My name is Elisabeth "Lis" Schendel, and this is my WoSo Dream Team. Now, this isn't my best XI, a list made up of the top players who play in their positions (in my opinion). This is a team of players I'd want to play on a club team with, whether it's because I dream of lobbing a long ball to them or because they have the personality that would make practices, gym day, and game day memorable. And a side note: my preferred formation is a 4-3-3 (Pep did it best in Barcelona) due to its flexibility and the fact that my Dream Team consists of players who are proven to be effective in a counter attack.

Goalkeeper - Christiane Endler, PSG, Chilean National Team

Endler makes my WoSo Dream Team but I also would guess she'd make a few Best XIs as well. Her agility and composure in front of the net makes up for her lack of height (5'9'' is arguably pretty average for goalkeepers in pro women's soccer), and her leadership skills and eye for an attack make her one of the best possession-style keepers in the women's game to compliment our 4-3-3. I'd love to have her at my back as I take up one of my favorite and, in my opinions, least appreciated positions--center back. More on that later.

Right fullback - Ona Batlle, Manchester United, Spain National Team

Batlle is relatively young, the youngest on my WoSo Dream Team, and has only barely broken out into the Spanish Women's National Team. However, in only 8 appearances for Manchester United, she's already proven to be one of the most exciting rookies to emerge in the world, with her ability to progress up the field quickly and drop back to make efficient tackles and game-saving clearances. She's the perfect right fullback to partner with my equally pacy left fullback, Crystal Dunn. More on that later

Centerback - Me

Yes, this is where I've placed myself, in the very unsexy position of centerback. But what if I told you that the centerback is the last line of defense between an attacker and the goalkeeper? What if the goalkeeper has advanced out of the box to sweep and is the only hope to defend the box if the attacker swerves the keeper and moves to chip the ball over their head? Goal line clearances are pretty sexy, in my opinion. In a 4-3-3, two solid CBs are vital, so your centerbacks can confidently advance up the field at a moment's notice, knowing their CBs have their back. With my CB partner, leadership and communication will be the most important skills to possess, and I believe the two of us would own it. I also just love tackling.

Centerback - Becky Saurebrunn, Portland Thorns, USWNT

My partner on the backline is none other than Captain Broon herself. On January 17th, 2021, Coach Andonovski announced Becky Saurebrunn would deservedly be receiving the captain's armband again, to much fanfare, and deservedly so. Becky has been dubbed the NWSL Defender of the year four times since the NWSL's inaugural season, has an Olympic gold medal, two FIFA World Cups, and two NWSL championships. One of the most well-respected players in the game, men or women (and you can quote me on that), there's no one else I'd rather have as my captain and partner in crime in front of the goalkeeper.

Left fullback - Crystal Dunn, Portland Thorns, USWNT

Crystal Dunn continues to be one of the most underappreciated players in the game. A natural attacker, she was converted to a fullback for country much to her chagrin, but is projected (per Merritt Paulson) to have an attacking role in Portland when she first takes to the field for them this coming season. On my WoSo Dream Team, I've kept her on the backline (don't tell her, she'd hate me) because I can't fathom having anyone else in that spot. With her speed, physicality, high soccer IQ, and chemistry with Sauerbrunn, our counter attack would be honestly unstoppable.

Right mid - Sam Mewis, Manchester City, USWNT

Mewis has been balling since she first put on cleats, probably, and is the ultimate player to have in your midfield. At 6 feet tall, her head is a target for my longball, another important person for the opposition's defenders to mark, and a very physically strong person to go in and win balls in the midfield to send throughballs to your forward line. She also eats cereal in glass goblets and has a cute dog, and I love that.

Defensive mid/6 - Julie Ertz, Chicago Red Stars, USWNT

Oh, another USWNT player on my WoSo Dream Team? Well, it's my WoSo Dream Team, so I'm thoroughly entitled to play with whomever I want in my dreams! Julie Ertz is one of the greatest DMs in the world, a fact that's backed up by her two World Cups, her winning FIFA FIFPro World 11 in 2015 and 2019, US POTY in 2019, her various POTM awards over the years. If you look at a heat map from the 2019 World Cup, every team that played against the USWNT has a black hole in the center of the US defensive half, and that's where Julie Ertz resided in her eternal mode of Beast. She's also super cool and her husband is one of my favorite tight ends in the NFL.

Left mid - Alexia Putellas, FC Barcelona, Spain National Team

Technically gifted, a playmaker and goal scorer, comfortable in the front or in the midfield and a part of the attack, Alexia Putellas is someone you bring with you to any big game. She's also, reportedly, a locker room leader, whose personality and leadership skills can mean all the difference when your 4-3-3 is exhausted and trying to get one goal in against a 5-back bunker. A product of FC Barcelona's academy, she has the experience and grit, and is one of my favorite players to watch in the game.

Right wing - Tobin Heath, Manchester United, USWNT

Another United player?? Oops, and she's not the last one too. Heath has been red hot in a Manchester red jersey since joining last September, and honestly has been one of my favorite players since her and I were both in our late teens. It's been fun growing up with her and seeing her mature into the leader that she so obviously is today. Her passion and tenacity is well-known, but maybe not as well-known as her world class playmaking ability, creative crosses, tekker mentality, and nutmegging talent. In a 4-3-3, as evidenced in Jill Ellis' USWNT, she's the type of player you want on the front to not only add to an attack but also draw defenders. And most recently in Vlatko's aggressive high press, she's the type of player you want to make challenges and win balls in your attacking third.

Center forward - Marie-Antoinette Katoto, PSG, French National Team

Literally no matter what your formation is, who your opponent is, or what you playstyle is, MAK is the one person I want at the center of my attack. She is ruthless, her finishing abilities for someone of her age are practically unparalleled, and her spatial awareness and ability to involve her teammates in a goal are surprising given her obvious hunger for getting the ball into the net. I firmly believe if Diacre brought her in 2019, we'd have a different World Cup winner that year. Her speed and fitness and ability to time runs are also vital in a counterattack, especially when you have players like Dunn and Batlle in the back ready to send some balls over our opponents' heads, and your two high-assist wingers are ready to target your center forward or pounce on goals of their own.

Left wing - Christen Press, Manchester United, USWNT

And last but not least, another Manchester United and USWNT player. It's as though I'm a fan or something? Christen Press is someone I've also watched since she was in college, playing for my favorite NCAA WoSo team, Stanford. Her finishing skills, golazos, speed (Jill Ellis claimed she was the fastest on the team with the ball), and also her ability to punish defenses that give her space make her someone I desperately want to see play on the front with Katoto. Her chemistry with Heath on the other side of Katoto means they can target each other as well, and time runs that create more options for your midfield and their through balls. I also just want to be her teammate, because her yogi mentality and love of meditation really vibes with me. She's had a rough year in Manchester and doesn't quite fit their system as their 9 (a controversial decision by Casey, some would say) but I'd put her in as a left wing/11 on my dream team because watching her punish defenders when given too much space fills me with so much joy.

Thanks for reading my WoSo Dream Team! As I've said before, this isn't a Best XI, in my opinion, but a list of players I'd love to ball with. If you have any disagreements, feel free to DM me so we can argue about this for hours and hours on end.