Team USA women’s soccer team is on the verge of bagging a gold medal and ending their gold drought. The last time Team USA won gold in women’s soccer was during the 2012 London Olympics. And as they face off against Brazil on Saturday, two basketball stars who have placed their bet on the game to increase the thrill are the South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley and her former mentee, Kamilla Cardoso.

“Yooooooo @Kamillascsilva and I have a wager on this game. If she wins I wear a Brazilian jersey on the sideline for a game….if I win she wears during tunnel walk and IG live,” Staley tweeted on X. As per the tweet, Staley will be donning a Brazilian jersey if she loses the bet on the sidelines of the Parc des Princes stadium. However, if Cardoso loses the bet, she will have to wear the jersey during the tunnel walk in the WNBA and also show her followers the same during an Instagram live.

Though which side Staley and Cardoso are supporting is not clear, we might have a hint of their loyalties. Going by their roots, Cardoso was born in Brazil at Montes Claros on April 30, 2001. Now, we don’t have any further information on the bet. Meanwhile, at halftime, both teams are positioned at 0-0 and the game could go either way. Looks like it is going to be a last-minute thriller that will excite all fans.

As for Staley, she met Cardoso when the latter was on her way to choose colleges after high school. It would come as a surprise to many fans but USC wasn’t the first college on Cardoso’s mind. The 2x NCAA Champion committed to the Syracuse Orange women’s basketball team but once she got to South Carolina in 2021, the duo formed an inseparable bond, which can be often seen in their posts about each other. And their bond has only grown since Cardoso transitioned into the WNBA.

Dawn Staley values Kamilla Cardoso over A’ja Wilson

Cardoso was drafted as the third overall pick in this year’s WNBA by the Chicago Sky. Despite her transition into the cash-rich league, fans got an opportunity to see Staley’s ever-growing bond with her mentee, when in late June, Cardoso squared off against A’ja Wilson, who has also been coached by Staley in college. While the game was poised at 88-75 in the Aces’ favor, Wilson who is known for her blocks did one against Cardoso in the fourth quarter and Staley couldn’t hide her emotions.

Taking to social media, Staley quipped “Don’t do that to Kamilla… I’m gonna fight. I’m gonna fight. I’m gonna fight,” as per Greenville online. This particular instance showed that Staley still had only fond memories and words for Cardoso and her instinct was to protect her like a coach would do.

Thus, fans will be excited to see more instances of their close bond. As for the bet, it will be interesting to see who wins and who will have to complete the dare.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.