U.S. women’s national team stars foil various countries’ attempts to stop them from winning in Fox’s first commercial for the 2023 World Cup, released Friday.

Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan, Crystal Dunn, Rose Lavelle and Naomi Girma feature in the ad, titled “USA vs. The World,” which asks: What will it take to stop the USWNT from winning a third consecutive World Cup title?

English fans ponder which of the USWNT’s stars the Lionesses should mark: Morgan? Lavelle? Rapinoe? Trinity Rodman?

Brazilian fans wonder if an infusion of young talent could be the key, before noting that the USWNT has its own youth movement (see: Girma, Sophia Smith, Alyssa Thompson). France takes the opposite tack in the ad, touting its veteran experience, earning a retort from USWNT great (and Fox analyst) Carli Lloyd: “Listen to what you’re saying!”

And on the commercial goes, from Australian flight attendants trying to stop the USWNT from even reaching the tournament to opposing fans traveling back in time to prevent Rapinoe from ever playing soccer. The bottom line: The entire world is doing whatever it takes to stop the U.S. from taking the title.

Alex Morgan’s response? “Good luck with that.”

The commercial will make its broadcast debut Saturday during Fox’s coverage of the Belmont Stakes, but you can check out the video below. Fox’s World Cup coverage kicks off with the tournament openers on July 20.

This summer on FOX, it’s the USA vs The World as the @USWNT goes for a three-peat in the @FIFAWWC 🏆🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/Jr2NXQV453

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 9, 2023

After UConn superstar Paige Bueckers set the tone as the overall No. 1 pick, the rest of Monday night’s 2025 WNBA Draft played out without too many surprises, as teams stocked up on fresh talent from both home and abroad.

The Seattle Storm selected French phenom Dominique Malonga second, before the Washington Mystics took Notre Dame guard Sonia Citron at No. 3 and USC forward Kiki Iriafen at No. 4.

Incoming expansion team Golden State threw the night’s initial curveball with their first-ever draft pick, adding Lithuanian forward Justé Jocyté to the Valkyries' inaugural roster at No. 5.

However, Jocyté's availability remains a question mark, with the 19-year-old confirming her intent to join her national team for this summer's EuroBasket.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

Young stars earn first round selections at the 2025 WNBA Draft

The rest of Monday's first round showcased NCAA and international standouts alike, with teams prioritizing both skills, potential, and team fit as they strategized and vied to load their draft boards with top talent.

The exception to the original first-round lineup was Las Vegas, whose No. 10 pick was rescinded after a 2023 investigation found the Aces guilty of violating league policies.

• No. 6: Georgia Amoore (Kentucky) to the Washington Mystics
• No. 7: Aneesah Morrow (LSU) to the Connecticut Sun
• No. 8: Saniyah Rivers (NC State) to the Connecticut Sun
• No. 9: Sarah Ashlee Barker (Alabama) to the LA Sparks
• No. 10: Ajša Sivka (Slovenia) to the Chicago Sky
• No. 11: Hailey Van Lith (TCU) to the Chicago Sky
• No. 12: Aziaha James (NC State) to the Dallas Wings

With the 2025 WNBA season starting in just one month, the new draftees will soon be joining their pro teams in training camp, where final roster decisions will be made as franchises make difficult cuts en route to May 16th's opening tip-off.

"The WNBA is so unique with how powerful the talent is because it is so small," said Van Lith, who's set to link up with her former LSU teammate Angel Reese at the Chicago Sky this year. "It's a competition that I'm ready to embrace, that I'm excited to embrace."

Teen phenom Dominique Malonga officially introduced herself to US basketball fans during Monday's 2025 WNBA Draft, with the 19-year-old becoming the highest drafted French player in league history as the overall No. 2 pick by the Seattle Storm.

"I'm so proud just to show that today French basketball is at a level that we have never seen," she told reporters after her record-setting selection.

