USWNT World Cup Roster Reaction: Winners and Losers Ahead of This Summer's Tournament
As celebrity after celebrity popped up on the screen of the United States women's national team's World Cup roster announcement video, we slowly learned who got the call to represent the team at this summer's tournament.
Taylor Swift announced star striker Alex Morgan, Shaquille O'Neal did the same for flexible forward Trinity Rodman, Tina Fey read off the name of versatile defender Emily Sonnett, Tim Howard introduced goalkeeper Casey Murphy, and so on and so forth with star after star.
It was a fun video put together by U.S. Soccer — you can watch the whole thing right here:
As entertaining as the announcement video was, it was only a means to an end. The end, of course, is Vlatko Andonovski's final 23-player roster for this year's Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. The United States' first game kicks off against Vietnam on July 21.
After combing through the roster, here are some of the biggest winners and losers from Andonovski's selections.
Winner: Alyssa Thompson
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Alyssa Thompson's rise feels like it's straight out of a storybook.
The 18-year-old burst onto the scene for the USWNT last year, earning her first cap against England in front of a massive crowd at Wembley Stadium.
If that wasn't impressive enough, Thompson previously played boys club soccer with a team called Total Futbol Academy. After making her national team debut, the winger was drafted first overall in 2023 by Angel City in the NWSL. She then proceeded to score in her first match with Angel City, a friendly against Club America and has been a force on the left wing for them in league play.
Even with all of her accomplishments and after an unfortunate injury to star winger Mallory Swanson in April, