Ahead of Megan Rapinoe’s final match with the U.S. women’s national team, the retiring star expressed her confidence in the next generation of players. They proved her right Sunday, leading the team to a 2-0 win in Rapinoe’s last hurrah.

The 38-year-old forward donned the captain’s armband for her last USWNT appearance Sunday afternoon at Chicago’s Soldier Field against South Africa. Julie Ertz did the same for her USWNT finale Thursday in Cincinnati.

Yet as she considered the next chapter for the team, Rapinoe pointed to the new wave of talent, naming Sophia Smith, Naomi Girma and Trinity Rodman in particular.

“That’s why I have such peace about moving on, is I look at players like Soph Smith, Naomi, Trin,” she said. “The squad is in very, very good hands if those are the ones that are holding it moving forward.”

Smith and Rodman are taking the mantle from Rapinoe on the forward line, with 23-year-old Smith scoring two goals for the USWNT at the 2023 World Cup and 21-year-old Rodman opening the scoring in Sunday’s victory. Naomi Girma, 23, who started at center-back throughout the World Cup, has been another bright spot for the team, as Lynn Williams said on the latest episode of Just Women’s Sports‘ “Snacks” podcast.

“I’m so excited to see what they do and to see where they take the team, not only on the field but off the field as well,” Rapinoe said.

She pointed to Girma, who has spoken out about the importance mental health throughout 2023, in just her second NWSL season and her second year on the USWNT.

“To me, that is such a mature thing and shows so much about her character,” Rapinoe said. “And I feel like so many players on the team right now will take the disappointment from this tournament but turn it into something really beautiful.”

Sophia Smith criticized the NWSL’s response to Alex Morgan’s comments about the officiating in a game over the weekend. The league issued a fine to the San Diego Wave forward on Wednesday for violating the “Prejudicial Statements and Public Criticism” section of the operations manual, which amounts to a $500 fine.

On Sunday, Morgan called out the refereeing in San Diego’s 2-1 loss to Kansas City after she sustained an injury from a hard tackle in Saturday’s match. Posting a video from the incident, the 34-year-old questioned the non-call after Kansas City’s Stine Ballisager slide tackled her in the box in stoppage time.

“In what world is this not a penalty and red card, or even foul? Completely reckless and the leg going in for the tackle doesn’t even get a ball when I cut her?” Morgan wrote. “Just glad I saw her coming and didn’t plant on that leg or I’d 100% not be walking today.”

Smith, Morgan’s NWSL opponent and teammate on the U.S. women’s national team, took issue with the fine, calling it “backwards” and a reflection of “messed up” priorities.

Morgan’s coach, Casey Stoney, has also been fined twice this season for criticizing NWSL referees.

After Morgan limped off the field following the tackle on Saturday, the extent of her injury remains unclear.

Sophia Smith may be out with an injury, but so far nobody has come close to touching the Portland Thorns star in the NWSL Golden Boot race.

While it’s tight atop the table, with just four goals separating six players, Smith has retained the lead despite missing two consecutive matchweeks with an MCL sprain. She leads the way with 11 goals, while Ashley Hatch and Kerolin have nine, and neither of them found the back of the net this weekend.

So what makes the 23-year-old forward the front-runner for the Golden Boot, even with her injury keeping her off the pitch?

Simply put: Other players have failed to step up. Her Thorns teammate Morgan Weaver is the only player to have been consistent in her scoring over the last three weeks, tallying three goals in three games to bring herself within four goals of Smith. Weaver is tied with Debinha of the Kansas City Current and Lynn Williams of Gotham FC with seven on the season.

Yet with three games left in the regular season, the idea that Weaver, Debinha or Williams could tie or overcome Smith is a stretch.

Looking at the two players just two goals behind to Smith, Hatch has two goals in her last five games for the Washington Spirit. And while she had not gone more than one regular-season match without scoring since June, that changed in September, as she has not scored in each of Washington’s last two games.

While Hatch could get two goals in the next three games to close out the season, that would be a big ask against Kansas City, OL Reign and the North Carolina Courage. Both the Reign and the Courage have been defensively sound this season.

Additionally, Hatch hasn’t scored against Kansas City or OL Reign yet in the 2023 regular season, and she scored just once against North Carolina all the way back in April.

