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Sports Illustrated

Sport

SI Staff

U.S. Women’s National Team: Meet the 23

USWNT World Cup Erick Wperiod Julie Ertz NWSL United States Sofia Huerta Becky Sauerbrunn ’”Cook Dunn

There’s a three-peat on the line.

When the 2023 Women’s World Cup kicks off July 20, the U.S. women’s national team is the heavy favorite as it looks for its third straight title and fifth total. Having to navigate injuries and retirements of numerous star players, coach Vlakto Andonovski has experimented with the roster quite a bit in the last couple of years. After evaluating recent camps and keeping an eye on players succeeding with their club teams, Andonovski has put together a roster with a healthy mix of up-and-comers and USWNT mainstays. While you may find some familiar faces on this year’s roster, 14 of the 23 are making their World Cup debuts. Not all the newcomers are youngsters, though; Alyssa Thompson, 18, is the youngest on the squad, and Kristie Mewis, 32, will be the oldest of the newbies.

Without further ado, meet the 23 players who will try to make history in Australia and New Zealand.

Goalkeepers

The U.S. gave up just three goals in 2019, and will be hoping to repeat that shutdown performance with this year’s goalkeeper pool.

Alyssa Naeher

No. 1
Stratford, Conn.

Since taking the reins from Hope Solo in 2017, the 35-year-old has been the go-to starter for the squad. Naeher shined at the ’19 World Cup, where she played every minute of all seven matches and her vital PK save against England in the semifinal helped the U.S. to its title. She suffered a knee injury in ’21 during the Tokyo Olympics but has started in many of the U.S.’s biggest games since recovering. Early this NWSL season, the Chicago Red Stars’ keeper became the league’s all-time leader in saves and appearances by a goalkeeper.

Casey Murphy

No. 18
Bridgewater, N.J.

Erick W&period; Rasco/Sports Illustrated

On the off chance that anything happens to Naeher, the USWNT will know that it’s (literally) in good hands with Murphy. The 27-year-old keeper made her senior team debut less than two years ago but has since gone on to make 14 caps. Even more impressive is the fact that she has kept 10 clean sheets, including in her last three appearances. Murphy recently started in a 1–0 friendly win over Ireland in April and was also instrumental in a win over Japan in the SheBelieves Cup. Whether it’s at the World Cup or later, the USWNT already has Naeher’s successor primed for the big time.

Aubrey Kingsbury

No. 21
Cincinnati, OH

Despite not having a single USWNT call-up in 2023 before this roster was announced, Kingsbury finds herself heading to New Zealand thanks to some incredible play in the NWSL. The 31-year-old—who has two NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year awards—has a 76.9 save percentage for the Washington Spirit this season. Kingsbury earned her first call-up with the USWNT in ’19, but has just one cap to her name, keeping a clean sheet in a 9–0 win over Uzbekistan in April ’22.

Defenders

The news of captain Becky Sauerbrunn’s injury just days before the roster was released to the public was a huge hit to the USWNT’s defense, but it won’t be without veteran leadership.

Kelley O’Hara

No. 5
Fayetteville, Ga.

Though injuries have robbed many U.S. players in the last year, O’Hara overcame a nagging hip injury as well as a recent ankle injury to make it to her fourth World Cup. O’Hara, who earned her first cap back in 2010, will provide the veteran presence the defense will need without Sauerbrunn while also being able to help progress the attack for the U.S. In January, the 34-year-old became the NWSL’s first free-agent signing when she joined a new-look Gotham FC that has spent time sitting atop the league’s standings.

Naomi Girma

No. 4
San Jose, Calif.

Since making her national team debut in April 2022, Girma has quickly become a mainstay on the back line for the U.S. The 23-year-old is touted as the future of the defense, typically playing with Sauerbrunn. Now, she’ll have to jump into more of a leadership role without the veteran defender alongside her. The top pick of the ’22 NWSL draft, Girma lived up to expectations and was named both Rookie of the Year and Defender of the year last season with the San Diego Wave, the first to do both.

Sofia Huerta

No. 3
Boise, Idaho

Making her World Cup debut at 30 years old, Huerta has had to be persistent to make this roster. After missing out on the U.S. squad for the U-20 World Cup in 2012, Huerta played for Mexico and went on to have five caps for Mexico’s senior team. But in ’17, Huerta changed her national association to the U.S. and earned seven caps with the team through ’18. She did not have a call-up again until ’21 and played in 16 matches in ’22. As a former attacker with 35 goals in the NWSL, she could be a sneaky scoring threat for the Americans this summer.

Crystal Dunn

No. 19
Rockville Centre, N.Y.

Although she is a midfielder with the Portland Thorns, Dunn has long played defender for the USWNT. Her first cap came in February 2013, and she has made more than 130 appearances since then, including six starts in the ’19 World Cup. The 31-year-old returned to the national squad last October after giving birth to her son and has reestablished herself as a left back, providing stability for both the defense and attack. However, Andonovski has recently hinted that Dunn could play midfield this summer if it’s what the team needs.

