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Sam Borden, ESPN Senior Writer
MARSEILLE, France — Korbin Albert‘s goal on Wednesday night was impressive enough. The celebration that followed, though, may have been just as meaningful.
Albert’s bullet of a strike from about 25 yards out was the difference in the U.S. women’s national team‘s 2-1 victory over Australia, as the 20-year-old Paris Saint-Germain midfielder scored her first international goal in unforgettable fashion.
Nearly all of her teammates then encircled Albert, embracing her and jumping up and down on the field of the Velodrome Stadium. Four months after Albert was criticized — and subsequently apologized for — sharing several anti-LGBTQIA+ videos on social media, it was a significant sequence for Albert on multiple levels.
On the goal itself, Albert admitted that “I actually closed my eyes and then I opened them, and I was like, ‘Oh my god, it went in.’
She added: “You’ve always dreamed of having those types of goals, and when you come to this level and you just do that thing that you dreamed about, it just feels very rewarding.”
But Albert also talked about how supportive new head coach Emma Hayes has been, both on the field and in using “tough love” to help her rebuild her standing with her teammates.
“We all know that she’s been through a lot with her actions and she’s someone who is truly sorry for what she’s done,” Hayes said after the game. “I’m a mother and my instinct is to protect, and I’m never ever going to change that, but I don’t tolerate [that], and we want an environment where people can feel they can be their self.”
Hayes continued, “She’s had to do a fair bit of growing up.”
Hayes obviously believes Albert can be a critical part of the USWNT going forward, and she worked her into each of the three group stage games in addition to spending time with her in training sessions to better show Albert how she can help the team win.
Always aggressive, Albert likes to let fly from distance whenever she can, and the connection she made with her shot against Australia left no doubt as it ripped into the upper corner of the goal.
Lindsey Horan, the U.S. captain, was right behind the play and said she was immediately certain — even if Albert wasn’t — where the ball was headed.
“I think when the ball leaves a foot like that and the spin is on it and the way she hit it, you just knew it was going in the back of the net,” Horan said. “I’m so proud of her, such a cool moment for her.”
However joyful the group was in that moment, it would be foolish to think that everything [and everyone] that was harmed by Albert’s posts is suddenly fixed by a superlative shot, and Hayes made clear that she’s told Albert that her growth as a person — and a teammate — will be a process.
Still, moments like these — mixed with genuine off-the-field efforts — will only help.
“She reminds me a lot of my mom,” Albert said of the way Hayes has helped her. “It’s really nice just to have her here and just teaching me and guiding me in every way — personally and on the soccer field. It’s really inspiring.”