Kristie Mewis is still dealing with the sting of defeat after the U.S. women’s national team’s World Cup exit. But that hasn’t stopped her from supporting girlfriend Sam Kerr as she makes a run with Australia.

Mewis’ first World Cup touch came in the USWNT’s penalty shootout against Sweden in the Round of 16, and she scored on her attempt. But it wasn’t enough to send the team through, though Mewis isn’t “ready for it to be real yet,” she said of the elimination.

“My teammates — you guys are incredible players but even better people. My family and friends – I am so lucky to have you I love you with all my heart. And to our fans – thank you for always believing in us,” she wrote. “This team has meant the world to me since I was five years old. It will always be the biggest honor pulling this uniform over my head. This team WILL be back.”

The 32-year-old midfielder also took the time to shout out Kerr, her best friend and girlfriend. Since the USWNT’s elimination, Mewis has been spotted in the stands at Australia’s last two matches and embracing Kerr after the Matildas’ wins. Australia is set to play against England at 6 a.m. ET Wednesday with a spot in the World Cup final on the line.

“It’s also pretty cool getting to watch my best friend live her dream,” Mewis wrote. “Thank you babe for always being my everything every step of the way and I’m so proud of you and thankful for you.”

Sam Kerr and Kristie Mewis first sparked dating rumors in 2021 at the Tokyo Olympics, when Mewis consoled Kerr after the U.S. women’s national team defeated Australia in the bronze-medal match.

A photo of the opposing players — Mewis, a USWNT forward, and Kerr, an Australian forward — embracing went viral. Soon after, the players revealed they were a couple. These days, Kerr and Mewis are hardly reluctant to share their romance, and after Kerr helped Australia defeat France in the World Cup quarterfinal Saturday, the couple shared a romantic kiss.

Kerr suffered a calf injury before the World Cup and had played limited minutes entering the France match. She entered in the 55th minute and provided an immediate boost for her side.

The teams remained knotted at 0 through overtime, sending the game to penalty kicks. Kerr converted her attempt, and Australia won 7-6 in front of its home fans in Suncorp Stadium. She then gifted her jersey to an excited young fan.

Mewis, meanwhile, has remained at the World Cup as a spectator despite USWNT’s exit in the Round of 16. She did not play in the group stage, but entered late in the team’s final game against Sweden. Mewis converted her penalty kick attempt, but it wasn’t enough for the USWNT in the shootout loss.

Now she remains at the tournament to cheer on Kerr, along with the rest of the host country’s fan base.

“I tried to bring energy when I came on, I tried to lift the girls,” Kerr said afterwards. “I kind of think the momentum swung a bit in our favor and that’s what you have to do as a sub.”

Sam Kerr made her return to the pitch Monday in Australia’s 2-0 win over Denmark.

After missing the entirety of the group stage with a calf injury, Kerr came on as a substitute in the 80th minute of the the World Cup host’s Round of 16 match to a roaring crowd in Sydney.

The Matildas were already up 2-0 thanks to Caitlin Foord and Hayley Raso, so Kerr didn’t have to face much pressure in her first minutes of the 2023 tournament.

“We just ran our arse off and gave it everything,” Foord told Optus Sport postgame. “We knew if we defended well there were going to come chances and we were going to score and that’s what we did tonight.”

Still, even with a two-goal lead in hand, Kerr made an impact in her 10 minutes. She even nearly had a scoring chance in the 87th minute, looking healthy despite not warming up before the match. And after the game, she met up with girlfriend Kristie Mewis in the stands. While Mewis was eliminated from the World Cup with the U.S. women’s national team’s shootout loss Sunday, she was on hand to celebrate Kerr’s success.

“The players once again managed to play the game in front of us,” Australia head coach Tony Gustavsson told Optus Sport. “Right in that moment, the composure, we were under a lot of pressure, that first half. We didn’t get rattled. The team is very mature and playing tournament football and just finding a way to win.”

The U.S. women’s national team ends its quest for a third consecutive World Cup in the Round of 16, falling 5-4 on penalties against Sweden.

While the USWNT outshot Sweden 22-9 overall, and 11-1 in shots on target, the teams remained knotted 0-0 after regulation plus 30 minutes of extra time. The USWNT scored just four goals across four World Cup matches.