Kerolin’s output has been similar, with two goals in the last five games for the Courage. Her stats are buoyed by a hat trick scored against Chicago in June. And with games against OL Reign, the San Diego Wave and the Spirit coming up, it could be difficult for her to close the gap with Smith. The 23-year-old forward failed to score in North Carolina’s first game against the Reign and scored one each against San Diego and Washington.

And even if either Kerolin or Hatch were to match Smith’s 11 goals, Smith holds the edge in the tiebreaker with five assists, which sits second in the league behind teammate Sam Coffey. Kerolin has just three assists, while Hatch has two. So both players more than likely would need to surpass the 11-goal threshold to beat Smith, which would mean scoring at least a goal in each of their final three games.

While not statistically impossible, that does mean Smith still holds the best odds to take home the Golden Boot for the 2023 NWSL season. The reigning league MVP scored six goals in June ahead of the World Cup, and that surge could propel her to the trophy even as she remains sidelined week-to-week with her knee injury.

Morgan Weaver and Debinha moved into a tie for third in the 2023 NWSL Golden Boot race over the weekend.

Weaver’s goal, which helped Portland to a 2-0 win over OL Reign in the Cascadia Cup rivalry, was her seventh of the season. She is tied with North Carolina’s Debinha and Gotham’s Lynn Williams for third in the standings. Thorns star forward Sophia Smith continues to retain the top spot with 11 goals as she continues to nurse a week-to-week MCL sprain.

Also, while it’s unlikely she finds herself in the running for the Golden Boot, recent NWSL addition Esther González got her first two goals in a Gotham FC uniform over the weekend.

Trending upward: Morgan Weaver

Saturday’s goal marked Weaver’s third in as many games, with the Thorns midfielder gaining ground on the league leaders in recent weeks. If anyone in the league has a hot foot, it’s Weaver.

She has continued to put shots on goal, averaging two per game over the last three games and 1.5 shots on goal over the last 10 games. Her goals per 90 puts her ninth this season, but her shots average (3.92) puts her at third in the league. She also ranks first in key passes and expected assists, meaning that any time she’s on the field, the chances of a goal being scored are high.

She also ranks fourth in goal creating actions this season with nine. It would be difficult for the midfielder to overcome Smith, but if Weaver continues at the pace she is with three games left in the season, it’s not impossible.

Needs a goal: Lynn Williams

After starting the season hot, Williams has gone stagnant in her three games since returning from the World Cup. A good sign for her, however, is an assist in each of her last two games.

Her shot production, though, has decreased. In the three games before leaving for the World Cup, Williams had six, seven and eight shots, respectively, with an average of 3.67 shots on target over those three games. Since returning, she’s averaged three shots in the last three games and had just one shot on target in that timespan.

NWSL leaderboard

  • 11 goals
    • Sophia Smith, Portland Thorns
  • 9 goals
    • Ashley Hatch, Washington Spirit
    • Kerolin, North Carolina Courage
  • 7 goals
    • Lynn Williams, Gotham FC
    • Debinha, Kansas City Current
    • Morgan Weaver, Portland Thorns
  • 6 goals
    • Messiah Bright, Orlando Pride
  • 5 goals
    • Bethany Balcer, OL Reign
    • Savannah DeMelo, Racing Louisville
    • Crystal Dunn, Portland Thorns
    • Cece Kizer, Kansas City Current
    • Tyler Lussi, North Carolina Courage
    • Alex Morgan, San Diego Wave
    • Ashley Sanchez, Washington Spirit
    • Jordyn Huitema, OL Reign
    • Jaedyn Shaw, San Diego Wave
    • Adriana, Orlando Pride

Angel Reese has been named to Time Magazine’s 100 Next list for 2023.

A standout for LSU basketball, she helped lead the Tigers to their first national title earlier this year while setting a record for double-doubles in a single season. And her star has continued to rise as she elevates her game and her profile.

WNBA star Candace Parker, who wrote Reese’s blurb for Time Magazine, noted that Reese brings “work, effort and energy,” all of which are required to excel in their game.

