Meet all 23 USWNT players going to the Women’s World Cup

While the U.S. ladies’s nationwide group squad that can compete at the 2023 Women’s World Cup consists of some family names, it additionally has a variety of unfamiliar ones. Of the 23 players headed to Australia and New Zealand for the event, 14 have by no means performed in a World Cup earlier than. That’s extra newbies than the USWNT had at the earlier two World Cups (which the U.S. received).

This is your primer on who these players are — each on and off the area. We dug by means of social media posts, scoured interviews and crunched the numbers on stats to provide you with a snapshot of all 23 players on the roster. (All stats comprise Opta information by way of TruMedia and are present as of the day USWNT coach Vlatko Andonovski introduced his roster, June 21. Many stats come from the National Women’s Soccer League as a result of each participant on the USWNT roster, besides Lindsey Horan, performs membership soccer in the NWSL.)

The USWNT’s World Cup opener is July 21 in opposition to Vietnam, so let’s get to know these players.

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THE FORWARDS

Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, 34, is the third-oldest participant on the roster, and regardless of a crop of newcomers pushing for her spot, she stays a assured starter and the face of the group. Even non-USWNT followers may know Morgan from the many endorsements she has racked up, which not too long ago included modeling Calvin Klein underwear and being a Michelob Ultra spokeswoman. She’s additionally one in all a number of moms on the USWNT, and her postgame routine often includes daughter Charlie visiting her on the area after the remaining whistle.

As the goal striker up high, Morgan may be counted on to put a group on her again. She has the highest share of a group’s targets in the NWSL from any single participant, scoring a whopping 42% of San Diego Wave FC’s targets over the 2022 and 2023 common seasons and NWSL Challenge Cups. Morgan additionally has been simply as environment friendly on the massive stage: She averaged 126.9 minutes in between targets in her three earlier World Cup appearances (2011, 2015 and 2019), which is the finest amongst all USWNT players with a minimum of 5 World Cup video games.

Sophia Smith

At 22, Colorado native Sophia Smith is one in all the youngest players on the roster, and a photograph making the rounds of her at simply 7 years previous meeting USWNT legend Abby Wambach drives residence the generational shift that Smith is main. She says her favourite interest is studying, and she or he performed two seasons at Stanford earlier than leaving faculty early to go professional.

Smith is an aggressive and audacious ahead. Among all players in the NWSL with a minimum of 500 minutes, Smith ranks third in profitable take-ons per 90 minutes for the 2022 and 2023 NWSL common seasons and NWSL Challenge Cup tournaments at 3.07. Brazil striker Kerolin ranks No. 1 (3.44), and Irish midfielder Sinead Farrelly is second (3.40). (Take-ons are when a participant in possession beats a defender with the ball at her ft.)

Trinity Rodman

Trinity Rodman’s identify has preceded her throughout her younger profession. She is the daughter of NBA nice Dennis Rodman, though he had little or no to do along with her upbringing — in truth, she says she acquired her aggressive drive from her mother, Michelle. Yet making the World Cup roster is a fruits of a sensational 2½ NWSL seasons as an expert for Rodman, and she or he is clearly making her personal identify. In 2021, she grew to become the youngest participant drafted in the NWSL at the moment, and she or he completed that season with Rookie of the Year honors.

Although the 21-year-old Rodman is a succesful scorer on her personal, the place she stands out tends to be in her passing and her potential to arrange her teammates. Among all players in the NWSL over the previous two years with a minimum of 500 minutes — common season and Challenge Cup — she ranks fourth per 90 minutes in xA, or anticipated assists, a measure of how seemingly it’s {that a} cross will turn out to be an help. (Ahead of her are three Americans: Megan Rapinoe, who’s on the U.S. World Cup group; Mallory Swanson, who’s injured; and full-back Carson Pickett, who didn’t make the roster.)