Alana Cook

No. 12
Far Hills, N.J.

The 2023 World Cup marks Cook’s first major tournament with the USWNT, ushering in a new era for the team’s backline. Cook and Girma have stepped up as the next center-back duo for the U.S. The Stanford alum got her professional start with Paris Saint-Germain, making a name for herself as one the sport’s best up-and-coming defenders, before settling in with the NWSL’s OL Reign. Cook’s first USWNT call-up came in 2019, and the 26-year-old has logged consistent caps since, providing a quiet, but sturdy presence.

Emily Fox

No. 23
Ashburn, Va.

While the USWNT has been working out some defensive kinks since its three-match losing streak last fall exposed major weaknesses, the team is incredibly deep at the fullback position. That all starts with the reliable and versatile Fox. The top pick in the 2021 NWSL draft can play both fullback positions and has been deployed in both spots by Andonovski to allow the team to profit off the tactical advantages that Dunn or Sofia Huerta may provide on the other wing. Fox will be heavily relied upon to stabilize the USWNT defense this summer, and the 25-year-old comes to the tournament on the recent high of scoring her first USWNT goal, which came against Ireland in April.

Emily Sonnett

No. 14
Marietta, Ga.

Sonnett returns to the squad for her second World Cup after having just one appearance during the 2019 tournament. The 29-year-old defender injured her foot last July during the USWNT’s Concacaf W Championship title run, but returned in January and has been used as a substitute this year. Having played all across the back line for the U.S., Sonnett has also played midfield a bit this season for the OL Reign, which could prove useful at the World Cup.

Midfielders

While the midfield has been a major question mark for the U.S. for much of the last couple of years, Andonovski ended up with a bit more experience than many expected thanks to a surprise return.

Lindsey Horan

No. 10
Golden, Co.

The Olympique Lyonnais Féminin star is a staple of this U.S. team and is considered one of the most formidable midfielders in the world. Everywhere Horan goes, she wins. That includes two straight Division 1 Féminine titles with Lyon, the UEFA Women’s Champions League in 2021–22, the NWSL title with Portland in ’17 and the World Cup in ’19. Only Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan will head to Australia and New Zealand with more caps than the 29-year-old. Expect the ’21 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year not to just start but star at the World Cup, where her intensity and tireless engine will dominate the midfield.

Rose Lavelle

No. 16
Cincinnati, OH

One can make a convincing argument that Lavelle is the most invaluable member of Andonovski’s World Cup roster. The attacking midfielder burst onto the scene during the 2019 tournament, capping off a breakout performance with a stunning goal in the final against the Netherlands to lock up the trophy for the U.S. Since then, Lavelle has continued to dominate. She is the team’s creative lever, drawing defenders out of position with her ability to dart with the ball at her feet. Lavelle is also excellent at finding seams in tight spaces in the final third (see this backheel pass to Morgan). The 28-year-old enters the World Cup after missing club play due to a knee injury, so keeping Lavelle healthy will be critical for Andonovski & Co.

Andi Sullivan

No. 17
Lorton, Va.

Sullivan had been given the unenviable task of filling the boots of Julie Ertz—a veteran who proved to be the glue holding the USWNT together. Following the Olympics in 2021 (a tournament Sullivan was not invited to), Ertz took extended time away from the sport. Andonvski needed to cultivate and develop a defensive midfield pool, and fast. Throughout the coaching staff’s experiments at the No. 6 position, Sullivan remained the reliable and obvious heir to Ertz, with the 27-year-old the captain of the NWSL’s Spirit. With Ertz back for the World Cup, Sullivan will likely share minutes with the vet, furnishing the USWNT with a solid distributor out of the defensive midfield position.

Julie Ertz

No. 8
Mesa, Az.

Ertz’s return to the roster in April was a welcome surprise and a much-needed boost for the midfield, as the U.S. has struggled to find consistency at the No. 6 spot. The 31-year-old was out with an injury and then pregnancy for more than a year but signed with Angel City FC in mid-April, giving her a chance to tune up before the World Cup. Her presence as a defensive-minded midfielder should help Lavelle and Horan revert to their natural scoring abilities, and her experience at the two previous World Cups will be indispensable.

Kristie Mewis

No. 22
Hanson, Mass.

Mewis’s comeback story continues, as the 32-year-old makes her first World Cup roster. Her odyssey began with her first appearance for the team in 2013. She earned 15 caps through ’14 but was not part of the team for six years, during which she recovered from an ACL injury and her sister, Sam, became a fixture for the U.S. After 2,454 days, Kristie finally earned her 16th cap, in ’20, and has been a consistent squad member ever since. An integral part of a dominant Gotham team, Mewis is a generous passer with incredible vision on the pitch and can connect from virtually any angle.

Savannah DeMelo

No. 9
Bellflower, Calif.

