“We do a lot of work back there that goes unnoticed,” boldly remarked Naomi Girma after securing a runner-up place in the 2024 ESPN FC Top 50 Women’s Soccer Players ranking. Consider it a subtle jab from the American defender at the Ballon d’Or after being left off the nomination list. But beyond that, her words shed light on a bigger issue that often gets overlooked—the brilliance of defenders, who don’t rack up goals but instead shape victories with perfectly timed tackles. While this remains an underappreciated skill to this day, Seth Meyers was bold enough to call out the imbalance, though it came at the cost of sparking an on-air debate between Emily Sonnett and Midge Purce.
To set the scene, both USWNT stars made a guest appearance in the latest episode of The Late Night with Seth Meyers. During the brief chat, the American television host confirmed which of the players played at what positions. Hearing the responses, Meyers questioned which pos is more difficult to master, to which Migde Purce quickly replied, “Forward is harder.”
Though the host acknowledged the forward’s claim, he did make an interesting observation, saying, “First of all, I would say, I always feel bad for defenders because anytime there’s a goal, the goalie always points to the defender as if it’s their fault. You know what I mean? The minute there’s a goal, they’re like…[makes questioning gesture]”
Defenders don’t get enough credit. Right, @sethmeyers? pic.twitter.com/enkbEl7Pqo
— Late Night with Seth Meyers (@LateNightSeth) July 25, 2025
This saw Emily Sonnett break her silence as well, agreeing with the American comedian to add, “Yeah, I mean, you could be playing the best game of your life, but that one moment…your fault. The stakes are higher…” It almost felt like a symphony of shared frustration, as Meyers chimed in, pointing out how goalkeepers often shift blame by saying, “This would never have happened if they [had defended well]…”
Hilariously, Meyers urged defenders that next time a goalkeeper tries to pin the blame on them, they should simply point at the keeper’s hands and say, “You should have used these.” That only encouraged Sonnett to open up further, noting that with today’s forwards becoming increasingly dynamic and fast, it’s getting harder for defenders to keep up.
Then again, hearing this, Purce clarified her statement, insisting that forwards are “more volatile as people, as personalities,” which makes it harder for them to be consistent in terms of scoring opportunities.
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