The U.S. women’s national team is abruptly moving into a new cycle, as it tries to shrug off a disappointing World Cup campaign and bounce back at the 2024 Olympic Games. The team has yet to name an official successor to head coach Vlatko Andonovski, and all assumptions about the USWNT player pool are off while the team resets.
A number of players on the World Cup roster this summer didn’t get the opportunities they perhaps deserved, but that doesn’t mean the future isn’t still bright for the four-time World Cup champions. So, what comes next for the USWNT’s bench players?
Let’s take a look at how they are currently contributing to their club teams, and why they’re still in the mix for permanent USWNT roster spots.
Ashley Sanchez, M, Washington Spirit
Sanchez explained to the media upon her World Cup return that she was a bit surprised by her role at the tournament. “Let’s just say the role [I was told I would fill] was not what I played,” she told the Washington Post after returning to the Spirit.
Sanchez is a player who can exploit space as both an attacker and a playmaker and isn’t afraid to take shots on goal. She made that clear with a ripper of a goal just 40 seconds into her first game back with Washington. Under Andonovski, Sanchez was frequently asked to sit on the backline of the USWNT’s opponent and as an additional attacker rather than a traditional midfielder. The finishing pressures placed on the player in that role have never suited Sanchez, who thrives when she has the freedom to collaborate with teammates like Trinity Rodman. As the U.S. works out its midfield shape, allowing Sanchez to create her own space will be paramount.
Alana Cook, D, OL Reign
Cook had one of the USWNT’s strangest World Cup experiences. After carrying the most minutes of any U.S. field player in 2022, she never saw the field at the World Cup, abruptly dropped in place of Julie Ertz at center-back. She’s since returned to a starting role at OL Reign, as she further develops her club partnership with Sam Hiatt.
Cook is a talented player who has struggled with the timing of the game at the international level. The Reign are currently battling for NWSL playoff position, sitting just above the playoff line and five points away from the top of the league table. The team is also on a two-game regular season losing streak heading into September, with an urgency to shore up their formation in defensive transition. Cook is now in the difficult position of needing to step up for her team at home without having gained the playing experience of a World Cup.
Alyssa Thompson, F, Angel City
Alyssa Thompson didn’t feature much for the U.S. during the World Cup, but she perhaps returned to a better situation at the club level than the one she left. Angel City is undefeated in nine games under interim manager Becki Tweed, rising in the NWSL standings and pushing for the club’s first-ever playoff berth.
Thompson has seen some of her scoring responsibilities lessened by the Angel City midfield and the team’s newfound tenacity on set pieces. She continues to stretch defenses with her speed and positioning, while benefiting from a team no longer dependent on getting her the ball on the dribble to have a shot at creating quality chances. The best-case scenario for Thompson is that she continues to grow in her rookie season without the weight of a playoff spot on her shoulders, and so far Angel City is succeeding.
Emily Sonnett, D/M, OL Reign
Emily Sonnett played the part of a World Cup hero in the USWNT’s Round of 16 matchup against Sweden. The 29-year-old has mostly excelled as a center-back at the professional level but also has experience at defensive midfield. After short stints at outside back for the U.S., Sonnett rediscovered her No. 6 roots when Andonovski turned to her unexpectedly to partner with Andi Sullivan and help shore up the team’s shaky formation in the knockout stage.
She has since returned to a Reign team that is firmly set on Cook and Hiatt as their center-backs, and she will likely continue to develop as a defensive midfielder as the Reign jockey for playoff position. Sonnett filled in for an injured Quinn in the early stages of OL Reign’s 2023 regular season, using her natural ability to command space from the midfield. She most recently paired with Quinn in a double-pivot shape, showing the respect she has earned as a midfielder in a very short period of time.
Sofia Huerta, D, OL Reign
Sofia Huerta didn’t see much of the field during the 2023 World Cup, as Andonovski took a conservative approach to his defense. The Reign defender is one of the most reliable contributors in the NWSL, bringing quality on the ball in attacking areas and the ability to drop crosses into the box on a dime. She likely doesn’t need further development as a player nor a confidence boost to be in the mix for the USWNT in 2024. She’ll always be a fair option for a USWNT call-up, depending on how the new coach wants the team to play.
Lynn Williams, F, Gotham FC
Lynn Williams’ vulnerability as part of the USWNT player pool has never made much sense. Her understanding of the team’s defensive pressing triggers are better than almost any other available player. She can fit into both wide and central spaces, and she can thrive in high-volume shooting schemes and in taking key chances without controlling possession.
Williams is a legitimate NWSL Golden Boot and MVP candidate in her first season with Gotham. The forward should be a valued part of the USWNT’s plans going forward, rather than held at arm’s length by the program, as she has been in the past.
Kristie Mewis, M, Gotham FC
Kristie Mewis has always shown flashes of sophistication at the international level that she’s never had significant time to develop. Mewis is known as a galvanizing locker room presence and a versatile midfielder who can slot into a number of roles as a substitute. She also brings quality on set-piece delivery, and yet hasn’t been given many of those opportunities nor been relied upon to hone one particular position.
Mewis was a starting midfielder for what was arguably the USWNT’s best win in 2023, a 1-0 victory over Japan at the SheBelieves Cup. She was able to combat Japan’s quick-trigger possession approach with her defensive positioning to keep them off the scoresheet. Mewis’ prowess in that moment only takes on greater weight after the World Cup, where Japan was one of the best teams before losing to Sweden in the quarterfinals, and should be considered in future USWNT evaluation.
Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.
The U.S. women’s national team recently announced its friendly schedule for the October international window, with two games against World Cup quarterfinalists Colombia in Utah and California.
With the understanding that the team’s September games against South Africa are intended to celebrate the World Cup squad (and give Megan Rapinoe the farewell she deserves), October should bring larger roster implications. The window will give the U.S. a chance to shake up the player pool as they look to rebound from a disappointing 2023.
It’s unclear whether the team will be under new permanent management by October after the resignation of head coach Vlatko Andonovski, but leadership will be eager to reset a roster that got exposed at the World Cup. The good news for the USWNT is that there are many players excelling in the NWSL who would be great candidates for fresh looks in camp ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Here are five players I’d like to see compete for a spot on a new-look USWNT.
Sam Coffey, M, Portland Thorns
Coffey is perhaps the most obvious choice on this list as a player with some USWNT experience already. Coffey is a defensive midfielder who plays more in the style of Andi Sullivan than Julie Ertz, known for her ability to distribute and win the ball at the NWSL level. The 24-year-old is already an NWSL champion and hasn’t slowed down this year. She’s recorded a league-leading seven assists in the regular season as Portland has surged to first place despite a number of World Cup absences.
Coffey’s ability to break lines as a passer from a deep-lying midfield position is not something the U.S. prioritized under Andonovski in 2023. But ball distribution will likely be a point of focus after the World Cup as the team rethinks its shape and structure, and Coffey should be one of the first players called back into the team.
Katie Lund, GK, Racing Louisville
While Alyssa Naeher is already a USWNT legend, the program is looking for a clear successor to the 35-year-old goalkeeper. Casey Murphy has the most U.S. experience of the current group, and Aubrey Kingsbury has been excellent at the league level. But if the whole player pool is getting a rethink, Racing Louisville’s Katie Lund has proven she can handle the necessary shot-stopping to earn a call-up to camp.
Lund is leading the NWSL in saves for the second straight year, and she also leads the league in American Soccer Analysis’ goals added metric based on her elite ability to stop shots. The U.S. has increasingly prioritized goalkeepers who are comfortable with the ball at their feet, which is something even Naeher developed over time. But if the team believes that element can be coached, Lund has every other tool necessary to compete at an international level.
Jaedyn Shaw, F/M, San Diego Wave
Jaedyn Shaw had a legitimate argument for inclusion on the USWNT’s 2023 World Cup roster in the absence of Mallory Swanson due to a knee injury. Shaw has all the capabilities of a classic U.S. winger, exploiting space on the dribble to make defenders miss and providing scoring opportunities for herself and her teammates.
But what makes Shaw an even more exciting USWNT prospect is her composure on the ball, which far exceeds what one might expect from an 18-year-old. She can play in a creative midfield role as well as on the wings, picking out tricky passes with the same ease as when she’s progressing the ball on the dribble. In fact, Shaw could be the heir to Rose Lavelle’s place on the field as much as she can contribute in wide areas now. She’s a must-have as the U.S. reshapes its roster.
Morgan Weaver, F, Portland Thorns
Weaver has been a steady force for Portland in 2023, finding ways to impact games from wide areas and contributing from the inside when needed. Weaver brings a high-motor intensity to her work both with and without the ball, knowing when to provide width and get to the endline, and when to pull defenders centrally to create space for her teammates. She has five goals and four assists so far this season, and could carry even more responsibility if the knee injury Sophia Smith sustained over the weekend ends up sidelining her for an extended period of time.
Weaver also has — for lack of a more defined term — the intangibles the USWNT has long prioritized. Whether starting or playing off the bench, she brings a desire to win that puts opponents on their heels. She can fill a variety of roles for a team that sometimes struggles to get the right combination on the field, and she’d bring a personality that seems to fit right in with the USWNT’s most intense competitors.
Sam Staab, D, Washington Spirit
If there’s one thing we learned from the 2023 World Cup, it’s that center-back depth can disappear in an instant. Andonovski made the call before the tournament began that he trusted a pairing of Ertz and Naomi Girma over other options like Alana Cook and Emily Sonnett. There are also questions of whether longtime captain Becky Sauerbrunn will re-enter the fold, whether Tierna Davidson will regain her form, and whether Ertz will step away from the sport entirely.
The U.S. desperately needs to go back to the scouting board at the center-back position, and Staab should be high on their list. She’s the Spirit’s iron woman, providing a steady durability the USWNT has missed in recent years. She can disrupt play with her positioning and send a long ball forward on a dime, and her NWSL experience should allow her to become a contributor quickly. Staab also has long throw-in capabilities, giving any team extended set-piece opportunities in the final third. The 26-year-old has done the work, and now she deserves a look.
Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.
With the dust settling after the U.S. women’s national team’s disappointing Round of 16 exit from the 2023 World Cup, there has been a necessary focus on what went wrong. Coaching, talent development, mentality and fitness have all been put under a microscope, with the USWNT acting as a mirror for many perceived shortcomings at both the senior and youth levels of soccer in the United States.
The fallout will continue for months to come, and in many ways, the USWNT will be better off not trying to sugarcoat the cracks in their foundation. But there is also ample reason for hope for the USWNT’s future that goes beyond their four major tournament games this year.
