Julie Ertz is a mainstay in the midfield for the U.S. women’s national team. But in the absence of veteran defender Becky Sauerbrunn, Ertz could take up a new (old) position for the 2023 World Cup.

While the 31-year-old has made her home in the midfield, she has played center-back for the USWNT before, albeit not in the last four years. And she could do so again if called upon, head coach Vlatko Andonovski said.

In the absence of Sauerbrunn, who will miss the World Cup with injury, the USWNT “will be exploring that option,” he told reporters Wednesday after announcing the 23-player roster.

“We’re all gutted for Becky,” Andonovksi said. “There’s no question we are going to miss Becky. We’re going to miss her on the field and off the field…

“But now that’s part of sports and we understand that things like this will happen. We’re very confident in the team that we have. And we’re very confident in the abilities of the players that we have on our team, that we’ll be able to overcome the deficiency that may occur with Becky’s absence.”

One of the players that holds those abilities is Ertz. In 2015, she played in the World Cup as a center-back, a position she also played at the U-20 level before making the transition to midfield in 2017.

“I really enjoy it,” Ertz told The Equalizer in 2017. “It’s nothing too new, in the sense that I’ve played midfield in college most of my time there. It’s definitely been a new challenge, it’s been fun and exciting. A little bit more opportunity, obviously to get closer to the goal. I’ve had a fun time, and I’m still learning.”

What started as a need for her then-NWSL club the Chicago Red Stars has blossomed into Ertz serving as the only true No. 6 for the USWNT over the last few years, as further proven by the team’s inability to fill the whole she left when injured.

But with Crystal Dunn playing well in the midfield for the Portland Thorns, and Ertz’s abilities to play multiple positions (similar to Dunn), could it make sense to make a swap?

“It is definitely something that is on our mind,” Andonovski said of putting Ertz at center-back. “And we will be exploring that option.”

Dunn, meanwhile, told USWNT legend Julie Foudy that there “haven’t been any conversations” about switching her to the midfield. Still, she’s received encouragement from Andonovski regarding her club play.

“The reality is I’m ready for my new role when I take the field for the national team,” she said.

When U.S. women’s national team unveiled its final 23-player roster for the 2023 World Cup on Wednesday, some players saw their dreams realized while others had theirs dashed.

Among the players who missed out on a spot were Ashley Hatch, Tierna Davidson and AD Franch, all of whom have attended multiple USWNT camps this year.

“There is no harder thing that you can do than tell someone that they did not make the roster for a World Cup,” USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski said after the roster reveal.

While the USWNT went with seven forwards and six midfielders for the SheBelieves Cup in February, Andonovski opted to flip those numbers for the World Cup, which leaves Hatch on the outside looking in. The flexibility of the forward corps — namely Sophia Smith, Lynn Williams, Trinity Rodman and Alyssa Thompson’s ability to play in the No. 9 slot — played into his decision, he said.

“They’re all playing in a really good form and we’re comfortable with their abilities and what they can provide on the field,” he said. “We’re not worried about having someone step in and do well if needed.”

Chicago Red Stars defender Davidson also “missed it by a little bit,” Andonovski said. After tearing her ACL in March 2022, Davidson participated in the February camp and then made her return during the USWNT’s April friendlies against Ireland. But Andonovski felt as though there “were other players that fit better in the needs that we may have” for the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

“She’s an incredible player and I have no doubt that she will be back on this team soon and in contention for the roster spot for the next big tournament,” he said.

Also missing the roster is goalkeeper AD Franch, who had been called up at the end of 2022 following a standout NWSL season. She’s had a rough stretch in 2023, however, and was swapped out for Aubrey Kingsbury.

U.S. women’s national team coach Vlatko Andonovski on Wednesday named his 23-player roster for the 2023 World Cup beginning next month in Australia and New Zealand.

The team features three players competing in their fourth World Cups (Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe and Kelley O’Hara) and 14 World Cup debutantes. The players will be released from their club teams for World Cup duty on June 26 and will play a send-off match against Wales on July 9 before traveling to New Zealand for their group-stage opener against Vietnam on July 21.

