USWNT unveils youthful roster for final games of 2024

Emma Hayes has named 24 players to represent the U.S. women's national team on its final roster of the year. The squad will conclude an epic 2024 with overseas matches against England and the Netherlands.

Fifteen of 22 members from this summer's gold medal winning Olympic squad made the cut, but this does not include the famed Triple Espresso front line. That's because Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson are all dealing with nagging injuries and in need of some rest after a long year-plus, going back to last summer's World Cup. Rodman will also be coming off a NWSL final, as she and the Washington Spirit are set to face the Orlando Pride in the championship match on Nov. 23.

"Let me be clear, not one of these players want to ever miss a game playing for their country," Hayes said Monday. "But I want to make sure these players are prepared for a long time to come. And when you're in the back end of a season, and you've played a lot, your body is tired, your mind is tired. That's where sometimes it can be risky."

The USWNT will face England at the iconic Wembley Stadium on Nov. 30 and the Netherlands at ADO Den Haag Stadium on Dec. 3.

"In terms of our schedule, this is the end of a wonderful year, but we're still at the beginning of our process of building towards qualifying for the next World Cup," Hayes said. "So, this trip will be about testing ourselves against two world-class teams with opportunities to develop our roster. We will continue to build relationships on and off the field, and I'm really excited to work with this group as we continue to set the stage for 2025."

One of the highlights of this roster for Hayes is undoubtedly her ability to call up 17-year-old midfielder Lily Yohannes, who just last week announced that she will represent the U.S. national team instead of the Netherlands (ahead of the upcoming showdown between the squads). Yohannes was born in Virginia, but has lived in the Netherlands since she was 10 years old. She's been called into two previous camps and had an emotional dream debut on June 4 when she scored a goal minutes after being subbed into her first USWNT match.

Yohannes stars for Ajax and reportedly faced backlash on social media after making her decision public. But her club coach Hesterine de Reus said via ESPN that "she handled it very well." That comes as no surprise, as USWNT teammates have marveled at the teenager's maturity in the past.

"Getting the commitment from Lily Yohannes is massive for us, "Hayes said. "I had a really good chat with her this week. The camp she came into in May was such an enjoyable one for her that she'd been thinking about that ever since. She really wants to progress now with her international career and knows she has to work hard with the player pool being as strong as it is. But I think she's an exceptional talent and I'm delighted that we can develop a very young Lily Yohannes over the next few years to prepare her for a future with the national team."           

Yohannes is the only teen on this roster, as Alyssa Thompson and Jaedyn Shaw both turned 20 this month.

This is still a youthful roster, though, with only five members in their 30s — Alyssa Naeher, Casey Krueger, Lynn Williams, Lindsey Horan and Emily Sonnett. The group averages 37 caps per player, with only four having more than 100, and 14 players having 20 caps or fewer.

"I'm excited about the roster and there's opportunities for so many different players and so many different permutations within that," Hayes said. "We're in a different stage. I'm not preparing for a Euros next summer like England and the Netherlands are. I'm preparing to qualify for a World Cup in ‘27. So I need to do this and I like doing these things. I’ve developed rosters over a long period of time. [Players] don't improve just by having them on the roster, we have to give them the opportunities to do that.  

"I have no fear whatsoever to be able to put out a very different team if that's what we choose to do against England because I think that players are demonstrating — look at last camp with Alyssa Thompson to Emma Sears to Eva Gaetino — that they deserve opportunities to be seen again. You're good enough, you perform well enough, then you'll always be a consideration for this roster."

There are some new faces in this camp, including two uncapped players in 28-year-old Manchester United goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce and 20-year-old Utah Royals FC forward Ally Sentnor. Tullis-Joyce, who is 6-feet tall, signed with Manchester United in September 2023 and spent time backing up England goalkeeper Mary Earps. When Earps moved to Paris Saint-Germain, Tullis-Joyce became the starter and has six clean sheets this season.

Sentnor, meanwhile, was the captain of the U.S. youth national team that finished in third place at the 2024 U-20 Women's World Cup in Colombia earlier this fall. She scored three goals and won the Bronze Ball as the third-best player in the tournament, and scored three goals and added four assists as a regular starter for Utah this past NWSL season.

Hayes said she'd been watching Sentnor for a while and originally planned for her to come in for the "Futures Camp" in January. However, her opportunity with the senior team came early because of the absences of Rodman, Smith and Swanson.

"If the Triple Espresso were here, that conversation wouldn't be happening," Hayes said of the young Sentnor's first call-up. "And while we know that she's been playing predominantly in the sort of No. 10 role, false nine or out on the left, it all depends on what the needs are going to be. We're not going to be blessed with too many nines. But what I have said to myself is that I want to be able to see high potential at the same time and Sentnor is someone I've been watching quite a lot of."

With the addition of Tullis-Joyce and Sentnor, Hayes has now called up 11 new players since becoming the USWNT manager.

Given the time of year these games fall, Hayes said she's planning a Thanksgiving meal for everyone in London. She's invited USWNT and Chelsea players Catarina Macario and Mia Fishel, who are both coming back from injuries, to join them. Hayes said there will be turkey, sweet potato casserole with marshmallows (which her son Harry is excited about), green bean casserole and some English desserts.

After these games, the USWNT will have some time off before getting back together in January in Los Angeles for a training camp that will be held concurrently with the "Futures Camp," which will help identify rising talent.

U.S. Women's National Team Roster by Position (Club; Caps/Goals) - 2024 European Friendlies

GOALKEEPERS (3): Mandy Haught (Utah Royals FC; 1), Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United, ENG; 0), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars; 113)

DEFENDERS (9): Tierna Davidson (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 64/3), Emily Fox (Arsenal FC, ENG; 60/1), Eva Gaetino (Paris Saint-Germain, FRA; 1/0), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC; 42/2), Casey Krueger (Washington Spirit; 59/0), Alyssa Malonson (Bay FC; 1/0), Jenna Nighswonger (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 17/2), Emily Sams (Orlando Pride; 2/0), Emily Sonnett (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 101/2)

MIDFIELDERS (6): Korbin Albert (Paris Saint-Germain, FRA; 20/1), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC; 26/1), Hal Hershfelt (Washington Spirit; 2/0), Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyon, FRA; 159/36), Rose Lavelle (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 108/24), Lily Yohannes (Ajax, NED; 1/1)

FORWARDS (6): Yazmeen Ryan (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 2/0), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville FC; 2/1), Ally Sentnor (Utah Royals FC; 0/0), Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego Wave FC; 19/8), Alyssa Thompson (Angel City FC; 11/1), Lynn Williams (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 73/20)

Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of "Strong Like a Woman," published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her at @LakenLitman.