Years from now, a generation of highly-paid female athletes will point to 23 brave, heroic women whose dominance, courage and outspokenness further paved the way for their success.

Granted, that group of U.S. women, who on Sunday capped off an scintillating 30-day run en route to winning the 2019 Women’s World Cup, was preceded by so many before them who in many ways helped to make their run possible. Billie Jean King, Mia Hamm, Venus and Serena Williams immediately come to mind.

However, ...