Get to know the 23 players representing the USWNT in their World Cup title defense.

It’s certainly no secret that this U.S. women’s national team World Cup roster looks much different from the last.

With many veterans having retired or out due to injury, the USWNT is bringing a number of newcomers down under. In total 14 of the 23 players on the provisional roster have never played in a World Cup.

Among them are players who have solidified their spots since 2019, like Sophia Smith and Naomi Girma, who are still young but bring a dominating presence to the squad. Others, like Alyssa Thompson, are just a few caps in and still attempting to find their way.

Alana Cook, 26, defender

Defender Alana Cook has factored heavily for the USWNT the last couple matches, including getting her first goal against Ireland in April. With club experience both internationally and domestically, Cook is no stranger to the world’s biggest stages from a club standpoint. Now, she’ll do it for the USWNT.

Also eligible to play for England, Cook’s first senior international call-up actually came for the Lionesses, before being called up to the USWNT in October 2019. Since joining OL Reign in 2021, Cook helped the squad to the NWSL Shield in 2022 and was named to the NWSL’s Best XI in 2021 and 2022.

Savannah DeMelo, 25, midfielder

Savannah DeMelo’s stellar start to the NWSL season has been rewarded with a provisional World Cup roster spot. Despite call-ups to the USWNT in September and October of 2022, DeMelo hasn’t made an international appearance, meaning that her debut will likely either come at the World Cup or in the send-off game against Wales. Her lack of experience could factor in, or it could not – and if it doesn’t, look out: DeMelo scored in four of five appearances to start the season and forced an own goal against Chicago.

Emily Fox, 24, defender

After earning her first call-up to the USWNT in 2018, Emily Fox finally earned significant time in camp in 2022, making 14 appearances and notching one assist. She’s had six appearances to start the year, and even scored her first NWSL goal against Ireland in April.

Fox is one that can go anywhere on the back line, be it right or left. USWNT captain Becky Sauerbrunn has called the defender “versatile” before, which could prove helpful down under if Andonovski decides he wants to play around with his lineup. With Sauerbrunn out, it’s even more likely that Fox could end up a starter in the first slate of games as Crystal Dunn continues to regain fitness and stamina after returning from childbirth.

Naomi Girma, 23, defender

Naomi Girma may have once been the future of the USWNT’s defense, but with the absence of Becky Sauerbrunn that future is now here. Girma might just be two years into her professional career, and 15 appearances into her international career, but you wouldn’t know it.

In her rookie NWSL season, Girma was named not only Rookie of the Year, but Defender of the Year as well. She’ll take on a lot of responsibility in her first World Cup, but there might not be another player better suited for it.

Sofia Huerta, 30, defender

While Huerta has become a mainstay over the last few years, the 2023 World Cup will be her first major tournament with the squad. While she missed out on the 2021 Olympics, she helped the team to the 2022 Concacaf Women’s Championship title, and she’ll look to replicate that success in Australia and New Zealand.

Aubrey Kingsbury, 31, goalkeeper

After receiving her first national team call-up in 2019, goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury has now been named to the World Cup roster. Slotting in at the third-string goalkeeper slot, Kingsbury has just one international appearance, but it was a clean sheet in a 9-0 win over Uzbekistan in April 2022. She’s also had a solid start to the NWSL season, and statistically has always been one of the NWSL’s best keepers.

Kristie Mewis, 32, midfielder

Kristie Mewis has been in the USWNT ranks for a long time, having earned 15 caps between 2013 and 2014 before falling off the radar. Suffering two serious knee injuries during that time, Mewis fought her way back and was rewarded. Under Vlatko Anodnovski, the midfielder has seen a resurgence in her national team career. Mewis is now one of the more experienced players that is going to New Zealand, despite never having played in a World Cup, with 51 international appearances under her belt.

Casey Murphy, 27, goalkeeper

Murphy made her first appearance for the senior national team on a trip to Australia in 2021. She recorded a shutout in that match against the Matildas, and she’ll look for similar success on her return trip.