“She’s ripping the sport open and tearing back the layers,” Parker writes. “Her tenacity and confidence on the court make her such an exciting player to watch—it’s incredible to see her stand in her power and make such a big impact on women’s basketball, especially this early in her career.”

There is only “one time” that Parker doesn’t root for Reese, and it’s when LSU plays her own alma mater, the University of Tennessee.

The 100 Next list, which recognizes up-and-comers in industries across the world, also features a pair of World Cup stars in Spain forward Salma Paralluelo and USWNT and Portland Thorns forward Sophia Smith. Stanford golf phenom-turned-LPGA pro Rose Zhang also made the list.

Smith touched on her missed penalty kick at the World Cup in her blurb. The shot helped seal the USWNT’s penalty shootout loss to Sweden in the Round of 16.

“You don’t let those moments completely define who you are,” she said. “When something doesn’t go your way, you can let it take you down, or you learn and grow from that moment and be better from it. I’m choosing that route.”

The U.S. women’s national team is missing several big names for its first matches after the 2023 World Cup.

The roster for the September training camp features 21 of the 23 players who made up the World Cup team in Australia and New Zealand. The two players absent? Sophia Smith and Kristie Mewis, both of whom are out with injuries.

Smith, the lone USWNT player nominated for this year’s Ballon d’Or, sustained a mild MCL sprain at the end of August in her second match back with the Portland Thorns after the international tournament. She had scored in her first game back and leads the NWSL with 11 goals this season.

The 23-year-old forward also was one of the team’s leading scorers Down Under, along with midfielder Lindsey Horan. Smith and Horan had two goals each; no one else on the USWNT found the back of the net during the disappointing World Cup run.

The absence from the September camp marks Smith’s second time missing friendlies this year for the USWNT. She missed the January camp in New Zealand with a foot injury.

Mewis, meanwhile, is out with a lower leg injury. The 32-year-old midfielder has not played since the World Cup and reportedly has yet to return to training with Gotham FC. USWNT staff declined to provide any additional information on the injury, saying it was up to Mewis and Gotham FC.

“Kristie is progressing really well,” interim head coach Twila Kilgore said. “She’s also in her home environment, working on return to play. And when she’s able to return to play and do that in her home environment, we would be looking at potentially bringing her in again in the future.”

Also not on the roster is Catarina Macario, who still is recovering from an ACL tear suffered in June 2022. She signed a three-year deal with Chelsea this June, and she has been training with the English club since August.

“Cat is still in recovery. She’s working on her return to play in her home environment at Chelsea,” Kilgore said. “She’s done a really good job. And we’re looking forward to potentially having her back in the squad in the future.”

Megan Rapinoe and Julie Ertz each will suit up for the U.S. women’s national team one last time.

On Tuesday, the USWNT revealed the 27-player roster for its September friendlies against South Africa. Ertz and Rapinoe both feature on the list, and each will receive her own final hurrah — Ertz in the first match in Cincinnati on Sept. 21, Rapinoe in the second match in Chicago on Sept. 24.

Ertz announced her retirement from professional soccer at the end of August, but she is returning to play in one more match for the USWNT before she hangs up her cleats. It will mark Ertz’s 123rd appearance for the national team.

“I expected to just walk away after retirement, but to have the opportunity to say goodbye to my teammates and the fans one last time is something special that many players dream of,” Ertz said in a news release.

Rapinoe announced her impending retirement ahead of the World Cup. While her final USWNT appearance will come at Chicago’s Soldier Field, the OL Reign forward will retire at the end of the 2023 NWSL season.

The USWNT’s September roster mirrors the 2023 World Cup roster, minus Sophia Smith and Kristie Mewis. Smith, the USWNT’s lone 2023 Ballon d’Or nominee, went down with an MCL sprain in late August during an NWSL match. Mewis also is recovering from an injury.

Mia Fishel, who is on the hunt for her first cap with the senior national team, joins the roster after signing with Chelsea this summer. And Jaedyn Shaw, the San Diego Wave’s 18-year-old phenom, received her first nod for the senior national team.

Chicago Red Stars defenders Tierna Davidson and Casey Krueger, Portland Thorns midfielder Sam Coffey and Washington Spirit forward Ashley Hatch return to the roster after missing out on the World Cup.