Missed penalty kicks from Megan Rapinoe, Sophia Smith and Kelley O’Hara doomed the U.S. to the earliest World Cup exit it its history. In all eight previous tournaments, the USWNT had reached at least the semifinals — and had won four titles.

FINAL: Sweden 0, USWNT 0 (Sweden advances 5-4 on penalties)

The USWNT took a 3-2 lead in the penalty kick shootout, but back-to-back misses from Megan Rapinoe and Sophia Smith prevented the defending champions from shutting the door on Sweden.

In the final round, Kelley O’Hara’s shot hit the post, and then Lina Hurtig had the winning tally for Sweden. USWNT goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher got a hand on Hurtig’s shot, then snatched it out of the net, but not before the ball spun up and across the goal line (as confirmed in a brief video review).

  • Round One
    • USWNT: Andi Sullivan — SCORE
    • Sweden: Fridolina Rolfö — SCORE
  • Round Two
    • USWNT: Lindsey Horan — SCORE
    • Sweden: Elin Rubensson — SCORE
  • Round Three
    • USWNT: Kristie Mewis — SCORE
    • Sweden: Nathalie Björn — MISS
  • Round Four
    • USWNT: Megan Rapinoe — MISS
    • Sweden: Rebecka Blomqvist — MISS
  • Round Five
    • USWNT: Sophia Smith — MISS
    • Sweden: Hanna Bennison — SCORE
  • Round Six
    • USWNT: Alyssa Naeher — SCORE
    • Sweden: Magdalena Eriksson — SCORE
  • Round Seven
    • USWNT: Kelley O’Hara — MISS
    • Sweden: Lina Hurtig — SCORE

END EXTRA TIME: USWNT 0, Sweden 0

To penalty kicks! Just Women’s Sports‘ Claire Watkins provided this analysis: “If the U.S. don’t advance, the conversation won’t change much from the last week, and rightly so. But also like, this game was just a soccer game between two good teams.”

120′: Kelley O’Hara, Kristie Mewis enter for USWNT

O’Hara and Mewis replace Emily Fox and Emily Sonnett, just in time for the penalty kick shootout.

107′: Sophia Smith shot stopped by Zecira Musovic

The Swedish goalkeeper is having “the game of her life,” as Just Women’s Sports writer Claire Watkins put it — which makes the prospect of facing her in a penalty shootout that much scarier.

99′: Megan Rapinoe replaces Alex Morgan for USWNT

USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski made his second change of the match, swapping the veteran forwards. Just Women’s Sports writer Claire Watkins was “afraid he wouldn’t do this with pens in mind, but its the right way to get Pinoe on the field.”

97′: Sweden goalkeeper stops another Alex Morgan shot

Morgan moved into the box, then got a shot off at a tough angle, but Sweden’s Zecira Musovic made the save.

END REGULATION: USWNT 0, Sweden 0

The USWNT outshot Sweden 14-7 overall (6-1 on target) through 90 minutes, but with no goals for either side, the match heads to extra time.

Get ready for 30 more minutes of action. If the score remains tied after extra time, the match will head to penalty kicks.

89′: Alex Morgan gets her best chance yet

Alex Morgan nearly scored on a header set up by a perfect cross into the box from Lynn Williams up the right side. But Sweden goalkeeper Zecira Musovic managed another highlight-reel save.

Sweden’s Sofia Jakobsson and Lina Hurtig entered for Johanna Kaneryd and Kosovare Asllani in the 82nd minute.

66′: Lynn Williams replaces Trinity Rodman for USWNT

While Rodman had been one of the strongest players to this point, she also was playing through an illness, so the USWNT had her on a minutes limit. Williams came off the bench to replace her on the right side.

54′: Lindsey Horan forces impressive save from Sweden keeper

A stinging shot from the USWNT captain is blocked by Sweden goalkeeper Zecira Musovic. Horan’s chance came between two opportunities for fellow midfielder Andi Sullivan as the USWNT continues to threaten.

HALF: USWNT 0, Sweden 0

Despite several late chances, Rodman’s two shots on goal stood as the only ones of the half for either team. The USWNT outshot Sweden 6-2 (2-0 on target), and maintained possession for 62% of the first half.

“U.S. fans should feel much better about the shape, consistency, and stability of the USWNT,” Just Women’s Sports soccer writer Claire Watkins said. “They should not feel great that the sport being played is knockout soccer and it is tied.”

The inability to finish chances plagued the USWNT throughout the group stage, as Watkins noted. The new midfield formation showed the biggest problem to this point was the system, not the players, but the change will come to nought if the U.S. cannot get on the scoreboard.

34′: Lindsey Horan header almost finds the net

The USWNT captain got her head on the corner kick from Andi Sullivan, but the ball bounced up off the crossbar and out of play, resulting in a Sweden goal kick.

27′: Trinity Rodman gets another shot on goal

Rodman has looked strong on the right wing for the USWNT. She beat Andersson from the outside, but her shot zipped directly toward Sweden goalkeeper Zecira Musovic.

She managed another shot soon afterward, but she sailed it over the crossbar. And then the USWNT almost found Lindsey Horan in the box for another chance in a strong stretch of play for the defending champions.

22′: Alyssa Naeher gets hand on Sweden corner kick

Sweden received another opportunity for one of its dangerous set pieces. Jonna Andersson’s corner kick sailed into the box, but Naeher slapped it away.

A free kick for Sweden followed minutes later. Andersson sent it into the box, but the USWNT managed to clear.

18′: Trinity Rodman challenges Sweden goalkeeper

The 21-year-old got the first shot on goal of the match, but Sweden goalkeeper Zecira Musovic made the save.

Up to this point, both teams had traded opportunities, with neither dominating the run of play. With the new midfield formation, the USWNT looked more comfortable — defensive midfielder Andi Sullivan in particular.

Starting XI: USWNT deploys two defensive midfielders

  • United States
    • Goalkeeper: Alyssa Naeher
    • Defenders: Emily Fox, Julie Ertz, Naomi Girma, Crystal Dunn
    • Midfielders: Emily Sonnett, Lindsey Horan, Andi Sullivan, Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman
    • Forwards: Alex Morgan
  • Sweden
    • Goalkeeper: Zecira Musovic
    • Defenders: Nathalie Björn, Amanda Ilestedt, Magdalena Eriksson, Jonna Andersson
    • Midfielders: Filippa Angeldal, Elin Rubensson, Johanna Kaneryd, Kosovare Asllani, Fridolina Rolfö
    • Forwards: Stina Blackstenius

Both teams are using a midfield-heavy 4-2-3-1. The surprise for the USWNT: Sonnett is the replacement for suspended Rose Lavelle in the midfield, while Ertz remains at center-back, putting each outside her typical position — though Ertz has started on the backline in every game so far.

Just Women’s Sports soccer writer Claire Watkins predicted the use of two defensive midfielders for this match, though she expected to see Ertz in the role.

What to know about Sweden

  • Sweden has played in every World Cup since 1999, reaching the semifinals three times (in 2011 and 2019) and the championship match once (in 2003).
  • Head coach Peter Gerhardsson has helmed Sweden since 2017. Under his leadership, Sweden placed third at the 2019 World Cup and won silver at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
  • Nathalie Björn came close to guaranteeing a win for her team. “We will do everything we can as a team, as individuals, and then we’ll make sure that we will knock out the U.S.,” the 26-year-old defender said.

What to know about the USWNT

  • Rose Lavelle will miss the match after picking up her second yellow card of the tournament against Portugal, earning her a one-game suspension.
  • Head coach Vlatko Andonovski offered his harshest evaluation yet of his squad’s performance. “The performance was crap,” he said Thursday. “We all know that. We have to own it. We have to take accountability.”
  • Two-time World Cup winner turned Fox Sports analyst Carli Lloyd made waves with her criticism of the 2023 squad, but captain Lindsey Horan pushed back. “It’s noise and, again, it’s an opinion and everyone is entitled to their own opinion — we know that’s how it goes,” Horan said. “But for me, I always want to defend my team and say: You have no idea what’s going on behind the scenes.”

