Picture this: You have a FIFA World Cup final to play tomorrow. But hold on; there’s a catch. On the same day, a crucial event demands your utmost presence. What would you choose? Well, the typical answer for many, of course, would be to play in the prestigious final. So, it’s no surprise that she was left in tears when USWNT star Tara McKeown faced a similar yet slightly different dilemma.

To set the scene, the Washington Spirit defender was set to play a crucial NWSL playoff match on Saturday, November 9, 2024, against Bay FC. However, her sister Caitlyn had scheduled her wedding for Friday, November 8. Now, of course, either of the events required her utmost presence. However, McKeown was eventually left to make a difficult choice. She ultimately missed one of the most crucial days of her sister’s life as the defender focused on preparing for the game.

In fact, not only was this decision hard, but it also came with a lot of emotional toll. “It was definitely a heavy weekend for me,” began McKeown while catching up with journalist Craig Hoffman on his segment Hoffman Women’s Sports. “Just going into the game, I was already stressed out honestly because the night before, I missed one of the biggest days of my sister’s life.”

Well, missing out on the wedding was one thing; heck, it even turned out favorable as McKeown turned out to be a hero in that game. Both the Spirit and Bay were struggling to find goals at Audi Field for more than the hour mark. It was finally in the 82nd minute, Asisat Oshoala broke the deadlock for the away side. A goal down kept the Spirit on the brink of being knocked out of the playoffs race.

However, McKeown was able to inspire a comeback for her side in under 5 minutes. The 25-year-old leveled the score by drilling a low shot that lodged into the side netting. Literally, 10 minutes later, the Spirits secured a winner thanks to an own goal that was forced off by Bay defender Caprice Dydasco. The final whistle blew as the Spirit progressed to the next round with a 2-1 win.

It was nothing short of an emotional rollercoaster for McKeown. While she felt the sadness of missing her sister’s wedding, she also experienced the joy of leading her team to a crucial playoff win. This emotional whirlwind led the defender to shed tears during the post-match interview, even though her sister was completely supportive, celebrating McKeown’s heroic moment for her club.

“There was a lot of emotion in the game. Then just when I brought up missing my sister’s wedding, tears came, emotion came. But yeah, it was great to see just all the love I got from her. She obviously still supported me either way,” added McKeown.

If this isn’t the essence of family, then what else would be? No wonder they say, everything happens for a reason. But we reckon that not just McKeown—any player would hope to avoid getting caught in a similar predicament. For now, she is gearing up for something special!

Tara McKeown braces for USWNT remarkable debut 

Emma Hayes has called up the University of Southern California graduate for the upcoming SheBelieves Cup tournament. This could mark McKeown’s first-ever appearance for her beloved nation. In fact, she has a golden opportunity to solidify her place in future camps if things turn out in her favor. Well, part of her call-up credit goes to the unfortunate absence of Naomi Girma.

The Chelsea star is among the key players unavailable at Hayes’ disposal due to injury issues. Notably, Tara was also included in the recent January camp, where players and coaches don’t participate in any tournaments or friendly matches. Instead, they focus on tactical fundamentals, also giving a chance to players for showcasing their skills to stand out.

Either way, it’s quite remarkable that Tara McKeown has finally received her much-anticipated call-up. Hopefully, she isn’t sacrificing something crucial back home again while embracing this special moment for her nation!