Trinity Rodman, an Olympic soccer player, recently shared her feelings about how she approached her boyfriend, Ben Shelton, an American tennis player, and admitted to feeling a bit embarrassed about it.
In a discussion on the podcast “I don’t lie,” Rodman recounted the initial message she sent Shelton, which sparked their romance. “Everything I do is embarrassing. I’m really embarrassed,” she confessed when asked about how she slid into Shelton’s DMs.
She humorously described her message: “I said, ‘I’m not feeling well, fire emoji’… It worked, he replied within 10 minutes, so I won… He matched the tight situation, and I think we met in person a week or two after that.” They connected quickly after Shelton “flew out” to visit her at home.
Rodman reflected on how wild it was to invite someone she hardly knew to stay for the weekend, but, she noted, “It was really crazy and insane, but it worked.” She knew he might be special when he helped her unpack a box.
The couple made their relationship public on social media last March. Rodman, who is part of the U.S. women’s national team, also expressed her fondness for the term “WAG,” referring to the wives and girlfriends of professional athletes.
She explained, “For me personally, I like the term because, like I said, I feel like I’m in front of the camera 24/7… so I guess I use the word WAG to simplify what I do.” While she identified as Ben’s girlfriend, she acknowledged the mixed feelings many have toward the label.
Sharing her experience, Rodman said, “Honestly, it’s the best feeling in the world. It feels so good for both of us to be able to put our bodies on the ground, be exhausted all the time, do what we love, know we’re in a tough situation, and be a little bit of a WAG in a way.” Since going public with their romance, Rodman and Shelton have consistently supported one another, and she traveled alongside him during much of the 2025 tennis season.