Trinity Rodman, 21, forward

After bursting onto the NWSL scene in 2021, Trinity Rodman received her first call-up in 2022, scoring in just her third national team appearance. She made 10 appearances in 2022, scoring two goals.

A Ballon d’Or nominee in 2022, Rodman also became the highest paid player in NWSL history in February 2022. While she’s intermittently started since her first call-up, the injury to Mallory Swanson provides Rodman with the ability to solidify herself as a starter. Nobody can replace Swanson, but Rodman has the ability to balance out the USWNT starting attack, both with her scoring and as one of the team’s best passers.

Ashley Sanchez, 24, midfielder

Ashley Sanchez is no stranger to the national team program, having spent a lot of time on the youth national teams. In 2016, she featured at the U-20 Women’s World Cup and the U-17 WWC, becoming the first player in U.S. history to play in multiple World Cups in the same year. She also received her first national team call-up that year (although her first cap came in 2021), meaning that she’s been in the system a long time. Sanchez is a player that’s good at creating chances and taking them, and has had a good start to the NWSL season.

Sophia Smith, 22, forward

The 2022 NWSL Player of the Year also featured as one of the best players internationally and was named U.S. Soccer Player of the Year. But she’ll be making her first World Cup appearance this summer. And while some have tabbed her as “the future” of the USWNT, Smith has made it known that she’s intent on being that player right now.

Through 29 international appearances, Smith has 12 goals, with her most recent coming against Germany last November. She’s made just two appearances to start 2023, having dealt with some injury issues that kept her sidelined earlier in the year. But she’s back healthy, and started the NWSL season with seven goals and five assists in seven appearances, which once again places her as one of the best players in the league.

Andi Sullivan, 27, midfielder

Sullivan helped lead the Washington Spirit to the 2021 NWSL title, and since then she has become a starter in the USWNT midfield while Julie Ertz missed time due to injury and then pregnancy. She could hold onto that starting spot even with Ertz’s return.

Alyssa Thompson, 18, forward

18-year-old Alyssa Thompson’s career has been on a fast path ever since she made her USWNT debut last October. Since then, she’s made three appearances on the USWNT, and was called up in April as a replacement for Mallory Swanson.

Drafted first-overall in the 2023 NWSL Draft, Thompson has made 11 appearances in her rookie pro season for Angel City FC and scored three goals – which is the second-most on the team and includes just 11 minutes into her NWSL regular season debut and just five minutes into her pro debut against Club América. While young, Thompson’s abilities cannot be understated and she brings a boost down under with the USWNT.

Lynn Williams, 30, forward

Although it may seem crazy, this will be Lynn Williams’ first World Cup appearance. The three-time NWSL champion, NWSL Golden Boot and MVP winner has been a regular on the USWNT since 2016, but did not crack the roster in 2019.

But since her return from a hamstring tear last season, Williams has left no doubts about her inclusion on the roster this go around. She might be the best player that the USWNT has to take down under at the forward position, having had a hot start to the NWSL season with Gotham FC in which she’s scored five times and taken sole possession of the second-most goals in NWSL history. What’s even more scary for the opposition? Williams told Snacks back in May that she still feels like she’s getting back to being herself on the pitch.

Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe once again will lead the U.S. women’s national team into a World Cup tournament, though the roster revealed Wednesday looks much different than the one from the 2019 title run.

Morgan, Rapinoe and Kelley O’Hara provide a solid veteran foundation, as each of them are set to play in their fourth consecutive World Cup tournament with the USWNT. Alyssa Naeher and Julie Ertz each will be playing in their third World Cup, while Crystal Dunn, Emily Sonnett, Lindsey Horan and Rose Lavelle all will be playing in their second.

The other 14 members of the 23-player roster will be making their World Cup debuts in Australia and New Zealand. The tournament kicks off on Thursday, July 20, and the USWNT will play its first match at 9 p.m. ET Friday, July 21.

So far in 2023, the USWNT has gone 7-0 in international friendlies. The squad kicked off the year with two resounding wins against World Cup co-host New Zealand, then swept its three games in the SheBelieves Cup and its next two friendlies against Ireland. The squad will play in one more friendly, against Wales on July 9, before departing for the World Cup.

While the USWNT features a number of familiar faces, they will travel to Australia and New Zealand without captain Becky Sauerbrunn, who is sidelined with a foot injury. Rising star Catarina Macario also is unavailable as she continues to recover from an ACL tear.

Still, the U.S. squad remains the favorite to take home its third consecutive World Cup title.

Goalkeepers (3)

  • Aubrey Kingsbury (Washington Spirit)
  • Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage)
  • Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)

Defenders (7)

  • Alana Cook (OL Reign)
  • Crystal Dunn (Portland Thorns FC)
  • Emily Fox (North Carolina Courage)
  • Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC)
  • Sofia Huerta (OL Reign)
  • Kelley O’Hara (Gotham FC)
  • Emily Sonnett (OL Reign)

Midfielders (7)

  • Savannah DeMelo (Racing Louisville FC)
  • Julie Ertz (Angel City FC)
  • Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyonnais)
  • Rose Lavelle (OL Reign)
  • Kristie Mewis (Gotham FC)
  • Ashley Sanchez (Washington Spirit)
  • Andi Sullivan (Washington Spirit)

Forwards (6)

  • Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave FC)
  • Megan Rapinoe (OL Reign)
  • Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit)
  • Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC)
  • Alyssa Thompson (Angel City FC)
  • Lynn Williams (Gotham FC)

Kelley O’Hara will be playing in her fourth World Cup with the U.S. women’s national team, she revealed Wednesday morning on the Today show. But this tournament feels just as special as the first for the 34-year-old defender.

O’Hara and her Gotham FC teammates Lynn Williams and Kristie Mewis became the first players officially named to the USWNT squad for the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand via the announcement on the morning show in New York City.

O’Hara, who has struggled in the last year with nagging injuries, cried when she got the call about the roster spot, she said during the televised segment.

“Honestly, it felt like I was getting called for the first time to go to a World Cup,” O’Hara said. “I’m so excited. This is my fourth one, but when I got the news I honestly broke out in tears I was so excited.”

For Mewis and Williams, this World Cup will be their first with the USWNT.

“It feels really good, I’m so excited,” Mewis said. “I’m honestly so excited to have these two (Williams and O’Hara) with me. They’ve been my rock through this whole journey.”

Williams shared her teammates’ sentiments.

“I cried as well,” she said. “We train so long and we fight so hard to do this, so it means everything to me.”

Washington D.C. is gearing up for a round-the-clock party for the 2023 Women’s World Cup.

Bars and restaurants in the nation’s capital will be open 24 hours a day for the tournament once Mayor Muriel Bowser signs the new legislation into effect.

The D.C. Council passed the 2023 Women’s World Cup Emergency Amendment Act last week. The city approved a similar measure for the 2022 men’s World Cup.

While the time difference for the men’s tournament in Qatar meant most of the matches took place during the day on the East Coast, the women’s tournament in Australia and New Zealand will feature many matches in the middle of the night in U.S. time zones.

Kickoff times range from 9 p.m. ET through 8 a.m. ET, with the bulk of the matches taking place from 3 a.m. ET onward.

The U.S. women’s national team will play just one of its three group stage matches in the early hours of the morning. The team’s first two group stage matches kick off at 9 p.m. ET, but its final group stage match kicks off at 3 a.m. ET.

Should the USWNT advance through the knockout rounds to the semifinals, though, that match would take place at 4 a.m. ET. And the World Cup final is scheduled for 6 a.m. ET Sunday, Aug. 20.

Bars and restaurants that want to be included in the World Cup festivities in Washington will have to pay a $100 registration fee and notify local officials by July 17. The tournament starts on Thursday, July 20, and the USWNT plays its first match at 9 p.m. ET Friday, July 21.

Which one player is the most essential to the success of the U.S. women’s national team at the 2023 World Cup?

Each month since September 2022, Just Women’s Sports has made the argument for a different member of the USWNT. Heading into the upcoming roster drop, that gives us 10 players who could make or break the team’s chances in Australia and New Zealand.

With one month to go until the World Cup, which players will have the biggest impact for the USWNT?

World Cup newcomers

Naomi Girma, 23, defender

After nearly sweeping the NWSL’s end-of-season awards as a rookie in 2022 – which included winning rookie and defender of the year and finishing as an MVP finalist – Girma has picked up right where she left off to begin 2023. And this summer at the World Cup, she’ll have the chance to prove herself on the world stage.

Sophia Smith, 22, forward

The reigning NWSL MVP scored 14 goals in the 2022 season, and she scored almost that many for the USWNT. Smith’s 11 goals in 2022 made her the youngest player to lead the team in scoring in a calendar year since Mia Hamm did it as a 21-year-old in 1993.

Lynn Williams, 30, forward

If Williams seems more like a World Cup veteran than a newcomer, that speaks to how indispensable she has become for the USWNT since the 2021 Olympics — even after missing most 0f 2022 with a hamstring injury. Her first goal of 2023 came just seven minutes into her first game back with the USWNT in January, and she has nine goals this year across all competitions.

Invaluable veterans

Crystal Dunn, 30, defender

With versatility as her self-proclaimed “superpower,”  Dunn can do it all for the USWNT. She starts for the team as an outside back, but her natural position is midfield, and you can tell in her creative ball movement.

Alex Morgan, 33, forward

A staple for the U.S. women’s national team for more than a decade, Morgan ranks fifth in USWNT history in goals and 1oth in assists. She was left off the roster for five camps from October 2021 through April 2022, but she used the absence as a challenge. Morgan enters the World Cup as the favorite to start at center forward.

Fitness questions

Julie Ertz, 31, midfielder

Several players could be key not just for their play but also for exactly how much they can play. Take Ertz, who made a surprise return in April for her first USWNT camp since August 2021. She played a full 90 minutes for Angel City FC on June 10, but she has been in and out of the lineup since April while working her way back to fitness after the birth of her son last August.

Rose Lavelle, 28, midfielder

Since injuring her knee in an April friendly against Ireland, Lavelle has not played a single minute. She has missed OL Reign’s last 12 across all competitions. The 2019 World Cup served as a breakout moment for the midfielder, and if she can recapture even a piece of that glory in 2023, the USWNT will be better for it.

Major absences

Becky Sauerbrunn, 38, defender

Absent players can leave their own impact on the lineup, and Sauerbrunn’s reported absence represents a huge blow to the USWNT backline. The 38-year-old returned from a nagging foot injury on June 3 for the Portland Thorns, playing 24 minutes in her first action since April 22. But she missed their June 11 match, and then came the report that the USWNT captain would not make the trip to Australia and New Zealand.

Catarina Macario, 23, midfielder

The rising star “won’t be physically ready for selection” to the USWNT as she continues to recover from an ACL tear, she revealed in May. The midfield has lacked depth in the absence of a player Andonovski has called the “future of the team.”

Mallory Swanson, 25, forward

After a 2021 Olympic snub, Swanson started 2023 in the best form of her career, with five goals in seven USWNT matches through the first two months of the year. In April, though, she tore the patellar tendon in her left knee during a friendly against Ireland. Even with the USWNT’s depth at the forward position, Swanson’s absence is a significant blow.

The U.S. women’s national team will be without captain Becky Sauerbrunn at the 2023 Women’s World Cup, The Athletic’s Meg Linehan and Steph Yang reported Friday. Sauerbrunn later confirmed the news on Twitter.

USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski is set to release his roster for the tournament next week. When he does, Sauerbrunn will not be included, multiple sources told The Athletic.

The 38-year-old defender has been dealing with a foot injury for the Portland Thorns for the last two months. On June 3, she played 24 minutes as a substitute in her first action since April 22, but then she missed the following match.

Veteran defender Kelley O’Hara will make the 23-player roster, though she also has missed time with injury. The 34-year-old played Sunday for the first time since May 14, coming on as a substitute in the 73rd minute of Gotham FC’s 1-1 draw with the Houston Dash.

