A short thread about the woman who burst into tears on the bench when Thailand scored against Sweden on Sunday. She is NOT just a random Thai staff member.

Her name is Nualphan Lamsam, and she is arguably the most important figure in women's soccer in Thailand who doesn't play. She's the general manager of Thailand's women's team, and its greatest benefactor.

She is also chief executive of one of Thailand's major insurance companies. @nytchangster shot this photograph of her this spring for a Jere Longman preview of the Thais.



Lamsam, 53, not only provides support for the Thai women's program, she also employs the players so they have incomes (and time to train.) The full story here: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/10/sports/thailand-uswnt-womens-world-cup.html …



When the USWNT hammered Thailand the other night, Lamsam led the players, some of them in tears, around the field to make sure they thanked their supporters. It was a show of strength. Held their heads high on a devastating night.

She even gave a rousing team talk on the field before the Sweden game on Sunday. So you can imagine her emotions, in another defeat, when Thailand's captain, Kanjana Sung-Ngoen, burst down the right and scored a beauty of a goal late.

.@sarahlyall, who covered the match for @nytsports, said the entire stadium, even some of the grizzled journalists watching, gave Sung-Ngoen a round of applause.

Sometimes the goals all run together at a World Cup, but maybe take a minute today to appreciate that single one a little more. It meant more to Thailand, and Lamsam, than we'll ever know.