Megan Rapinoe

At 38 years previous, Megan Rapinoe can be the oldest participant on the USWNT roster, and she’s going to accordingly play a decreased position off the bench. Fans will bear in mind “Pinoe” as the pink-haired star of the 2019 World Cup who in the end prevailed in her feud with then-President Donald Trump — however she has been rocking a blue hue these days, and President Joe Biden awarded her a Presidential Medal of Freedom in recognition of her work on addressing racial inequality, amongst different points. In different phrases, do not anticipate Rapinoe’s 2023 World Cup to look something like what transpired 4 years in the past. She has already introduced she’ll retire later this yr.

Although Rapinoe will not be a daily starter this summer time, she remains to be lots able to making an impression instead, and no participant in the NWSL over the previous two years (common season and Challenge Cup) has been as harmful on set items. Her 1.23 possibilities created on set items per 90 minutes is the highest charge in the league amongst all players with a minimum of 500 minutes.

Alyssa Thompson

At simply 18 years, 7 months and 15 days when the event begins, Alyssa Thompson is the youngest participant on the USWNT’s World Cup roster. She’s the second-youngest participant to symbolize the U.S. in a Women’s World Cup, after Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak made the 1995 World Cup at 18 years, 1 month and 1 day. Before going professional with Angel City FC this season, Thompson ran observe for her highschool and final yr she posted the second-fastest 100-meter time in California.

It could be too small of a pattern measurement as a result of Thompson had performed solely three video games for the USWNT by the time she made the World Cup roster, however she’s the solely U.S. ahead who comes shut to Lynn Williams on defensive interventions per 90 minutes in worldwide play. How a lot Thompson performs at the World Cup stays to be seen, however barring accidents, it most likely will not be very a lot.

Lynn Williams

Growing up, Lynn Williams helped out at her mother and father’ pecan farm, typically removing shells and studying to put in unglamorous work. Despite setting her highschool’s goal-scoring document in Fresno, California, the U.S. youth nationwide groups did not take discover, and the solely faculty to provide her a scholarship was Pepperdine University, a faculty not recognized for its soccer pedigree. She flourished there, ultimately incomes a name to the U-23 nationwide group as a junior, which put her on a path to the USWNT’s World Cup group that’s fairly unusual. Most of Williams’ teammates have been pegged as potential stars from a younger age, however Williams fought her approach into the highlight later. She hosts a podcast called “Snacks” with (presently injured) USWNT teammate Samantha Mewis.

Because of a late damage to would-be beginning winger Mallory Swanson, it is unclear whether or not the 30-year-old Williams will get the nod to begin, however she has a shot if Andonovski needs a ahead who will work laborious and create defensive strain. She’s a purpose scorer who may be counted on to backtrack when out of possession, and no USWNT ahead makes defensive interventions as typically as she does. Since the begin of 2022, Williams has 14.01 defensive interventions per 90 minutes in worldwide play, which is the highest amongst all USWNT forwards. (Defensive interventions embody the whole lot from blocks and tackles to aerial duels received and recoveries.) Next closest are Alyssa Thompson (13.42) and Trinity Rodman (10.66).

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THE MIDFIELDERS

Lindsey Horan

Lindsey Horan, 29, is the solely participant on the roster not competing in the NWSL proper now, as she plies her commerce in France for Lyon. She began her profession in France, too, becoming a member of Paris Saint-Germain at age 18, changing into the first American girl to go professional straight out of highschool — a path a few of her USWNT teammates have since adopted. She got here to the U.S. and performed in the NWSL to safe her spot on the U.S. group earlier than the 2019 World Cup, however now that she has proved herself indispensable, she’s again in Europe.

At 5-foot-9, she’s one in all the taller players on this U.S. roster, and she or he takes benefit of it. Among all USWNT players with a minimum of 270 worldwide minutes since the begin of 2022 (the equal of three video games), Horan is first in aerial duels received at 3.99 per 90 minutes.

Rose Lavelle

A local of Cincinnati, Rose Lavelle is just not shy about admitting her hometown is her favourite place on Earth, and if the NWSL ever provides a group in Cincinnati, she’ll discover a approach to be a part of it. She loves canine, none greater than her bulldog named Wilma Jean Wrinkles. She’s additionally a ferocious reader, with the Harry Potter sequence rating amongst her favorites. The 28-year-old’s off-the-field persona is all about enjoyable, and she or he performs with the identical type of panache.