Racing Louisville midfielder Savannah DeMelo and Washington Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury also will make the cut, The Athletic reported. Players were informed Thursday of their roster status.

DeMelo received her first USWNT call-up last September as an injury replacement for the team’s friendlies against Nigeria. She has not trained with the team in 2023, but she has excelled in NWSL play, with seven goals across all competitions.

The inclusion of Kingsbury also aligns with Andonovski’s emphasis on club form. The 31-year-old ranks second in the NWSL with 0.91 goals against per 90. Kansas City Current goalkeeper AD Franch, who has been considered her direct competitor for the final USWNT goalkeeper spot, ranks last with 2.75 goals against per 90 and has not played since May 17.

Each month in the leadup to the World Cup, Just Women’s Sports will make the case for one player as most essential to the success of the U.S. women’s national team in 2023. Our final selection: Crystal Dunn.

Crystal Dunn will play defense for the U.S. women’s national team at the 2023 World Cup, staking her claim as one of the best at the position across the globe. Yet her natural position is midfield, and she could stake her claim there as well.

Much to the chagrin of USWNT fans, Dunn cannot play in two positions at once. But she has the skills to excel at both, and that versatility will make her invaluable to the USWNT in its quest for a three-peat.

With little more than a month until the World Cup kicks off, Dunn is peaking at the right time. The 30-year-old is a frontrunner in the NWSL’s Golden Boot race and has been excelling in midfield for the Portland Thorns, working well with USWNT teammate Sophia Smith.

“Her special awareness puts ourselves in a good position,” first-year Thorns head coach Mike Norris said. “She reads the game well and obviously is attacking minded.”

“The running joke is I’m scoring the same exact goal,” Dunn said after scoring her fifth goal of the season. “Teams clearly think I’m not good enough to be marked in the box. They keep leaving me open and that’s just fine.”

As Just Women’s Sports writer Claire Watkins has pointed out, the U.S. could use such skills in the midfield, which has yet to look settled. Exacerbating the midfield situation is the fact that star Catarina Macario will be out of this summer’s World Cup due to extended recovery from an ACL tear. And while Julie Ertz has made her return, she is still working her way back to full speed.

Yet while Dunn would provide a boost in the midfield, she provides stability at the defensive position.

With Kelley O’Hara a question mark, Dunn is one of just two players – alongside Emily Fox – that can slot into the right- and left-back positions, providing defensive cover that could be needed as the USWNT faces increasingly tougher opponents as the tournament goes on.

“Crystal Dunn is a versatile player, and that’s what makes her special,” USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski said in October 2019. “Not just Crystal Dunn, but anybody on the roster will be put in a position where we feel that they can strive, get better and develop, but at the same time help the team be successful.”

That versatility should be the envy of national teams everywhere. But it can put a lot of pressure on Dunn, who can be tasked with doing just about anything and everything.

“I think my versatility has come with perspective, but it also comes with a lot of pain,” Dunn recently told the “Diaspora United” podcast. “A lot of feeling of, you don’t belong any place on the field, you just belong where the coach puts you. And that doesn’t always feel great. I think I’ve always tried to hide away from saying that and being honest about that.”

Still, she admits that she’s a “competitor” and will play just about anywhere. That mentality has made her crucial for the USWNT.

“When I was younger, I used to be a little bothered by it, but I think now I’ve stepped into this space where I’m like, no, this is me,” Dunn told the “Diaspora United” podcast. “This is a space not a lot of people get to walk in, and that’s OK. It doesn’t make me feel uncomfortable anymore. It makes me feel like this is actually my superpower.”

And perhaps there is room for creativity at the left back position to make the best use of that superpower. After all, soccer is an ever-evolving game, and if the USWNT wants to remain a step above, it may need to think outside of the box.

As the World Cup approaches, a player of Dunn’s abilities could change the game at any given moment. She can create chances for teammates and also provide a boost in the backfield, a multi-faceted star any team would covet. And that’s what makes her one of the most essential players on the USWNT.

Who is the most essential USWNT player?