Object Details
wearer
O'Hara, Kelley
maker
Nike, Inc.
Description (Brief)
"Champions" jersey is white with short sleeves with red and blue trim and patches on the sleeves and silly string remnants throughout. The number "5" is in blue on the front and the number "19" is in blue on the back of the jersey. This was worn by defender Kelley O'Hara for the gold medal ceremony immediately following the 2019 U.S. Women's National Soccer Team World Cup Final victory in Paris, France. The jersey is not a match-quality uniform but a replica, with "Champions" printed on the upper back where players' last names normally are printed. It is stained from alcohol and silly string sprayed during the ensuing locker-room celebration, from which videos were posted and went viral online.
O'Hara was wearing the jersey when she kissed her girlfriend in celebration after the match. The kiss went viral, as O'Hara was not among the team's openly queer players. In several interviews (including with the curator who acquired the jersey), O'Hara explicitly stated that the kiss was not planned and that she hoped it reflected a new era when queer people didn't have to announce "coming out" but rather could simply express their love spontaneously like heterosexual people.
Credit Line
Gift of Kelley O'Hara
date made
2019
ID Number
2020.0091.02
accession number
2020.0091
catalog number
2020.0091.02
Object Name
jersey
jersey, soccer
Physical Description
fabric, synthetic (overall material)
fabric, cotton (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 26 in x 19 in; 66.04 cm x 48.26 cm
See more items in
Culture and the Arts: Sport and Leisure
Sports & Leisure
Exhibition
Entertainment Nation
Exhibition Location
National Museum of American History
Data Source
National Museum of American History
name of sport
Soccer
web subject
Women
LGBTQ
Subject
LGBTQ Rights
Gay Rights
Link to Original Record
Record ID
nmah_2000309