When and how to watch

  • Sunday, Aug. 6 @ 5 a.m. ET (Fox, Peacock, Telemundo, Universo)
    • United States vs. Sweden (Melbourne Rectangular Stadium)

The USWNT’s Round of 16 match is available to watch on Fox, Telemundo and Universo. It also can be streamed on the Fox Sports app and on Peacock. The winner of this match will face the winner of Japan-Norway (4 a.m. ET Saturday) in the quarterfinals.

Lynn Williams is one of four field players who have not appeared yet for the U.S. women’s national team at the 2023 World Cup.

After what she described as a “devastating” snub in 2019, the 30-year-old forward made the World Cup roster for the first time in 2023. But she is still awaiting her first minutes, alongside fellow debutantes Kristie Mewis and Ashley Sanchez. Emily Sonnett, who featured on the 2019 championship squad, also has not taken the field.

The USWNT used just one substitute in Wednesday’s 1-1 draw against the Netherlands: Rose Lavelle, a regular starter in the midfield who is recovering from a knee injury. Head coach Vlatko Andonovski used the same starting lineup as he did in the opening match against Vietnam.

“Of course we thought about substitutes,” Andonovski told reporters after the match. “And Lynn was probably one of the first that would have been on if we needed to change something.

“But I thought that we had control of the game. And I thought that we were knocking on the door of scoring a goal. The players played well, we were around the goal the whole time. And I just didn’t want to disrupt the rhythm at that point.”

To Andonovski’s point, the USWNT did outshoot the Netherlands 18-5 in the draw. And after a shaky start, the attack stepped up in the second half, generating more and better chances.

“We just didn’t want to jeopardize anything,” he said of sticking with his lineup. “Because I thought all three of our forwards were very good today, dangerous, created opportunities.”

Yet the trio — Alex Morgan, Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman — did not make an impact on the scoresheet. While Smith finished with two goals and one assist in the 3-0 opening win against Vietnam, she did not have any goal involvements against the Netherlands. And Morgan and Rodman both looked uncomfortable at times in the run of play.

That made Williams’ absence stand out more than that of Mewis, Sanchez or Sonnett. Her fellow forwards Megan Rapinoe and Alyssa Thompson, both of whom came off the bench against Vietnam, also could have provided a shake-up on the frontline. But Williams brings speed and an unmatched defensive skill set — plus 10 goals scored across all competitions so far this year, second only to Smith (12) among USWNT forwards.

The lone USWNT goal against the Netherlands came from two midfielders: Lavelle sliced a corner kick into the box, and Lindsey Horan headed the ball into the net.

Kristie Mewis might be dating the opposition, but that doesn’t mean she is letting out state secrets.

The U.S. women’s national team midfielder spoke with Just Women’s Sports about how she is navigating the 2023 World Cup, including in her relationship with Australia star Sam Kerr.

While Kerr and Mewis sit on opposite sides of the bracket at the tournament in Australia and New Zealand, the couple faced off against one another in the bronze-medal match at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo.

“Do you remember at the Olympics when I went up to you and I was like, ‘Kristie, I know it goes without saying but: You can’t talk to Sam about anything we’re talking about. You know that, right?” USWNT teammate Kelley O’Hara asked Mewis.

“I couldn’t even believe you would ask me that,” Mewis said, in shock that a few of her teammates even felt that they had to ask. “I would literally never. … When she asked me that, I was horrified. Literally horrified.”

The 32-year-old then shared that she and Kerr don’t get into the “nitty-gritty” of their shared sport when they are together. She pointed to an international friendly as an example of how they set their relationship aside when they are on the pitch.

“There is this one moment — it wasn’t in the Olympics, but we always talk about this because I had subbed on and she was on and there was a 50/50 ball in front of us,” Mewis said. “It was like the last probably like 15 minutes of the game. And we both went in so hard. I don’t even know where the ball went. … It was a 50/50 ball, we rammed into each other.

“I think we would just kill each other to win. But it doesn’t change anything with us. Like, I’m obsessed with her. And I love her so much. And she’s the best. But I think when it comes to soccer and national teams, it’s just like the relationship doesn’t exist.”

Heading into the World Cup year Kerr and Mewis were prepared their support for each other with their focus on the tournament, as they shared with soccer lifestyle magazine Gaffer in January. And when Mewis found out in June she had made the USWNT roster, Kerr was her first call.

