United States win gold in 2024 Olympic women’s football

Mallory Swanson (Hameltion, Wikimedia Commons)

The United States are back on top of the podium in women’s football. In the gold medal game of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, the United States blanked Brazil 1-0 on a second half goal by Mallory Swanson of Littleton, Colorado.

Swanson scored the lone goal in the 57th minute. It was her fourth goal of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, as she also scored two goals for the United States in their opening game, a 3-0 win over Zambia on July 25, and the game-winning goal in the 26th minute in a 4-1 United States win over Germany in Group B play on July 28.

In the tournament, Swanson led the United States in scoring with four goals, and was second overall. The only player with more goals in the Olympic women’s football tournament was Marie-Antoinette Katoto, who had five goals.

If you follow Major League Baseball in the United States, the last name of Swanson may sound familiar. In fact, Mallory Swanson’s husband Dansby Swanson, is the shortstop of the Chicago Cubs. Dansby Swanson won a World Series with the Atlanta Braves in 2021, and was a National League All-Star with the Braves in 2022 and Cubs in 2023. It should be noted that Mallory Swanson also plays professionally in Chicago, as she is a forward with the Chicago Red Stars of the National Women’s Soccer League.

In the Olympic bronze medal game, Germany defeated Spain 1-0 on a goal in the 65th minute on a penalty. That is when Giulia Gwinn scored the only goal of the game. The United States previously won gold in women’s football at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, the 2008 Olympic Games in  Beijing, and the 2012 Olympic Games in London.