Following the 2017 NWSL season, which saw the Orlando Pride qualify for the postseason for the first time, there were great expectations for the team in 2018. Instead, it’s been a disappointing season that culminated in the team’s elimination from playoff contention Saturday night. Featuring players of tremendous talent, it was a lack of cohesion that eventually doomed the Pride.
On paper, the Pride have one of the best teams in the NWSL. Featuring international stars like Alex Morgan, Marta, and Alanna Kennedy, a league championship should have been — and was — the goal of this star-studded team.