"She's a unicorn. She's one of one," Seattle head coach Noelle Quinn said of the 6-foot-6 teenager. "The thing that is very intriguing about her is the way that she's grown rapidly over the last few years.... She's 100% an amazing athlete."

Malonga's rapid rise to the WNBA

After turning pro at just 15 years old in 2021, Malonga's first international spotlight came during the 2024 Paris Olympics, when the then-18-year-old debuted as the youngest player on France’s silver medal-winning national team.

A nimble, athletic player with skilled shooting and marked versatility, Malonga went on to make waves last October as the first-ever Frenchwoman to dunk in a game.

"I would say that international FIBA basketball prepared me [on] toughness because it was always high-level games," Malonga added. "I think that it really helped me to be ready for the league."

Though not yet a household name in the US, Seattle is keeping an eye on the future by drafting a player whose generational talent could potentially set the bar in the WNBA.

Showing up in part to support fellow Husky and overall No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers, two additional UConn stars heard their names called during Monday night’s 2025 WNBA Draft.

On the heels of teammate Bueckers's draft night endorsement, both transfer guard Kaitlyn Chen and forward Aubrey Griffin emerged from the crowd to take the stage in the third round.

Incoming expansion team Golden State snapped up former Princeton standout Chen with the overall No. 30 selection, before the Minnesota Lynx grabbed Griffin with Monday's second-to-last pick.

"Honestly, [I'm] still in a little bit of shock…. I was really just here to watch Paige get drafted and I'm so happy for her," Chen told reporters afterwards. "I didn't really have any expectations coming into the night, but to be able to experience that with my team all around me and them all jumping and screaming was pretty amazing."

Griffin, whose pro dreams dimmed after suffering an ACL tear in January 2024, returned to Storrs for the 2024/25 NCAA season. This decision that earned her a national championship and a WNBA invitation.

"I honestly didn't think I would get picked," added Griffin. "I'm just super grateful that I can be able to continue playing the game that I love. I'm just lost for words right now."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

NCAA stars snag surprise WNBA Draft picks

Other late-round addition included Maryland guard Shyanne Sellers and Iowa guard Lucy Olsen. Both players earned second-round invites from the Golden State Valkyries and the Washington Mystics, respectively.

Joining Chen and Griffin is Kansas State guard Serena Sundell. The third-round pick will vie for a spot on the Seattle Storm roster. Las Vegas Aces hopeful Harmoni Turner also went in the third round. Turner became Harvard's second-ever WNBA Draft night selectee.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

Alabama star Sarah Ashlee Barker claims Monday's biggest Cinderella story.

A lower-profile colege recruit, Barker's breakout 45-point NCAA tournament performance boosted her stock. The LA Sparks subsequently selected her as the draft's overall No. 9 pick.

The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) handed Barcelona star Mapi León a two-game suspension last week, finding the defender guilty of "unsporting conduct" during a Liga F match against Espanyol.

While lining up for a set piece in the 15th minute of the February Catalan derby, León appeared to say something to Espanyol center-back Daniela Caracas before seemingly touching her inappropriately.

The incident garnered condemnation from Caracas’s club, who said that León "violated the privacy of Caracas" and that the action was “unacceptable and should not go unnoticed." Espanyol's support of Caracas included the club offering their legal services to the Colombian international.

In response, the RFEF banned León for two matches, though the defender continues to deny the allegations, saying she simply touched Caracas's leg.

"I am very upset and disappointed," León stated immediately after the February 9th incident. "That is why I reserve the right to take legal action against anyone who intends to take advantage of this situation to damage me and continue defaming me on unfounded evidence."

In León's defense, Barcelona both appealed the RFEF’s ruling and unsuccessfully asked Spain's Sports Administrative Court to suspend her ban until the club's appeal.

Without an appeal hearing or a pause on the ban, León sat out her club’s 6-0 win over Atlético Madrid on Sunday. She is due to serve the second game of her suspension during Barcelona’s Wednesday matchup with Sevilla — clearing her for next weekend’s UWCL semifinal.