Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe return to USWNT for CONCACAF W Championship
By Laken Litman
FOX Sports Soccer Writer
Vlatko Andonovski has used the 10 months since the Olympics to figure out exactly what he wants the U.S. Women’s National Team to look like for these next two important years.
On Monday, the U.S. coach unveiled an intriguing 23-player group that mixes veterans such as two-time World Cup champions Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe and Becky Sauerbrunn with up-and-coming talent such as Mallory Pugh, Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman.
The USWNT will compete in the CONCACAF W Championship from July 4 to 18 in Monterrey, Mexico, with the tournament doubling as qualifying for the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand and qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Before heading to Mexico, Andonovski’s team will play two friendlies against Colombia, the first June 25 in Denver and the second June 28 in Salt Lake City.
Here are a few thoughts from the USWNT roster reveal.
Get to know Mallory Pugh and Sophia Smith
Neither Pugh nor Smith made the roster for the Tokyo Olympics, but now both have the chance to be starters for the USWNT at an essential time.
On Monday, Andonovski spoke highly of these young players in particular. He noted how they could have gotten down after missing the Olympics — despite being invited to the camps leading up to the Games — and will be a dangerous part of the U.S. attack.
"Before the Olympics, they were in our camps and didn’t get selected," Andonovski said. "That’s not easy. Yes, they’re young and [considered to be] the future, but it’s not easy to go through that adversity and then bounce back and perform.
"Every time we see them do something on the field [now], it just brings so much happiness to me because I was the one to have those tough conversations with them. But at the same time that I was delivering the tough message, I had to stand in front of them and tell them how much we believe in them and how much we believe that they’re going to be the future of this team."
Smith, 22, and Pugh, 24, rank just behind Morgan in goals scored so far this NWSL season. Morgan leads the league with nine for the first-place San Diego Wave. Smith has six for the Portland Thorns, and Pugh has four for the Chicago Red Stars.
"I don’t think it will be surprising if I say that it will be extremely difficult for a player to come in and take their starting spots," Andonovski said of Smith and Pugh. "Those are two players that will enjoy a lot of minutes on the field."
Where do Morgan and Rapinoe fit?
This leads right into how two of the most decorated and beloved players of all time fit on this roster, considering they play the same positions as so many young forwards battling for playing time.
Morgan, 32, and Rapinoe, 36, haven’t been on a national team roster since October 2021. Morgan’s return wasn’t surprising, given what she’s currently doing in the NWSL. But Rapinoe has played in only four games for the OL Reign this season, coming off the bench in each.
Andonovski said he and Rapinoe had a conversation last fall about what her role might look like moving forward. He said she understood that he wanted to take a closer look at younger players and that she would have a spot on the roster if she were healthy and fit.
"We know what Megan is capable of doing," Andonovski said. "We saw in some of the minutes she got [in the Reign’s] last game how dangerous she can be.
"But the thing with Megan is that she is very important for this group. Obviously this is a younger group we’re bringing in, so her experience going through adversity, going through tough times, getting on top, her winning mentality, her knowledge and understanding is very valuable for the group."
Asked what kind of playing time Rapinoe could see with the USWNT, however, Andonovski was honest.
"I can’t see right now someone getting the starting spot from Mallory in these qualifiers," he said, noting that Rapinoe and Pugh play the same position. "I mean, she’s just incredible. She’s gliding through, so we’re very happy for that."
Big names missing from the roster
There’s a lengthy list of big-name players missing from this roster.
Tobin Heath, Abby Dahlkemper, Sam Mewis and Lynn Williams are all recovering from various injuries. Catarina Macario, who recently helped Olympique Lyon win a Champions League title, and Tierna Davidson have torn ACLs. Crystal Dunn had a baby in May, and Julie Ertz is pregnant.
And then there’s Christen Press, who appeared to injure her knee Saturday in Angel City’s win over Racing Louisville. On Monday, Press confirmed that she tore her ACL.
However, Andonovski said that even before the injury, Press, a two-time World Cup champion, was not going to be included on the roster because of the amount of depth at forward.
Press’ omission was certainly a shock; for years, she has been viewed as a big part of the USWNT’s future. Aside from her getting healthy and returning to fitness, Andonovski explained what she can do to get back on the team.
"For Christen to be back on the field is not just for her to perform well and in her club environment, it’s also to outperform the players that she's competing against," Andonovski said, listing names such as Pugh, Smith, Morgan, Rodman and Ashley Hatch.
"It’s not easy to be a forward in the United States right now. Obviously, it's great, but it's not easy because the competition just got bigger and bigger."
Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously covered college football, college basketball, the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team and the Olympics at Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. Her first book, written in partnership with Rizzoli and Sports Illustrated and titled "Strong Like a Woman," was published in spring 2022 marking the 50th anniversary of Title IX.