Despite not having a single cap with the USWNT, DeMelo snuck onto the World Cup roster because of some amazing play in the NWSL this season, her second as a pro. The 25-year-old has five goals and two assists in 12 games for Racing Louisville this year, making her an asset both offensively and defensively for the U.S. DeMelo had her first call-up with the U.S. last fall as Andonovski was looking for solutions during Ertz’s absence. She has yet to make her international debut at the senior level, but could that come on the world’s biggest stage this summer?

Ashley Sanchez

No. 2
Monrovia, Calif.

After earning her first call-up at 17 years old in 2016, Sanchez didn’t make her first appearance until November 2021. She has more than 20 caps heading into the World Cup. Sanchez is in her fourth season with the Spirit, and, thanks to some offseason overhauling, the offense seems to run through Sanchez this year in Washington, where the 24-year-old has found a successful on-field partnership with fellow USWNT member Trinity Rodman. Their connection starts with Sanchez’s creativity on the attack as well as her increased pressing defensively, making her a more complete midfielder.

Forwards

Mallory Swanson looked to be the key to the U.S.’s attack to start out 2023, but a tendon tear in her left patella in April meant that the U.S. had to shift gears. However, the USWNT has no shortage of young stars at forward to help out two of the biggest names in the sport.

Alex Morgan

No. 13
Diamond Bar, Calif.

Where do you start with one of the best forwards the USWNT has ever seen? Well, for one, the 34-year-old is showing no signs of slowing down. Morgan won the 2022 NWSL Golden Boot with 15 goals across 17 matches for the San Diego Wave, and she has already scored five in 11 games this season. No one on the current U.S. team comes close to Morgan’s 121 national team goals, and you can expect that figure to rise steadily this summer. After tying Megan Rapinoe’s and Ellen White’s Golden Boot goal count at the 2019 World Cup, Morgan could claim the trophy outright as she leads the line for the U.S.

Megan Rapinoe

No. 15
Redding, Calif.

A mainstay of the USWNT since 2006, it wasn’t always a guarantee that Rapinoe would make this roster, in part due to a couple of injuries as well as the success of up-and-coming stars elsewhere around the country. After a standout performance at the ’19 World Cup, where she won both the Golden Ball and the Golden Boot with six goals and three assists, Rapinoe is expected to have a much different role (and fewer minutes) this time around. But it’s hard to overstate the 38-year-old’s value to this team: Rapinoe enters her fourth World Cup as a veteran leader who can fire up her team both on and off the field and knows how to execute in the biggest moments.

Sophia Smith

No. 11
Windsor, Co.

It’s hard to believe that the 2023 World Cup will be Smith’s first major tournament appearance with the USWNT, as the star striker is already a mainstay on Andonovski’s front line. Last year, at 22, Smith became the youngest NWSL MVP in league history, leading the Thorns to a ’22 NWSL championship by notching a franchise record 14 goals and three assists through the regular season. Smith will almost certainly headline the USWNT’s starting lineup Down Under as a winger, but could slot in as a striker should Morgan need a breather. Possessing an exceptional ability to get in behind opposing backlines, Smith is poised to have a prolific breakout tournament—and potentially compete for the Golden Boot.

Alyssa Thompson

No. 7
Studio City, Calif.

While the 18-year-old phenom has been eased into both NWSL and USWNT action, there is no doubt that Thompson is being counted upon as the future of U.S. women’s soccer. After being selected with the top pick in this year’s NWSL draft, Thompson has scored three goals in 13 starts for Angel City. With a handful of international caps under her belt in the last year, including her first start in April against Ireland, the forward is well on her way to a long USWNT career. Just don’t expect her to see too many minutes this summer outside of the Vietnam match, which may present her best shot at her first USWNT goal.

Trinity Rodman

No. 20
Laguna Niguel, Calif.

Rodman is a generational talent and has proved her staying power, following up a sensational 2021 NWSL rookie season with consistent and compelling play. Earning her first USWNT call-up in early ’22, Rodman quickly established herself as an essential piece to Andonovki’s roster (despite his insistence that the young star should ease into the national team environment). Rodman thrives on the flanks, boasting an incredible work rate, often seen tracking back to help slow a transition or check for a midfield ball. The Washington winger is also an efficient facilitator, feeding lethal balls into the final third with unparalleled precision. The 21-year-old’s offensive vision is a powerful asset and will likely earn her considerable minutes at the World Cup.

Lynn Williams

No. 6
Fresno, Calif.

Williams practically dared Andonovski to leave her off the USWNT, starting the 2023 NWSL season on a goal-scoring tear. The 30-year-old missed almost the entire ’22 campaign with an acute leg injury, but she didn’t skip a beat in her return to the pitch with her new team, Gotham. Williams has also shown what she’s capable of at the international level, putting on a show in Tokyo after initially making the U.S. Olympic team as an alternate before rosters were expanded. The star striker has proved essential to Andonovski’s system as the leader of the team’s high press. She can pin back opposing team’s fullbacks and track back to help halt a counterattack. Williams is a threat in the box, making her particularly lethal on the wing.

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