The young USWNT core is ready, and hungry
Players 23 years old and younger played a lion’s share of the USWNT’s minutes at the 2023 World Cup, with the intention that those players will be with the team for a long time. Naomi Girma, 23, was arguably the USWNT’s best player throughout their tournament. Sophia Smith, 23, and Trinity Rodman, 21, were also at the center of the team’s harsh learning experience, which should only lead to growth.
Ideally, they’ll also be joined by 25-year-old Mallory Swanson and 23-year-old Catarina Macario in future tournaments. Emily Fox, 25, also grew into her responsibilities in 2023. The USWNT committed to the future alongside the present during this World Cup cycle, and while the dividends didn’t pay off immediately, the foundation for deep runs in the future is there.
This is good news, because this next generation of talent wasn’t guaranteed. In hindsight, the 2023 USWNT World Cup roster is a reflection of the challenges the team had with identifying talent for a number of years, with most players either in their early-to-mid 30s or their early-to-mid 20s. The USWNT’s small “lost generation” is an indictment of the rigidity of their talent identification pipeline. But the pipeline hasn’t made the squad over-commit to an aging golden generation, which is a testament to the resiliency of the player pool.
Veterans like Alex Morgan have more to give to the U.S., but they also want to leave the team better than they found it. The bridging of that gap is still an unfinished project, but not one without progress.
The talent pipeline is evolving
In the wake of the USWNT’s early exit, attention naturally turned to U.S. Soccer’s process of identifying and developing emerging talent as the U.S. attempts to maintain a competitive edge. There’s legitimate reason to be concerned — the transition to the U.S. Soccer Development Academy system hasn’t been without hiccups — and the pay-to-play nature of many top clubs cuts out entire demographics of talent.
There has been similar concern of college soccer’s place in an evolving landscape. Other countries are instead placing young players into professional environments with more opportunities to develop at a higher rate. Many of the top soccer minds in the U.S. sit in entrenched NCAA jobs, but the collapsing conference system, recruiting limitations and rule differences make four years with a college team seem less and less feasible for players with international-level ambitions.
Silver linings do exist, however. Increasingly, players are making the jump to the pros after one or two years spent developing at the NCAA level. Portland’s Sophia Smith, Kansas City’s Michelle Cooper and PSG’s Korbin Albert are good examples of young, talented players understanding when it’s time to move up a level after getting their start in college.
We’re also seeing more teenagers forgo college entirely, aided by the NWSL’s new U18 entry rules. Allowing under-18 players to sign directly with clubs not only allows players to develop with professional first teams from a young age; it also gives them the option to avoid the NWSL college draft, which has been a sore subject for top talent in recent years.
Players now have the option to commit to a professional career before turning 18, go to college for a few years or, upon turning 18, look abroad for other opportunities. A healthy NWSL will always be important to the USWNT’s development, but the U.S. should not be afraid of diverse club experiences.
What matters most is that players have options, and the increasing professionalization of the game both in the U.S. and abroad empowers them to take control of their careers and not depend too much on U.S. Soccer’s youth system. If young NWSL stars like Jaedyn Shaw and Olivia Moultrie break into the U.S. first team early, they will have that evolution to thank.
The players are more versatile than current coaching
Injuries put the USWNT attack in a difficult position in 2023, and it showed in their results. Vlatko Andonovski’s vision of his two wingers slashing inside in front of a false No. 9 never fit the skill set of longtime U.S. striker Alex Morgan, and the wingers’ inability to get high and wide when reacting to Morgan’s strengths contributed to the USWNT’s early exit.
But concerns that U.S. players inherently lack creativity doesn’t necessarily hold up when you look at the breadth of their work outside of Andonovski’s system. What happened had more to do with players working against their creative instincts rather than not having those instincts in the first place.
A good example of this dichotomy is Washington Spirit and USWNT defensive midfielder Andi Sullivan. Sullivan is an incredibly versatile player in her club environment, with the ability to push forward box-to-box, sit in defensive midfield spaces and even join the backline. She’s a smart, understated player who can control games at the club level. But when asked to fill the exact role Julie Ertz left behind in the USWNT’s defensive midfield, she looked completely out of her depth.
It would be easy to come to the conclusion that Sullivan simply didn’t have the mentality necessary to succeed at the international level, or that she’s underdeveloped compared to her European counterparts. But the moment Andonovski switched to a double-pivot midfield, with Emily Sonnett handling defending in space against Sweden in the Round of 16, Sullivan became the player NWSL fans know her to be.
Sullivan and Sonnett looked very comfortable in the midfield against the eventual semifinalists, going head-to-head with a team that has given the U.S. fits in recent years. That Sullivan is just one example of how a new coaching perspective changes the USWNT’s chances indicates the true cracks don’t always lie at the player level. U.S. players won’t always look the same as the generations before them, but that makes them no less formidable.
Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.
As the U.S. women’s national team heads home early from the 2023 World Cup, they’ll soon start preparing for the next big international tournament: the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The Games are a little less than a year away, which could be cause for panic after the USWNT suffered its earliest World Cup exit in history. With the potential for a new coaching hire and a new-look roster as veterans step away from the team, there could be many shake-ups on the horizon.
The U.S. will hope to welcome back several stars from injury, including forwards Mallory Swanson and Catarina Macario. But other injured players are question marks, as are some of the younger prospects who were left off the squad this time but could make their case in the next year. Here are five of them.
Jaedyn Shaw, Forward
Jaedyn Shaw had a case for making the USWNT’s 2023 World Cup roster. Coach Vlatko Andonovski included 18-year-old Alyssa Thompson on his final 23-player roster, and Shaw has similar promise and even more professional experience. The 18-year-old has made 22 appearances for the San Diego Wave and recorded seven goals, including four so far this season.
While no longer one of the youngest signings in the NWSL, she recently signed an extension with the Wave that will keep her with the NWSL club through 2026. She also won U.S. Soccer’s Young Player of the Year award in 2022, after a successful U-20 World Cup campaign.
New contract feeling for Jaedyn Shaw as she makes it 1-0 🥳
— Attacking Third (@AttackingThird) August 5, 2023
You can watch the match NOW on @paramountplus 🤩 pic.twitter.com/V3Pcxb7A6C
“Obviously the national team recognition is going to keep coming if she keeps performing,” San Diego head coach Casey Stoney told Just Women’s Sports in June. “And we need to make sure that we look after her on and off the field, because she’s still an 18-year-old and she’s still young, and we need to make sure that she’s ready for everything that comes her way.”
By the time the 2024 Olympics roll around, Shaw will have three seasons of professional experience under her belt. While it might be difficult for Shaw to step in at forward given the USWNT’s depth at the position, she’s worthy of consideration and should earn her first senior international call-up sometime in the next year.
Mia Fishel, Forward
After being selected in the 2022 NWSL Draft, Fishel opted to forgo the NWSL in favor of playing for Tigres UANL in Liga MX Femenil. There, the 22-year-old went on an absolute tear, becoming the first foreign-born player to win the league’s Golden Boot with 17 goals while helping Tigres to the league title as a rookie. But it wasn’t enough to earn her a USWNT roster call-up.
Conversations grew more positive over time, with Andonovski noting that NWSL forwards were “performing as good and even better than Mia,” and later saying they were “having good conversations with” her and the USWNT was “happy for her success down there.”
“At the same time, she understands the competition that is on the national team and the players she is competing against,” Andonovski said last November. “She’s patiently waiting for her opportunity. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see her in a future camp.”
Yet, as of August 2023, Fishel has yet to feature for the USWNT.
“Mia is a very good young player, we are very familiar with her qualities,” Andonovski said in January. “But as of right now, after looking at everything, we decided the forwards that we have in camp are going to give us the best chance to be successful.”
In the meantime, Fishel continued to produce in Mexico, scoring 38 goals through 48 appearances. She’ll soon get more experience against top competition after signing with European powerhouse Chelsea last week. Her transfer fee ranks among the highest in the world, meaning Chelsea manager Emma Hayes is putting a lot of stock into Fishel becoming one of the best players in the world at her position.
As Fishel joins Chelsea, expect her USWNT prospects to change heading into Olympic roster selection.
Jaelin Howell, Midfield
At 23 years old, Howell has one goal in five international appearances, scoring against Uzbekistan last year. She began 2023 with a USWNT call-up before seemingly falling off Andonovski’s radar.
When it comes to the role of defensive midfielder, Howell is elite. The 2022 No. 2 draft pick ranks in the 90th percentile or better in tackles, interceptions, clearances and aerials won in the NWSL. Her pass completion is 80.2 percent this season for Racing Louisville, and she’s creating 1.76 shot attempts per 90, which is good for seventh in the NWSL. She’s also first in the NWSL in tackles and tackles won, and she ranked first blocks in 2022.
Why Howell hasn’t gotten a deeper look for the USWNT is a mystery, though that could change heading into 2024 — especially given how some of her Racing Louisville teammates performed at this year’s World Cup.
Sam Coffey, Midfield
Sam Coffey was one of a few players who drew the short straw for the USWNT’s World Cup roster. One of the team’s biggest snubs alongside forward Ashley Hatch, Coffey had been having a great start to the NWSL season at the No. 6 position. But her style of play didn’t always fit with Andonovski’s tactical decisions, and with Andi Sullivan out-playing her in camp and the return of Julie Ertz, there wasn’t room for the 24-year-old.
Coffey continues to develop her game as a holding midfielder, a position of need for the U.S. in the absence of Ertz, who announced her retirement after the Round of 16 loss.
“Her time will come, I have no doubt,” USWNT star forward Sophia Smith said following the roster announcement. “I fully believe that she will be the holding midfielder on the national team for a very long time.”
Phallon Tullis-Joyce, Goalkeeper
Even after her heroics in the USWNT’s Round of 16 game, USWNT goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher’s time with the team will come to an end at some point. The 35-year-old will have a shot at the 2024 Olympic roster, and maybe even the 2027 World Cup, but the U.S. will need to start developing their next No. 1 keeper
While both Casey Murphy and Aubrey Kingsbury are worthy options, Phallon Tullis-Joyce continues to play her way into consideration for a USWNT look.
Tullis-Joyce has been one of the NWSL’s best goalkeepers over the last two seasons, ranking first in the league with 0.86 goals against per 90 minutes last season and currently sixth at 1.20 through 15 games this season. Her save percentage is lower this year than it was in 2022, but is still above 70 percent. As the USWNT builds out its goalkeeper depth chart for 2024, the 26-year-old has made a strong case for inclusion.