Although Lavelle has been hampered by accidents as of late, her creativity as a basic No. 10 playmaker can be tough to change if she does not play a beginning position on this World Cup. Since the begin of 2022 in worldwide play, Lavelle has led the USWNT per 90 minutes in through-balls, the defense-splitting passes that may lead to high quality scoring alternatives. Her “big chances” created (that’s, possibilities extraordinarily seemingly to lead to a purpose) rank fourth per 90 amongst all USWNT players with a minimum of 4 video games. Lavelle additionally has 29 carries after succeeding in a one-on-one alternative, second most for the U.S. in that span, behind Sophia Smith.

Julie Ertz

After the Olympics resulted in August 2021, Ertz stepped away from soccer; she did not seem once more for the USWNT or play a membership recreation till April, a 610-day hole. She did not even signal with a membership for the 2022 season and ultimately introduced she was having a toddler, welcoming son Madden in August 2022 along with her husband, Arizona Cardinals tight finish Zach Ertz. But in contrast to players like Alex Morgan, who skilled whereas pregnant and returned quickly after giving delivery, club-less Ertz was out of the USWNT image fully. That is, till the final window earlier than Andonovski would choose his 2023 World Cup roster: She made a shock return and immediately grew to become a lock for the squad.

Ertz is a bodily defensive midfielder, flying into tackles and disrupting opposing assaults. The pattern sizes for Ertz, 31, are small wherever you look — she has barely performed for the USWNT or in the NWSL since 2021. And but it is laborious not to discover that she leads the USWNT in blocked pictures per 90 minutes (1.32). Can that be extrapolated past the mere 68 worldwide minutes she performed at the time she made the roster? We’ll see.

Savannah DeMelo

As the solely uncapped participant to make this World Cup roster — a uncommon feat — Savannah DeMelo hasn’t had a lot time to ease her approach into the USWNT. Without any worldwide performances, the 25-year-old’s squad choice was based mostly fully on her NWSL performances. The Southern California native was the fourth total choose in the 2022 NWSL faculty draft, and she or he has been tearing it up since.

DeMelo is so good that opposing groups have a tendency to need to take her out of the recreation. Her 3.3 fouls suffered per 90 minutes is the second most amongst all NWSL players over the previous two years (common season and Challenge Cup) with a minimal of 500 minutes, and the highest amongst all USWNT players in the league. In the attacking half, she ranks first in fouls suffered, averaging 1.82 per recreation.

Andi Sullivan

Nicknamed Sunny, Andi Sullivan was born in Hawaii as her father served in the Coast Guard, however she grew up in Northern Virginia outdoors of Washington. At Stanford University, she majored in symbolic techniques, which includes the research of how the human thoughts works and processes data.

Sullivan, 27, has been praised as a mature defensive midfielder past her years, and whereas she does not have a tendency to lead the NWSL or the USWNT in any notable stats, she gives regular management on the area. Her 8.82 recoveries per 90 minutes since 2022 (common season and Challenge Cup, players with a minimum of 500 minutes) ranks nineteenth in the NWSL. (Recoveries are when a participant wins again possession for her group.)

Ashley Sanchez

While it appears unlikely Ashley Sanchez can be a starter in her first World Cup forward of the likes of a wholesome Rose Lavelle, she has the aptitude and go-for-it angle that may make her a worthwhile impression participant. She is flexible, in a position to play as a No. 10 or perhaps a false No. 9, or float huge and trigger issues. Off the area, the 24-year-old has talked about her love of baking, and she or he has a French bulldog named Nala.

Her 2.12 profitable take-ons per 90 minutes since 2022 ranks thirteenth amongst NWSL players with a minimum of 500 minutes. (Just forward of her is Alyssa Thompson at No. 12, and Brazil’s Marta at No. 11 — good firm to have.) Sanchez can also be No. 4 in profitable through-balls per 90 in the league amongst eligible players, proper behind U.S. teammate Lavelle.

