Braun Ready

A Group G interview with the Argentina defender-midfielder on an unusual qualification celebration: after the third-place play-off win over Paraguay at the Copa America, the squad collected on a bet and took turns cutting off head coach German Portanova’s long hair in the dressing room. Braun, an American-raised dual citizen through her Argentine mother, explains how she engineered her own call-up by sending a highlight video to any contact she could find, which eventually led to an invitation to a camp before the Under-20 Copa America. Still learning Spanish, she relies on Florida-raised goalkeeper Laurina Oliveros to translate, and says reaching a World Cup was beyond her wildest dreams.