After a disappointing Round of 16 exit at the 2023 World Cup, the U.S. women’s national team will regroup and turn its attention to coming back with a vengeance at the 2024 Paris Olympics. It’s unclear if head coach Vlatko Andonovski will be the one leading that charge. His contract expires at the end of 2023, and his performance will be the subject of an internal review following the team’s failure to make the semifinals of a World Cup for the first time in program history.
From there, roster decisions will be of utmost importance with less than a year to right the USWNT ship. Those decisions are also not as linear as they might seem, with the U.S. likely to continue some of the roster changes they started going into 2023. The talent pool is as deep as ever, with a new generation of young players with professional experience eager for a chance to play at the international level.
The group will also have a number of key contributors hopefully returning from injury, longtime veterans making decisions about their careers and players’ form naturally fluctuating over the next year.
The two-time winners considering their futures
We already know that two of the two-time World Champions who made their return for the 2023 World Cup will not be back for the Olympics. Megan Rapinoe announced prior to the tournament that she would retire at the end of 2023, and Julie Ertz revealed her own intention to retire from the national team after the USWNT’s Round of 16 exit.
Rapinoe served as a substitute in 2023, but Ertz quickly proved herself indispensable in a center-back partnership with young stalwart Naomi Girma. Her absence will usher in further change, and her contributions will be greatly missed.
Other two-time champions have decisions of their own to make. Kelley O’Hara’s desire to galvanize a young team and lead them through high-pressure situations has never waned, but her fitness this summer also never allowed her to make those contributions on the field. Becky Sauerbrunn, whose lingering injury left her off the World Cup roster, is even one degree further removed from a return to the U.S.
Alex Morgan and Alyssa Naeher both played significant minutes for the USWNT in 2023, stepping up in different moments to lead the squad. Both go back to their NWSL teams with questions of form lingering. With Naeher 35 years old and Morgan 34, where they fit in the USWNT’s future likely depends on who is coaching the team going forward.
The 2019 connectors
Lindsey Horan becoming USWNT co-captain in 2023 felt like the U.S. coaching staff’s way of forging a clear connection between the 2015 veterans and 2023 rookies. Horan headlines a somewhat small group of players who won the World Cup for the first time in 2019 and returned to the tournament in 2023.
Horan, Rose Lavelle, Crystal Dunn and Emily Sonnett are the only players now tasked with carrying that legacy forward, indicating a down period in U.S. talent identification during those players’ formative years. Good news, the USWNT has a number of very talented young players under the age of 25 who will continue the high standards the team has become known for. But if there is one specific failure of the U.S. development system, it’s how many players were relied upon to carry the team from 2015 to 2023, and how few of the players who got caps in that period stuck with the team in major tournaments.
Two other players who should rejoin their 2019 World Cup teammates are Mallory Swanson and Tierna Davidson. The NWSL teammates missed the 2023 tournament due to varying injury return timelines, and though they are in a tumultuous club situation in Chicago, having more time to regain their form could make all the difference.
The young 2023ers
While they didn’t get as much time to develop through the World Cup as they would have liked, the young players making their major tournament debuts in 2023 will be better in the future for their experience. Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman, Naomi Girma and Emily Fox all learned what it takes to start in a World Cup game, how to process the highs and lows of the tournament, and how to manage their fitness while carrying heavy minutes.
Ashley Sanchez and Alana Cook were surprisingly held off the field for the four games the U.S. played in Australia and New Zealand, while Savannah DeMelo — a surprising roster inclusion — got an incredible amount of experience in the group stage. Those coaching decisions will have ramifications in the future, though they shouldn’t affect any players’ standing going into the next international cycle.
Alyssa Thompson gained World Cup experience likely a cycle early due to the injury to Swanson, making appearances as a substitute as she continues to add elements to her game. And the one player who deserves to hold space in this group despite her absence is Catarina Macario, who would have been right alongside her teammates if not for setbacks in her ACL recovery. Back in training with new club Chelsea, Macario has to be in any future USWNT plans that include the other players in this group.
League veterans competing for another shot
If the U.S. has few players who can carry the memories of 2019 into 2024, they do have a number of players who worked their way onto the squad later in their careers. Kristie Mewis and Lynn Williams both made the last Olympic roster (though Williams was an alternate), and Williams has been effective in her minutes in both major tournaments.
The assets Sofia Huerta brings to the U.S. as a crossing specialist are clear despite few minutes played at the 2023 World Cup. Naeher’s heirs at the goalkeeping position also likely come from this group: Casey Murphy and Aubrey Kingsbury will have the advantage of their camp experiences, while other keepers push for consideration based on league play.
And then there is Andi Sullivan, a player who seemed to have just missed a number of major international tournaments before making her World Cup debut in 2023. Despite being let down by Andonovski’s system, Sullivan was steady while carrying heavy minutes in the U.S. midfield and catering well to Horan and Lavelle’s tendencies. She’ll be battling for position against the next generation, but will have experience on her side.
The next generation of talent
While the U.S. has been undergoing many roster changes in recent years, they have room to get even younger still. Players like Jaedyn Shaw, Sam Coffey, Olivia Moultrie, Mia Fishel, Jaelin Howell and Jenna Nighswonger are all getting experience and contributing in professional systems, with some of them forgoing the old pipeline pathways of the NCAA system.