So far in 2023, the USWNT has a record of 9-0-3 (W-L-D), including the disappointing World Cup run. While the Round of 16 shootout loss to Sweden officially counts as a draw, it stands as the worst World Cup showing in program history and led to head coach Vlatko Andonovski’s resignation. Interim head coach Twila Kilgore will lead the team against South Africa.

USWNT schedule: September 2023

  • Thursday, Sept. 21 — 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT, Universo, Peacock)
    • United States vs. South Africa (TQL Stadium, Cincinnati)
  • Sunday, Sept. 24 — 5:30 p.m. ET (TNT, Universo, Peacock)
    • United States vs. South Africa (Soldier Field, Chicago)

USWNT roster: September 2023

Goalkeepers (3)

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

Defenders (9)

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

Midfielders (7)

  • Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns)
  • Savannah DeMelo (Racing Louisville FC)
  • Julie Ertz (Angel City FC)
  • Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyonnais)
  • Rose Lavelle (OL Reign)
  • Ashley Sanchez (Washington Spirit)
  • Andi Sullivan (Washington Spirit)

Forwards (8)

  • Mia Fishel (Chelsea)
  • Ashley Hatch (Washington Spirit)
  • Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave FC)
  • Megan Rapinoe (OL Reign)
  • Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit)
  • Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego Wave FC)
  • Alyssa Thompson (Angel City FC)
  • Lynn Williams (Gotham FC)

What went wrong for the U.S. women’s national team at the 2023 World Cup?

The shootout loss to Sweden in the Round of 16 marked the earliest ever World Cup exit for the USWNT. And the trouble started in the group stage, as the attack floundered against the Netherlands and Portugal.

Here’s what players have said about the USWNT’s struggles in the month since the World Cup elimination.

Lindsey Horan

The 29-year-old co-captain called out the lack of preparation for the tournament in Australia and New Zealand. While Horan did not mention head coach Vlatko Andonovski by name, she did share what she wants to ask his successor. (Andonovski resigned after the Round of 16 exit.)

“(How do you plan on) getting the best out of your team without overcomplicating everything? Because I could talk about the last four-year cycle, and we don’t need to get into every single thing, but that’s not what we did,” she said. “We did not get the best out of every single individual. I don’t think everyone was fully prepared.”

The starting midfielder pointed to the game against Sweden, which proved to be the best of the tournament for the USWNT despite the shootout loss. The improvements seen on the pitch in that contest came from the players themselves, according to Horan.

“The game against Sweden, I don’t think we were necessarily set up to play the way that we played,” she said. “That was just us, finally coming together and being like, this is what we’re gonna do. And then it worked. Then it’s like, ‘OK, keep doing it.’ Could that have happened earlier? Maybe. It’s a really tough one.”

Andi Sullivan

Like Horan, Sullivan started every single World Cup match. And she saw a “disconnect” between the preparation and the execution, she said after the tournament.

“I like Vlatko. He’s a good coach. And I felt we were prepared for the games, but there was clearly a disconnect between our preparation and then what actually was executed in the game,” Sullivan said. “That’s not good enough for the U.S. women’s national team. So you have got to make changes, and hopefully we can get things right before the Olympics.”

Ashley Sanchez

Several USWNT players, including Sanchez, pointed to a disconnect not in the overall strategy but in the communication of their roles on the team.

For example, Sanchez discussed her usage with Andonovski ahead of the tournament. The 24-year-old midfielder had played in all eight USWNT matches in 2023 leading into the World Cup, averaging 50 minutes per match. But she did not receive any playing time across the USWNT’s four matches in Australia and New Zealand.

“Let’s just say the role (I was told I would fill) was not what I played,” she told the Washington Post.

Lynn Williams

Williams entered the World Cup ready to channel her “inner Christen Press” and be a “super seven” sub, based on how Andonovski had described her role. But she did not play in the first two matches against Vietnam or the Netherlands.

“On some level, it’s devastating,” she said. “Because you’re like, everybody’s getting into the game, and I’m not getting into the game.”

The 30-year-old forward adjusted her expectations, and she did end up playing in the next two matches. She played 83 minutes as a starter in the group-stage finale against Portugal, then subbed on for the final 55 minutes against Sweden.