Kerr has extra pressure as the face of the home team, even as she deals with an injury that has sidelined her for the first two games of the group stage. She became the country’s all-time leader in international goals in 2022, surpassing Tim Cahill’s previous record (49).

Still, as the couple said in January, they are proud to share their journey.

“I think just being out and being two girls in love, I think if we can change one or two people’s lives and the way that they feel about each other and how comfortable they feel, then that means a lot to me,” Mewis said.

Kristie Mewis wants to see Megan Rapinoe go for another World Cup after this one.

While the veteran forward announced last week her intention to retire at the end of the NWSL season, her teammates aren’t so quick to accept her decision to step away from the game.

“I keep telling P, I’m like, ‘Go another cycle, P. Come on, like we need you another cycle,'” Mewis joked during USWNT media availability on Monday, adding that it’s “really sad” this will be Rapinoe’s final World Cup.

Rapinoe has said that she is “feeling all the feels” ahead of her final World Cup, and she announced it early so that the team could focus on the task ahead: winning a third straight World Cup title. That hasn’t stopped players from speaking about what Rapinoe means to the team and the sport.

“She’s a special person, a special player on this team, and her impact is felt, I think, far deeper than just on this team,” said U.S. goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher. “She’s willing to do a lot of the extra. She’ll do a lot more of the interviews, a lot more of the media, she’ll take on the hard questions — the difficult things that then allow other people to not have to have that be a stressful thing or not have to be a factor, and she lets them be them.”

During her 18-year career, Rapinoe has become a polarizing figure to some for being “unapologetically herself,” as Naeher described her on Monday. While winning two World Cups and an Olympic gold medal, Rapinoe has been a staunch advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, the USWNT’s equal pay fight, abortion access and racial justice initiatives. In 2022, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom – the highest civilian honor in the United States – from President Joe Biden.

Athletically, Rapinoe’s accomplishments are undeniable. Entering her fourth World Cup, the 38-year-old is 10th on the USWNT’s all-time leading scorers list with 63 goals. The winner of the 2019 Ballon d’Or Féminin, she also won the Golden Ball as the best player of the 2019 World Cup.

“She has led us on and off the field for decades,” Christen Press said at the ESPYs alongside Tobin Heath. “She is someone that we have both played really closely with, that we both looked up to, that we’ve both learned from, and we will continue to do so, because the beauty of Megan Rapinoe is what she does on the field is only a fraction of who she is and what she stood for, and what she stood against.

“She just embodies the team. Honestly, she’s just like, she’s such a presence,” Mewis said Monday. “That’s the way I would describe her. She brings so much on the field, she brings so much off the field. You feel weird when she’s not around.

“I think that it’s really sad that this will be her last [World Cup], but I think she has impacted this team immensely. She’s such a special person and a special player. And I think that her legacy will live on for a long time.”

Kristie Mewis is headed to her first World Cup with the U.S. women’s national team. But the wait for the call from head coach Vlatko Andonovski was “very painful,” she shared Wednesday.

After a morning of training for Gotham FC, the 32-year-old midfielder waited alone in her apartment until the call came at 4 p.m.

“So it was a very draining, emotional, wait-around day,” she told reporters Wednesday.

When she answered the FaceTime from Andonovski, who told her she would join the USWNT’s 23-player roster for the tournament in Australia and New Zealand, the emotions hit her.

“I think I started crying before I even saw Vlatko’s face on the FaceTime, just because everything was coming into that moment,” Mewis said. “I feel like I’ve been waiting my whole life to hear those words.”

The countdown to the World Cup roster drop officially started after the USWNT’s April training camp. But for Mewis, the wait seemed much longer.

While she made her debut for the senior national team in 2013, she spent five years off the team and missed out on the 2015 and 2019 World Cups. On Wednesday, she described herself as a “bubble player,” though she has made every USWNT camp since before the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

Of the 14 players making their World Cup debuts for the USWNT in 2023, Mewis is the oldest.

Her parents, her sister — injured USWNT star Sam Mewis — and her girlfriend — Australia star Sam Kerr — served as her “absolute rocks” through the grueling process. She called all of them in turn as soon as she hung up with Andonovski.

“I called my girlfriend immediately. I called my parents. I called my sister,” she said. “They all have been such huge, huge people in my life through this process, because I’m sure I’ve been such a pain in the ass because I’ve been so stressed for so long.”