Kristie Mewis

At 32, Kristie Mewis has made her first World Cup squad after spending a lot of her profession on the outdoors of the senior nationwide group. She admits now that she had given up on ever breaking by means of to the USWNT and accepted being, in her phrases, “average” — that’s, till she admitted to herself that she wished to make the group and pushed herself. She is courting Australian ahead Samantha Kerr — extensively thought-about one in all the finest players at the Women’s World Cup — and she or he is the older sister of midfielder Samantha Mewis, who received the World Cup with the USWNT in 2019 however is now injured.

Mewis is one in all the higher players in the NWSL in creating possibilities on set items. Since the begin of 2022, Mewis ranks seventeenth in the NWSL (amongst players with a minimum of 500 minutes) in creating possibilities on set items, with 0.65 per 90 minutes.

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THE DEFENDERS

Alana Cook

Alana Cook, who was born outdoors Boston and grew up in New Jersey, has been a part of the U.S. nationwide group system since the under-17 degree, nevertheless it was after she graduated from Stanford and joined Paris Saint-Germain in 2019 that she discovered her approach to the senior U.S. group. Through her dad, she was eligible to symbolize England and in 2019 accepted an invite from then-coach Phil Neville to be a part of the Lionesses as a training player. A month later, she made her debut for the USWNT and hasn’t seemed again.

Cook, 26, ranks second in the NWSL this season in passes intercepted with 31. Among the 144 NWSL players with a minimum of 50 duels this season, Cook’s 68.6% success charge ranks fourth. (Duels are 50-50 challenges between two opposing players with the winner getting the ball.)

Naomi Girma

A primary-generation American, Naomi Girma’s mother and father got here to the U.S. from Ethiopia, and she or he acquired her begin taking part in soccer at a youth membership in the San Francisco Bay Area that her father started for fellow Ethiopian households. It was much less about soccer than group, nevertheless it laid the basis for Girma, who in her rookie professional season final yr was named the NWSL’s Defender of the Year and Rookie of the Year. Like teammates Sullivan and Cook, Girma majored in symbolic techniques at Stanford, and she or he is engaged on her grasp’s diploma in administration science and engineering.

Girma, 23, remains to be younger when it comes to heart backs, however her defensive positioning is comparable to that of veterans. Among all USWNT players in worldwide play since the begin of 2022, Girma ranks second in pictures blocked per 90 minutes with 0.98. Ahead of her is Julie Ertz (1.32), however Ertz had performed solely 68 minutes earlier than the roster was introduced, giving her a fairly skewed quantity. Ranked third is Tierna Davidson (0.67), who missed out on the roster, adopted by Becky Sauerbrunn (0.53), who’s injured.

Emily Sonnett

Emily Sonnett is arguably the finest participant on the USWNT (together with Rose Lavelle) when it comes to creating memes and making an attempt new viral dances. Some name her the “class clown” of the group, and she or he takes it as a problem to see what number of teammates she will be able to convey into her self-described goofiness.

As a participant who can slot in as a middle again, fullback and even defensive midfielder, she’s a little bit of a “jack of all trades, master of none.” That’s not a slight: Being a utility participant who can fill varied roles is extremely helpful on a World Cup roster. The 29-year-old performs bodily, however not recklessly — her 23 fouls dedicated are the fourth most in the NWSL this season, however she has acquired solely two yellow playing cards.

Emily Fox

Emily Fox is a flexible defender, taking part in beginning roles as each a left again and a proper again for the USWNT. Although she is left-foot dominant, there is a good likelihood she’s going to play on the proper aspect to accommodate Crystal Dunn beginning on the left. Called “Foxy” by teammates, the 25-year-old Ashburn, Virginia, native loves the seaside and majored in world atmosphere and well being at UNC.

Over her previous two seasons in the NWSL (common season and Challenge Cup), Fox has averaged 9.9 recoveries per 90 minutes, rating second amongst players with a minimum of 500 minutes. Ahead of her is Canada’s Sophie Schmidt with 10.61 and behind her is one other Canadian, Quinn, with 9.82. (Recoveries are when a participant wins again possession for her group.)