Beyond young American players already proving their worth at the professional level, youth internationals at the collegiate level are also rising through the ranks. Alyssa Thompson’s little sister, Gisele Thompson, trains with NWSL club Angel City, as have other standouts like Simone Jackson. USC standout Croix Bethune was listed on Andonovski’s provisional roster for Concacaf World Cup qualifying, and other talents like Trinity Byars, Lexi Missimo and Lilly Reale will be eager to step up and fill the positional gaps left by the exits of longtime veterans.
That this is not even the exhaustive list of players available to refresh a USWNT project that didn’t get the balance right in 2023 should be exciting for fans of the team. It also represents just how daunting the year ahead might be for the coaching staff. After big wins, there is always an impulse to run it back with the players you know. In the face of failure, the future might look a little different.
Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.
Megan Rapinoe buried her blue hair in the crook of Lynn Williams’ neck, simultaneously shedding tears and cracking a smile. Crying because it’s over, and smiling because it happened.
The 38-year-old’s U.S. women’s national team career came to a screeching halt on a missed penalty kick. In a cruel twist of fate, the team was eliminated after their best performance of the World Cup, a 5-4 penalty shootout defeat to Sweden in the Round of 16 on Sunday.
“I thought we played really well,” Rapinoe said. “I’m so happy for us that we went out like that, playing the way that we did and having a ton of joy on the ball.”
After a flat group stage that saw the U.S. finish in second place in Group E to move onto the knockout rounds, they finally brought the spark they’ve been known for. But a spark wasn’t enough. They needed a goal in regulation, or in extra time. They needed one more made penalty kick, or one more save.
They didn’t get it.
Instead, Sweden handed the USWNT their earliest exit in World Cup history.
“It’s an emotional time,” said U.S. veteran Julie Ertz. “It absolutely sucks. Penalties are the worst, but it’s an honor to represent this team and I’m excited for the future.”
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 6, 2023
The future will look a lot different.
There are new teams in contention: Nigeria, South Africa, Morocco and Jamaica made it out of the group stage for the first time. Other mainstays endured early exits: Marta and Brazil, Christine Sinclair and Canada, the second-ranked German squad, and now, Rapinoe and the U.S.
The loss also marks the end of Rapinoe’s U.S. Soccer career, after she announced her retirement prior to the World Cup. One of the most decorated soccer players in American history, Rapinoe leaves behind a legacy on the field that includes a 2019 World Cup victory, a Golden Boot, a Ballon d’Or trophy and 63 international goals.
Off the field, her impact has been even greater. As an outspoken supporter of equal pay and LGBTQ+ rights, Rapinoe received the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her advocacy work in July 2022.
That part of Rapinoe won’t change, but her place in the landscape of international soccer will. Her spot on the 2023 USWNT was called into question during the lead-up to the World Cup, but coach Vlatko Andonovski clearly trusted the veteran, subbing her into the match against Sweden and calling on her during penalty kicks.
Rapinoe’s attempt soared over the goal, marking an unfortunate end to an incredible career.
“I mean, this is like a sick joke,” she told FOX Sports. “For me personally, I’m just like, this is a dark comedy. I missed a penalty.”
"I think this team has always fought for so much more and that's been the most rewarding part for me... To know that we've used our really special talent to do something that's changed the world forever." 🇺🇸❤️@USWNT's @mPinoe speaks with @JennyTaft after the game ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/NUx9Oku4mf
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 6, 2023
Andi Sullivan, Lindsey Horan and goalie Alyssa Naeher all found the back of the net. Kelley O’Hara, another player in the twilight of her USWNT career, missed her penalty kick as well, opening the door for Sweden to finish the job.
But it wasn’t just the veterans who failed to capitalize. Sophia Smith, who scored two goals in the team’s World Cup opening 3-0 win over Vietnam, also sent her attempt over the goal.
Smith represents the future of the USWNT, and Rapinoe, the past. Two generations united by heartache in the pressure cooker that is a penalty kick shootout.
The official changing of the guard starts now.
While Smith and the other USWNT youngsters have opportunities ahead of them and memories yet to be made, this is it for Rapinoe.
It might be for Alex Morgan, too.
“I don’t know,” she told FOX Sports, in response to a question about her future with the team. “I was so focused on the World Cup that I don’t know. I need to get back to San Diego, get back to work, go from there.”
Ertz also alluded to the end of her career in a postgame interview.
“For me, it’s just emotional because it’s probably my last game ever to have the honor to wear this crest,” she said.
This possibly marks the end of Andonovski’s tenure. The earliest exit in team history — combined with persistent questions about his coaching — is hard to come back from.
And this might have been both the first and last World Cup for others. Players like Mewis, who converted a penalty kick in her tournament debut. And Sofia Huerta, who worked for so long to represent the USWNT at this level, only to leave with just a few minutes recorded in the group stage.
It’s the beginning for Trinity Rodman, who battled illness to play arguably her best game of the tournament. And for Naomi Girma, who was an anchor on the backline, playing with maturity beyond her years. And Alyssa Thompson, who at 18 already has world-class talent. And for players like Catarina Macario and Mallory Swanson, who missed out on playing in New Zealand and Australia because of injury, but will be key pieces to the USWNT for years to come.
They will remember this as they take the next steps in their soccer careers, and certainly four years from now, when they most likely step on the pitch for another World Cup.
They will remember the missed chances — 22 shots, with 11 on goal, and nine corner kicks. Remember the incredible play by Naeher, who not only saved penalties but made one herself.
And they will remember the veterans who played alongside them, and the lessons they learned from those who have experienced all the emotions that come with a World Cup win, and the ones that come with a loss.
“This is the balance to the beautiful side of the game,” Rapinoe said with tears in her eyes. “It can be cruel.”
Eden Laase is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @eden_laase.
Despite an unconvincing start through three games, the U.S. women’s national team is onto the knockout rounds of the 2023 World Cup and will be taking on Sweden in the Round of 16 at 5 a.m. ET on Sunday. Head coach Vlatko Andonovski has been hyper-pragmatic in his approach thus far, and the team has performed well enough to advance, if not exactly with cohesion on the field.
But the knockout stage of a World Cup is its own unique challenge, and longtime rival Sweden will be eager to send the Americans packing earlier than ever before. Andonovski has faced questions about his willingness to make necessary changes to regain balance in his starting XI, but the message coming from the team is that they’re trusting the process.
There are a number of roads in front of the U.S. now, and the secret to success could be to lean further into the philosophy that got them to this point.
How to replace Rose Lavelle
One of Andonovski’s changes will be forced, after Rose Lavelle’s suspension due to yellow card accumulation means the creative midfielder will not be available for the U.S. in the Round of 16.
Lavelle’s absence gives Andonovski a chance to rethink his entire approach. The USWNT has been of two minds in the group stage — trying to send numbers forward into the box, while keeping certain contributors pinned back to support the backline. The approach has resulted in a sturdy defense, a tepid attack and bypassing the midfield entirely in favor of long-ball passing.
So, how do you effectively replace a player, when your game plan has already limited their effectiveness? I think Andonovski has one of two options.
He could certainly replace Lavelle with Savannah DeMelo, who brought a competitive edge and an eagerness to aid the attack in the USWNT’s first two matches of the group stage. She now has more World Cup experience than Ashley Sanchez and can fill Lavelle’s positioning, even if she doesn’t have the same experience with creating chances out of limited time on the ball. There’s also another option.
Re-thinking the midfield entirely
If the U.S. wants to go far in this tournament, they might have to resort to grinding out wins, and Lavelle’s suspension gives the team an opportunity to experiment. The U.S. could retain the midfield triangle, but instead of the inverted shape they held in the first three games, they could insert two defensive midfielders to break up play and re-distribute the ball.
The U.S. had Andi Sullivan and Lindsey Horan connect in defensive midfield spaces in the past, but they’ve worked best with Lavelle on the field. There’s also the possibility of inserting Julie Ertz into the midfield in place of Sullivan, but that might irreparably disrupt a center-back pairing that has been the USWNT’s brightest spot thus far. There’s no perfect solution with the roster that Andonovski has constructed, nor with the way he wants to play.
So, at risk of blowing things up even further, the U.S. could fully commit to the grind. Put Ertz in the midfield alongside Sullivan (they occupied many of the same spaces against Portugal anyway), and set Horan as a box-to-box midfielder. Insert Alana Cook into the defense with the understanding she has more support in front of her than in the past, and make the spine of your defense incredibly difficult to play through.
Ertz and Sullivan are then given greater dexterity to send the ball out to the fullbacks, or up to the No. 9 who can deliver to the wingers. Basically, instead of being the U.S. team that lost to Canada in the semifinals of the Tokyo Olympics, absorb some of the qualities of that Canada side that made them so resilient on their way to a gold medal.
Picking one of two attacking philosophies
Under the grind mentality, starting Alex Morgan at center forward actually makes more sense than in the game-plan in the group stage. Morgan has expanded her skill set greatly in the last four years, becoming the kind of connective back-to-goal player Andonovki has prioritized. Her bigger issue in the group stage, other than clinical finishing, was a lack of service both from the midfield behind her and the wingers to either side of her.
With a very defensive-minded No. 6 duo and the freedom for Horan to run box-to-box, Morgan could slip into the space in front of Sweden’s defense and play the false No. 9 role she’s been trying to occupy since her return to the squad in 2022. The wingers could then make runs in front of Morgan, and give the outside-backs the freedom to get high and wide in possession to present different problems for Sweden’s defenders.
But this ideal probably relies on too much change for the team to comfortably withstand, especially if advancing in a World Cup is on the line. So if the midfield shape must remain the same as in past games, the frontline has to emphasize speed over everything. This would mean starting Lynn Williams, Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman as a front three that has the ability to make any defense have to chase, even if chances are few and far between.
If the U.S. is going to bypass midfield channels and send long balls forward, they should have their best 1v1 attackers trying to find the gaps and win individual duels. Smith has had trouble progressing the ball on the dribble from a winger position in recent games. Starting her in her more natural role could be the kind of incremental improvement that gives the U.S. a shot at advancing to the quarterfinals.
Ultimately, the USWNT could rely on the strength of their recovery defense and individual quality to carry them to the next round. Or they could lean even further into an ill-fitting identity, with the hope of clarifying roles. If they have a chance at a deep run, those fine margins could make all the difference.
Projected starting lineups
No. 1: Speed and stability
GK: Alyssa Naeher
D: Emily Fox, Julie Ertz, Naomi Girma, Crystal Dunn
M: Andi Sullivan, Lindsey Horan, Savannah DeMelo
F: Lynn Williams, Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman
No. 2: Commit to the grind
GK: Alyssa Naeher
D: Emily Fox, Alana Cook, Naomi Girma, Crystal Dunn
M: Julie Ertz, Andi Sullivan, Lindsey Horan
F: Sophia Smith, Alex Morgan, Lynn Williams
Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.