After the USWNT roster was revealed Wednesday, Kerr congratulated Mewis on Instagram. But she also noted: “Last time I’ll cheer for you is today.”

Kerr is the top player for the Matildas in their home World Cup, which kicks off on July 20. She and Mewis started dating during the COVID-19 pandemic, but they did not go public with their relationship until they made headlines at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. And they’re both ready to give everything they have this summer.

“We’re just raging for the next six months to the World Cup, doing whatever we can,” Kerr told soccer lifestyle magazine Gaffer in an interview with Mewis earlier this year. “We both feel like we’ve been gunning for this World Cup for so long now that it’s kind of going to be like we’re just giving everything for the next six months and then it’s gonna be like a breath of fresh air.”

The Equalizer’s Jeff Kassouf shared Mewis’ full comments on her World Cup call from Wednesday’s Gotham FC news conference.

A youth movement is taking over the U.S. women’s national team, as highlighted on the roster revealed Wednesday, which includes 14 players new to the World Cup stage.

Rising star Sophia Smith admitted she “wasn’t quite alive” for the iconic 1999 World Cup win — she was born in 2000 — but that doesn’t mean she and her teammates aren’t ready to take the tournament by storm.

Sophia Smith

Sophia Smith has been dreaming of the World Cup since childhood, she said after the roster announcement. And while she “wasn’t quite alive” for the 1999 World Cup, the 22-year-old knows what it means to the USWNT. It also helped inspire her to get to this point.

“This is something I’ve dreamed of for, I don’t even know how long, so to get that call was just kind of like a big relief, and just I just felt pure joy because you know, the past few months have been a little bit stressful,” she said. “I’ve been feeling a little anxious just because the clock has been ticking and I knew this time was coming. So to get that call was I mean it was pretty surreal and I still feel all those emotions right now.”

As for her role on the team, Smith will have a lot of expectations placed on her shoulders as one of the team’s most explosive scorers. Still, she hopes just to be herself amid the bright lights of the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

“I think every time that I go into a national team camp and just completely be myself, that’s when I have success and that’s when I can kind of bring others into the game,” she said. “I take a lot of pride in doing my role to the best of my ability, whether that’s scoring goals, whether that’s getting assists, or whether that’s being you know, the best teammate that I can be. I take a lot of pride and all of that.”

Alyssa Thompson

At 18 years old, Alyssa Thompson is the youngest player on the World Cup roster. And she’s the second-youngest player to ever make a USWNT roster for the World Cup behind Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak, who was 17 at the 1995 World Cup. It’s been a big year for Thompson, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the NWSL Draft in January and graduated from high school earlier this month.

Now she’ll take the biggest step of her career, despite having played in youth soccer just months ago.

“In October, she was playing youth soccer,” Andonovski said. “And now, in July, she will be at the biggest stage in women’s soccer.”

Savannah DeMelo

Racing Louisville midfielder Savannah DeMelo has been one of the best players in the NWSL in 2023. But she faces a big question mark ahead of the World Cup: Her inexperience on the international scene.

The 25-year-old has never played in a match for the USWNT, despite having been brought into camp multiple times, starting with the team’s Nigeria friendlies last September.

“One thing that we wanted to see from her is consistency in the upcoming season,” head coach Vlatko Andonovski said. “Sav did very well and was very consistent. Her performance in the league was one of the biggest reasons why she’s on the team.

“And based on the needs that we have in terms of opponents and different situations that we may face, we see Sav being very important for us going forward.”

Kristie Mewis

At 32 years old, Kristie Mewis is the oldest player making her World Cup debut for the USWNT. While she has been in the USWNT system for almost a decade, she missed out on the 2015 and 2019 tournaments. But, according to Andonovski, she is one of the most mature players on the 2023 team.

“She is a mature player that knows what it takes to be a successful player, that knows what it takes to bring the best out of her teammates,” he said. “She has been so selfless when she’s in camp and understands her role to a T. One thing we love about Kristie is that when she is on the field, (even) if it’s 15 minutes, then we know that we’re gonna get the best 15-minute player in the world.

“She knows that, she understands that, and she executes it very well.”

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.”