'Sports Illustrated' honours USA Women's World Cup stars with individual covers

Sports Illustrated has honoured the USA Women's World Cup stars by giving each player their own magazine cover.

All 23 members posed for their individual covers while holding the trophy, which they won in Canada with a 5-2 triumph over Japan in the final a fortnight ago.

The magazine also dedicated a cover to head coach Jill Ellis, while the final cover featured the entire team in a group shot.

"The USWNT has plenty of recognisable, even famous names, but we couldn't think of a group so thoroughly identified with a team as this one," said Sports Illustrated's managing editor Chris Stone.

"We could go two ways - a team shot, which seemed a little conventional here, or something different and fresh - honouring not just one or two players, but all 23 of them with their own cover."

The USA are the first team in history to win three Women's World Cups.