain immediately tearing off her shirt in triumph – was game changing for many young female soccer players, including those on the team that brought the country its historic fourth Women’s World Cup trophy on Sunday.
“That moment … was such unbridled joy. I think it really planted the seed in me to never tamp down, ever, anything,” said pink-haired U.S. star Megan Rapinoe. Rapinoe won the Golden Boot as the 2019 France tournament’s top scorer, and the Golden Ball as best player.
The 1999 team and Chastain’s performance “inspired a global generation of young female athletes to strive for equality and greatness,” the stadium said in an invitation to the unveiling.
At the free, public event at 11 a.m. Wednesday, the Rose Bowl will dedicate the commemorative statue, its second.
The nearly century-old stadium in 2017 dedicated a statue to Pasadena native and color barrier-breaking baseball icon Jackie Robinson, honoring his UCLA football days.
The Rose Bowl’s board is expected to vote Monday on whether to host the kick-off game for the U.S. women’s national team victory tour on Aug. 3, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The #rosebowl is incredibly honored to have the opportunity to dedicate a first of its kind statue dedicated to the 1999 @USWNT winning #worldcup soccer team! Register for this FREE public event here: https://t.co/ERRPI8Nk0P #WorldCupfinal #champions ⚽️ 🏆 pic.twitter.com/qFm8UM27Id
— Rose Bowl Stadium (@RoseBowlStadium) July 8, 2019