“I just had to remind myself again, like, it’s not about you, it’s about the team,” Williams said. “So whatever the decisions were made, just support that decision and make your teammates the best teammates you can possibly be.”

Still, the World Cup elimination stings.

“I just think we were too talented to have the outcome that we did,” she said on Just Women’s Sports‘ “Snacks” podcast.

Megan Rapinoe

As the 38-year-old forward prepares for her final USWNT appearance on Sept. 24, she took a broader view of how the USWNT needs to adjust in an interview with The Atlantic.

“From an overall federation perspective, it is worth at least a deep-dive look at our structure. We haven’t done that well in youth tournaments,” she said. “I think a more consistent style and a more consistent philosophy from the younger teams all the way up through the senior teams is necessary.”

Sophia Smith

One of many players who posted reflections on Instagram after tournament, the 23-year-old forward called herself “heartbroken” after the World Cup loss.

“Thank you to those who believed and supported us throughout the tournament, and most importantly to those who still do and never stopped,” Smith wrote. “It wouldn’t be life without moments like this, and I know without a doubt we will be back and hungrier than ever.”

Midge Purce

Purce missed out on the World Cup with a quad injury, but she followed her friends from afar. And while she understands their disappointment, and offered some criticism of the team’s World Cup tactics, she also expressed her optimism for the future of the USWNT.

“I think it’s so interesting the way we look at World Cups and big tournaments as if that tournament is the end of the movie, there’s nothing else to be seen,” Purce said on Just Women’s Sports‘ “The 91st” podcast. “This is a long journey. It’s a long story. These kids (are) probably gonna have three or four World Cups under their belt. And it’s the next one that I think everyone should be terrified for.

“They have a chip on their shoulder. They have broken hearts, they’re hurting. It’s hard and they’re good. They’re better than what they got. They’ve put out better performances individually than what they’ve received. … So I just think that there’s so much more to be excited for on the landscape of U.S women’s soccer. It’s going to be incredible.”

Two rising stars made the biggest moves in the NWSL Golden Boot race over the weekend. North Carolina Courage forward Kerolin moved into a tie with Ashley Hatch for second place with her ninth goal, while Portland Thorns forward Morgan Weaver added to her tally.

Weaver now has six goals on the season, tying her with Messiah Bright and Debinha, while Lynn Williams remains behind Hatch and Kerolin with seven goals. Sophia Smith holds onto the top spot with 11 goals, though she may lose ground as she continues to nurse a week-to-week MCL sprain.

Jaedyn Shaw and Jordyn Huitema also scored over the weekend, bringing their season totals to five goals each.

Trending upward: Kerolin (9 goals)

At one point this season, Kerolin was neck-and-neck with Smith for the Golden Boot award, and she appears to be heading back in that direction after scoring in North Carolina’s 3-3 draw with Gotham on Saturday. After an outstanding June in the NWSL, the 23-year-old Brazilian has returned from the World Cup in form.

Kerolin has been particularly efficient in front of net, with her nine goals coming on just 40 shots and 15 on target. That gives her a 60 percent success rate on converting shots on target into goals. In comparison, Smith has converted 29 percent of her 38 shots on target. If Kerolin continues to make the most of her chances, she could overtake Smith in the final four games of the regular season.

Staying put: Sophia Smith (11 goals)

The good news is that Smith avoided a worst-case scenario, and instead is considered week-to-week with a mild MCL sprain in her right knee.

But there’s no clear timetable for Smith’s return. With four games remaining, including Portland’s rivalry match against OL Reign on Sept. 16, Smith’s injury has come at a less-than-ideal time for both her and the Thorns.

NWSL leaderboard

  • 11 goals
    • Sophia Smith, Portland Thorns
  • 9 goals
    • Ashley Hatch, Washington Spirit
    • Kerolin, North Carolina Courage
  • 7 goals
    • Lynn Williams, Gotham FC
  • 6 goals
    • Messiah Bright, Orlando Pride
    • Debinha, Kansas City Current
    • Morgan Weaver, Portland Thorns
  • 5 goals
    • Bethany Balcer, OL Reign
    • Savannah DeMelo, Racing Louisville
    • Crystal Dunn, Portland Thorns
    • Cece Kizer, Kansas City Current
    • Tyler Lussi, North Carolina Courage
    • Alex Morgan, San Diego Wave
    • Ashley Sanchez, Washington Spirit
    • Jordyn Huitema, OL Reign
    • Jaedyn Shaw, San Diego Wave

With five games remaining in the NWSL regular season, the players who have excelled in 2023 are beginning to wrap up their individual awards campaigns. While the 2023 World Cup took a number of stars away from their squads, a well-timed Challenge Cup break allowed many to miss as few regular season matches as possible, making the awards race as compelling as ever.

