USWNT World Cup roster: Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe among mainstays in new-look group
These are the 23 women who will attempt to make history this summer.
On Wednesday, United States coach Vlatko Andonovski named the national team's roster for this summer's FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand — where the U.S. will try to become the first country, male or female, to win three consecutive World Cup titles.
Some huge names are there. Veterans Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe, the tournament's co-leading scorers when the U.S. successfully defended its championship four years ago in France, headline the squad. Veteran fullback Kelley O'Hara joins Morgan and Rapinoe at her fourth World Cup. Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher and midfield destroyer Julie Ertz are headed to their third, while defender Crystal Dunn, two-way playmaker Lindsay Horan and Rose Lavelle — the breakout star of France 2019 whose late goal against the Netherlands in the finale sealed the Americans' repeat — are bound for their second.
[USWNT player-by-player guide: Get to know all 23 players going to World Cup]
But well over half of Andonovski's roster will be making their World Cup debuts. The USWNT's next generation includes 21-year-old Trinity Rodman — the daughter of NBA legend Dennis who's making a name for herself in the National Women's Soccer League — fellow forward Sophia Smith, 22, and Angel City FC phenom Alyssa Thompson, a winger who's only 18.
At 23, central defender Naomi Girma is expected to anchor the back line with captain Becky Sauerbrunn forced to miss the trip Down Under because of injury. Sauerbrunn isn't the only lineup mainstay who's hurt. So is Mallory Swanson (nee Pugh), the team's leading scorer this year, and Catarina Macario, who led French club Lyon to the 2022 UEFA Champions League crown. Both are recovering from long-term knee injuries.
"We have a really good mix of veterans and younger players," Andonovski said in a news release. "I know as a group they are extremely motivated to make our country proud at the World Cup."
The U.S. begins its title defense on July 21, when they meet World Cup newcomers Vietnam in Auckland, New Zealand (9 p.m. ET, FOX).
Here's Andonovski's full 23-player roster followed by three takeaways:
Goalkeepers: Aubrey Kingsbury, Washington Spirit; Casey Murphy, North Carolina Courage; Alyssa Naeher, Chicago Red Stars
Defenders: Alana Cook, OL Reign; Crystal Dunn, Portland Thorns; Emily Fox, North Carolina Courage; Naomi Girma, San Diego Wave; Sofia Huerta, OL Reign; Kelley O'Hara, Gotham FC; Emily Sonnett, OL Reign
Midfielders: Savannah DeMelo, Racing Louisville; Julie Ertz, Angel City FC; Lindsey Horan, Olympique Lyon (France); Rose Lavelle, OL Reign; Kristie Mewis, Gotham FC; Ashley Sanchez, Washington Spirit; Andi Sullivan, Washington Spirit
Forwards: Alex Morgan, San Diego Wave; Megan Rapinoe, OL Reign; Trinity Rodman, Washington Spirit; Sophia Smith, Portland Thorns; Alyssa Thompson, Angel City; Lynn Williams, Gotham FC
Even with the injuries, this USWNT squad can win it all
Swanson and Macario are two of the best players on the planet. Sauerbrunn is the Americans' rock and its leader. All three will be sorely missed. Yet such is the embarrassment of all-world depth at Andonovski's disposal that FIFA's top-ranked nation is still the undisputed favorite to hoist the World Cup trophy Aug. 20 in Sydney and claim its fifth tourney win in nine tries all-time.
Dynamic young attackers Rodman and Smith are hell-bent on becoming household names this summer, and both have more than enough ability to leave their mark. Same goes for Thompson, the squad's youngest member who was still in high school when she won the first of her three senior caps last fall at European champ England.
All three young attackers will compete for minutes with Morgan, who is still on top of her game at 33. And while Rapinoe will turn 38 before the competition kicks off and isn't a starter anymore, the vastly experienced veteran will be counted on both off the bench and in the locker room for her leadership — a supporting role similar to the one another U.S. great, Carli Lloyd, occupied four years back.
Overall, this collection of players are right in their prime; the average age is 28.5 years old, about the same at the triumphant 2015 and 2019 versions.
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Some surprise inclusions
Andonovski went with experience in several spots, opting for World Cup vets O'Hara and Emily Sonnett over the untested likes of Taylor Kornieck and Casey Krueger. He did throw a couple of curveballs, though. There was no room for longtime backup backstop Adrianna Franch, with the boss opting for the once-capped Aubrey Kingsbury as his third string behind Naeher and Murphy.
Kingsbury at least has represented her country at the highest level before. Midfielder Savannah DeMelo has zero minutes in a USWNT jersey, though the 25-year only midfielder earned her way onto the plane with her standout performances this season for Racing Louisville. DeMelo becomes just the third woman in program history to make a U.S. World Cup squad without having played for the team previously.
[USWNT 2023 World Cup roster: By the numbers]
A gut punch for Tierna Davidson
The harshest decision involved the 24-year-old center back. One of the youngest members of the 2019 roster, Davidson tore her ACL in March of last season and missed the entire 2022 NWSL season as a result.
Davidson returned to the field for the U.S. in April, when she came on as a substitute in the Americans' final match before the roster was named, a 1-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland in St. Louis. In the end it wasn't enough, as Andonovski took Alana Cook instead.
Doug McIntyre is a soccer writer for FOX Sports. Before joining FOX Sports in 2021, he was a staff writer with ESPN and Yahoo Sports and he has covered United States men's and women's national teams at multiple FIFA World Cups. Follow him on Twitter @ByDougMcIntyre.