Crystal Dunn

The participant a lot of her teammates declare the finest dancer on the USWNT, Crystal Dunn lives in Portland, Oregon, along with her husband, Pierre, and their son, Marcel, who was born final yr. Dunn additionally has three chickens named Rocky, Toulouse and Quinn, who reside in a coop in her yard. She helped launched the Black Women’s Player Collective, which goals to assist Black players in the NWSL and past, and has partnered on efforts to assist underserved soccer communities.

Though it’s best to anticipate to see Dunn as a fullback at the World Cup, she’s an attacking midfielder for her membership, which makes it laborious to evaluate her performances in the NWSL along with her worldwide play. But Dunn’s seven mixed targets and assists this season are the most by any NWSL participant to have additionally intercepted 15 passes and made 15 profitable tackles. Among the 17 players with 15 tackles and 15 interceptions, Dunn’s 5 targets scored are almost as many as the remainder of these players put collectively (six).

Kelley O’Hara

While Kelley O’Hara is just not the solely attacker compelled to play as a defender for the USWNT, amongst this group she was the first to do it. She broke into the nationwide group in 2010 as a ahead, was transformed right into a left again for the 2012 Olympics and was in the midfield at the 2015 World Cup. She was a proper again at the 2019 World Cup, however who is aware of what 2023 will convey? In 2019, she launched a clothes model with teammates and pals Alex Morgan and Allie Long known as Beat Everybody, which options slogans like “USA vs. everybody” or — after the USWNT received the World Cup — “USA beat everybody.”

The 34-year-old has struggled with damage this season, and her stats are typically middle-of-the-pack, however she does lead her membership group, NJ/NY Gotham FC, in pictures blocked this season with six.

Sofia Huerta

A Boise, Idaho, native, Sofia Huerta was eligible to symbolize Mexico by means of her father, and certainly that is the place her worldwide profession took off. In 5 caps for Mexico’s senior group, she scored a pair of targets, however Huerta longed to play for the U.S. and in 2014 declared that she would not settle for Mexico call-ups. It took till 2017 for the USWNT to come knocking, nevertheless it was for less than a short spell — what adopted was three extra years with out camp invitations till she lastly gained a foothold in the squad in 2022.

Huerta is an attacking fullback, regarded extra for her potential going ahead than her straight defending chops. The 30-year-old’s 31 crosses accomplished rank first in the NWSL this season, no matter place. She additionally created 5 “big chances” (those who ought to be anticipated to lead to a purpose), which is tied for the most by any NWSL defender this season.

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THE GOALKEEPERS

Alyssa Naeher

Alyssa Naeher has a businesslike and reserved presence in internet, and the 35-year-old says her day by day routine begins with the Wall Street Journal crossword puzzle and her morning espresso. She performed basketball rising up in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and admits going professional in that sport was her dream till her soccer profession began to take off.

Naeher’s 3.75 saves per 90 minutes rank third in the NWSL this season, and she or he leads in smothers (dives to management the ball at an attacker’s ft). That is partly as a result of Naeher confronted extra pictures than some other goalkeeper as the Chicago Red Stars’ protection has struggled, nevertheless it’s additionally due to her share of standout performs.

Casey Murphy

Casey Murphy made her USWNT debut in November 2021 and shortly established herself as a daily at the group’s camps. She went to Rutgers, the place she studied communication, and skipped her senior yr to go professional at Montpellier HSC in France. Murphy, 27, and her fiancé, Chris Mirabelli, have a golden retriever named Nash.

Murphy has been regular in internet for her membership, the North Carolina Courage: Over the previous two NWSL seasons, she has dedicated just one error that led to a shot or purpose.

Aubrey Kingsbury

One of the roster’s shock inclusions, Aubrey Kingsbury has only one cap for the USWNT, which got here in 2022. The 31-year-old was named the NWSL’s Goalkeeper of the Year in 2021 and she or he is a captain for her membership, the Washington Spirit. She has been engaged on her MBA from Shenandoah University by means of the Spirit, which has a partnership with the faculty to enable players to take free courses. Some followers may bear in mind her as Aubrey Bledsoe, however she modified her final identify at the begin of 2022 after getting married to her husband, Matt.

Over the previous two seasons, Kingsbury ranks second in the NWSL in targets prevented. (The solely goalkeeper with extra is Racing Louisville’s Katie Lund.)