As we head into the home stretch of the season, here’s how my current NWSL awards ballot is shaping up.

MVP: Sophia Smith, Portland Thorns

Shortlist: Kerolin, Adriana, Sam Coffey

While Smith has missed a few regular season games due to the World Cup (and may miss more due to an MCL sprain), she has once again been a standout among many in 2023. She leads the league in goals scored with 11, in addition to an impressive tally of five assists. Her dribbling abilities are unmatched, as teams build their entire game plans around trying to stop her from running in on goal to little avail.

If Smith misses the rest of the season due to her injury, the scales might tip out of her favor simply due to availability. But based on her per-game 90-minute impact, she is worthy of the MVP trophy for a second straight year.

Defender of the Year: Sam Staab, Washington Spirit

Shortlist: Sarah Gorden, Ali Krieger, Michelle Alozie

Sam Staab is such a steady presence along the Washington Spirit backline that at times she undeservedly fades into the background of the awards conversation. Partnering with first-time center-back Tara McKeown, she is the anchor of a defense that has undergone extensive change in recent years. While Washington’s defense hasn’t been perfect this year, Staab consistently controls space while playing a key role in the Spirit’s ball progression, including long-ball distribution.

Washington’s defense has tightened up in the second half of the season, giving Staab my nod over players in more staunch units. She’s been one of the better center-backs in the league for years, and 2023 is no different.

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(Vincent Carchietta/USA TODAY Sports)

Goalkeeper of the Year: Katie Lund, Racing Louisville

Shortlist: Kailen Sheridan, Aubrey Kingsbury, Abby Smith

Katie Lund has been overlooked for major postseason awards due to Louisville’s difficulty with getting above the playoff line, but 2023 should be her year. She’s consistently one of the best shot-stoppers in the league, excelling both when Louisville’s defense is struggling and when she has seasoned veterans like Abby Erceg in front of her. Lund leads the NWSL in saves and leads the league’s goalkeepers in American Soccer Analysis’ goals added metric, based on her elite ability to stop shots.

Louisville increasingly looks like a team with a number of stars that can’t quite find the winning combination to contend for the playoffs, but Lund has been a steady standout for years.

Coach of the Year: Becki Tweed, Angel City

Shortlist: Juan Carlos Amorós, Mark Parsons, Sean Nahas

It’s unconventional to put an interim manager up for Coach of the Year, but Becki Tweed has flipped the script. Tweed has only been in charge of Angel City since June 14, after the club parted ways with Freya Coombe, but her ability to build off the team’s foundation has been impressive to witness. The squad is currently undefeated under her management, without having drastically changed their style of play. Tweed has simply adjusted the clarity of instruction to help turn Angel City’s players into the best versions of themselves.

Tweed’s candidacy for Coach of the Year may be dependent on the Los Angeles club qualifying for their first playoff appearance, but her work is at least deserving of a permanent job and a shot at steering the team in the future.

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(Nathan Ray Seebeck/USA TODAY Sports)

Rookie of the Year: Messiah Bright, Orlando Pride

Shortlist: Paige Metayer, Alyssa Thompson, Jenna Nighswonger

When Messiah Bright fell to the second round of the 2023 NWSL Draft, it seemed fated that the forward out of TCU would make a number of teams regret letting her pass them by. Bright has been a spark plug for a rising Orlando Pride team, collaborating well with players like Adriana and Marta and developing a talent for putting the ball in the back of the net.

With six goals so far during the regular season, she’s showcasing a tenacity that will only grow with the more NWSL minutes she plays. Whether she can get Orlando above the playoff line remains to be seen, but Bright has the skills to excel in the league for years to come.

Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.