ESPN, City Team Up to Show Rare Soccer Footage

The following comes courtesy of the City of Mission Viejo:

ESPN and the City of Mission Viejo are teaming up to host an exclusive film premiere of “The 99ers” featuring rare footage of the US Women's World Cup Soccer Champions.

The free premiere takes place at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 9 on Mission Viejo's Village Green at Oso Viejo Park, 24932 Veterans Way.

Directed by Erin Leyden, the incredible documentary, one of the films from the Nine for IX series, follows the history-making action of July 10, 1999.  Before a sold-out crowd of more than 90,000 at the Rose Bowl and an estimated 40 million Americans watching on TV, the women's soccer team reached a cultural and athletic pinnacle with its penalty-kick shootout victory against China to win the Women's World Cup.

As told through the voice of a longtime team captain Julie Foudy (Mission Viejo’s 1996 “Home Town Hero”),  the film gives you an inside look at the strong team ethic and rare "do for each other" mentality that propelled the squad to victory and turned it into a cultural touchstone.

Candid, behind-the-scenes footage shot by the players during the tournament presents a unique portrait of the women who irrevocably changed the face of women's athletics.

Before the premiere at nightfall, the public will have the chance to interview three members of that iconic team – Olympic gold medalists Foudy, Shannon MacMillan and Joy Fawcett – as they discuss how women's soccer – and women's sports as a whole – has changed since that epic day.

Folks can bring a picnic dinner and low-back chairs. An autograph session will follow the film. 

For more information, call 949-470-3061.