The U.S. women’s national team is playing in the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand without a number of familiar faces.
Just Women’s Sports is taking a look at who those players are and why they’re absent. First up: Becky Sauerbrunn.
Position: Defender
Total caps: 216
Most recent USWNT appearance: April 11, 2023 vs. Ireland (International friendly)
Where is Sauerbrunn?
The USWNT captain and veteran defender is missing the World Cup with a foot injury, she revealed ahead of the roster announcement.
Sauerbrunn has been upfront about the injury, noting that while a World Cup return would have been “possible,” doctors warned that it would be “aggressive” for her to get back in time, she said on an episode of Snacks. The tournament kicks off on July 20, and the USWNT plays its first game on July 21.
“And so I think it was always in the back of my head that this was a possibility,” she said. “But until (head coach Vlatko Andonovski) called, I was holding out like 10% hope that I was going to make it.”
In a statement after the announcement, she noted that “heartbroken isn’t even the half of it” when it comes to missing out on what would have been her fourth World Cup.
When will she return?
The 38-year-old continues to rehab the injury and intends to return to the field for the Portland Thorns again during this NWSL season. She won’t have to rush her timeline for the World Cup, but she could still be back for the Thorns within weeks.
For the USWNT, she played in April and could rejoin the team after the tournament, though she likely is approaching the end of her career. And while she’s “obviously going to be cheering my ass off” for the team from afar, she’s still going to be sad for awhile, she said on Snacks.
“But like all things, I will get over it. I’ll be stronger for it,” she added. “So it just sucks right now.”
Who else is absent from the World Cup roster?
The U.S. women’s national team is playing in the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand without a number of familiar faces.
Just Women’s Sports is taking a look at who those players are and why they’re absent. Next up: Catarina Macario.
Position: Midfielder/Forward
Total caps: 17
Most recent USWNT appearance: April 12, 2022 vs. Uzbekistan
Where is Macario?
Catarina Macario tore her ACL last June in the Champions League final while playing with French club Lyon. Since then, she’s had a long road to recovery.
She announced in May that her recovery had been taking longer than expected, and that she wouldn’t “be physically ready for selection” to the USWNT roster for the World Cup. As of mid-April, Macario had remained sidelined from training with Lyon, though she expressed cautious optimism that she might be able to return to the field.
“The desire to return to play for my club and country has driven my training and fueled my everyday life,” she wrote on social media in May. “However, what’s most important right now is my health and getting fit and ready for my next club season.
“I’ll be cheering hard for my teammates at the World Cup, and I look forward to dedicating myself to fight to earn a spot for what I hope will be a long future on the U.S. national team,” she continued.
When will she return?
It’s unclear when Macario will suit up, although she has time before she needs to be fully ready to return to the field. In June, Macario signed a three-year deal with Chelsea, contingent on medical clearance, and she joined the club on July 1.
One of Chelsea’s many splashy signings in the offseason — most recently including American forward Mia Fishel from Tigres — Macario’s competitive return could wait until Oct. 1, when the Women’s Super League season kicks off and Chelsea begins its title defense. The 23-year-old could feature in games before then, with the USWNT set to play home friendlies against South Africa in September.
Who else is absent from the World Cup roster?
The U.S. women’s national team is playing in the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand without a number of familiar faces.
Just Women’s Sports is taking a look at who those players are and why they’re absent. Next up: Christen Press.
Position: Forward
Total caps: 115
Most recent USWNT appearance: Aug. 5, 2021 vs. Australia (Tokyo Olympics)
Where is Press?
The 34-year-old tore her ACL while playing for Angel City FC last June. Back in May, she said she was in “the final stretch” of her recovery, and she wouldn’t rule herself out of a World Cup push.
“It has been a unique recovery journey. I’ve had some setbacks, and I’ve had some ups and downs. I think that’s normal,” she said. “I think this took a bit longer than I had hoped up until now. But I’m in the final stretch of my recovery. I’m starting to feel like myself again, getting my body back. Hopefully I’ll be joining the team soon.”
Press revealed on Instagram in March that she had undergone three surgeries on her knee in eight months. Still, she had referred to the World Cup as a motivator during her recovery, despite the “tough” timeline to make the team.
“There has never been a moment where I lost hope and that I took my focus off of the World Cup, from the moment that I got injured until now,” she said. “It’s the North Star for all of us professional players and it’s a motivation.
“Obviously the timing’s really tough. But I’m doing everything I can to get back as quickly as possible because it would be a dream come true to represent my country again at that level.”
But Press suffered another setback, as she revealed on July 17: She will require a fourth surgery to repair her knee. While she still is “working toward” her goal of returning to the pitch, she had to give up on her World Cup dream.
Even if healthy, Press may have faced an uphill battle to make the roster, as she did not make the cut for the the Concacaf W Championship roster in 2022 even before her injury.
When will she return?
While the Angel City forward made a return to the practice field in cleats in early June, she remains on the season-ending injury list. She didn’t provide a timeline for her fourth knee surgery, but the procedure seems likely to rule her out of the 2023 NWSL season. But she does want to return to professional soccer, she said.
“Despite the fact that, on paper, this is an athlete’s recovery-nightmare, I feel in my heart that to climb the mountain — yes, even one more time — is the dream,” Press wrote.