Julie Ertz
Julie Ertz redefined the defensive midfielder role with ferocious tackles and unmatched grit, becoming the indispensable engine of two World Cup-winning US teams.
Born 1992 (age 34)·American soccer player·Birthday: April 6·Millennials
Biography
Julie Ertz didn't just play soccer; she imposed her will on it. Converting from a collegiate center-back at Santa Clara, she stormed into the US women's national team and transformed the defensive midfielder position into a one-woman fortress. Her game was built on a breathtaking physicality—fearless in tackles, dominant in the air, and relentless in breaking up opposition attacks. This tenacity made her the crucial connective tissue between defense and attack for the US during their 2015 and 2019 World Cup triumphs. On the club level, she was the heart of the Chicago Red Stars for nearly a decade, leading them to multiple NWSL championship finals. Her career, marked by a series of punishing injuries she consistently battled back from, culminated in a final season with Angel City FC before her 2023 retirement, leaving a legacy as one of the toughest and most consequential players of her era.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Julie was born in 1992, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Julie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1992
#1 Movie
Aladdin
Best Picture
Unforgiven
#1 TV Show
60 Minutes
Julie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1992Born
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1997Started school
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2005Became a teenager
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2008Could drive
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2010Could vote
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2013Turned 21
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2022Turned 30
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 34 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the FIFA Women's World Cup twice with the United States national team in 2015 and 2019.
- Named U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year in 2017 and 2019.
- Played over 100 matches for the Chicago Red Stars, helping them reach the NWSL Championship final in 2019 and 2021.
- Started and played every minute of the 2019 World Cup knockout stage for the champion US team.
Did You Know?
She is married to NFL tight end Zach Ertz, making them one of America's most prominent sports power couples.
She gave birth to her son, Madden, in August 2022 and returned to professional soccer just months later.
In college, she won the Hermann Trophy as the best female soccer player in the NCAA in 2013.
Her mother, Kristi, was a college basketball player at Northern Arizona University.
“I just want to be known as someone who gave everything she had.”
