USA’s World Cup rock bottom was a downfall years in the making | Jeff Kassouf

The Americans were ahead of the pack for years. Then the rest of the world started to give the women's game the respect it deserves

Sunday will be remembered as the day the United States women's team hit rock bottom. In truth, it was a long time coming.

USA's last-16 elimination at the hands of Sweden in Melbourne marked their worst finish at a major tournament. The United States had won four of the last eight World Cups - including the last two - and had never finished worse than third.