USWNT: Christen Press' absence, Megan Rapinoe's inclusion define latest roster

By Laken Litman
FOX Sports Soccer Writer

Vlatko Andonovski’s big roster reveal this week did not come without a little drama. One big name was missing from the most significant U.S. Women’s National Team roster of the year.

Christen Press, a two-time World Cup champion, has not played for the USWNT since the Tokyo Olympics last summer, when she scored a goal in the team’s bronze-medal match. But she had been starring at forward for NWSL expansion team Angel City FC, with two goals in eight games.

On Saturday, Press tore her right ACL in a 3-2 win over Racing Louisville. Given the timing of her injury, her chances of inclusion for the upcoming June friendlies and CONCACAF W Championship were obviously bleak.

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But the shocking part of this whole thing was that Andonovski made clear that he was going to leave Press out even if she had been healthy.

"Christen Press was not on the roster even before the injury," the U.S. coach said. "We’re very sorry for her injury and don’t have confirming information on the extension or the significance of the injury. We just hope that it’s not too serious."

Press confirmed later on Twitter that she tore her ACL.

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The group called in by Andonovski will play in two friendlies against Colombia and then head to the CONCACAF W Championship held July 4-18 in Monterrey, Mexico, which doubles as qualifying for both the 2023 World Cup and the 2024 Olympics. While a player’s omission now doesn’t mean she won’t play in either of those tournaments the next two years, it certainly makes the road tougher.

Andonovski was honest about what it will take for Press to get back on the USWNT once healthy and fit.

"For Christen to be back on the field is not just for her to perform well in her club environment. It’s also to outperform the players that she’s competing against," he said, listing players such as Mallory Pugh, Sophia Smith, Alex Morgan, Ashley Hatch and Trinity Rodman.

"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."

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Press plays the same position on the left wing as Pugh and Megan Rapinoe, who were both called up. Andonovski spoke highly of Pugh, 24, who has scored five goals for the Chicago Red Stars so far this season.

"I mean, I think you have to do something absolutely incredible, and I can’t see right now someone getting the starting spot from Mallory in these qualifiers," Andonovski said. "She’s just incredible."

Rapinoe, 36, has played in only four games for OL Reign this season, coming off the bench in each. Andonovski values her experience and leadership and said he had a conversation with Rapinoe last fall about how her role might shift moving forward. (Think back to Abby Wambach at the 2015 World Cup. While she wasn’t happy coming off the bench, Wambach was an invaluable part of a team that won its first World Cup since 1999.)

"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."

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Just a few years before the Tokyo Olympics, Press was viewed as a game-changer and a hard-nosed attacker for Andonovski. She figured to be a mainstay on the roster for years to come. Pugh, meanwhile, competed in pre-Olympic camps but didn’t make that roster. After the Olympics, Press announced that she would take a couple of months away from the game to focus on her mental health. During that time, Pugh earned more opportunities with the USWNT.

For many of these young players, especially this group of forwards, playing alongside Rapinoe and Morgan will be incredibly beneficial. The two veterans come in with a combined 377 caps and 177 goals, while youngsters Pugh, Hatch, Rodman, Smith and Midge Purce total 112 and 35.

"She falls in a group with Megan Rapinoe and Becky Sauerbrunn, who are experienced players who have gone through some tough times — but great times as well — who know how to win and how to win under tough circumstances, how to go through adversity," Andonovski said of Morgan, who leads the NWSL with nine goals for the first-place San Diego Wave.

"Alex’s experience is going to be instrumental for our success going forward. I think that’s one thing. But first and foremost, she’s going to be instrumental because we know that when she’s in form and when she’s on, she can score goals."

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There are several other star players missing from this roster, including veterans Crystal Dunn (just had a baby), Julie Ertz (pregnant) and Sam Mewis (knee injury). Midfielder Catarina Macario, who recently helped Olympique Lyon win its eighth Champions League title, tore her ACL earlier this month. Andonovski said she would've been a "no-brainer" addition to this roster.

Only 10 of the 23 players on the roster have played in World Cup and Olympic qualifying, and just eight players were on the roster for Olympic qualifying in 2020 (Rapinoe, Sauerbrunn, Lindsey Horan, Rose Lavelle, Alyssa Naeher, Kelley O’Hara, Emily Sonnett and Andi Sullivan).

This roster also features 13 players with 27 or fewer caps, including: Alana Cook (nine), Hatch (eight), Ashley Sanchez (seven), Casey Murphy (four), Rodman (three), Naomi Girma (1), Aubrey Kingsbury (1) and Taylor Kornieck (0).

"We’re very happy with where the team is at," Andonovski said. "I think it’s a great mix of youth and experience, and we’re excited to see how everything is going to play out.

"And it’s very important to mention that even for the experienced players, they’re not on the team just because they’re experienced. They’re on the team first and foremost because they can perform. But their experience is a bonus."

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.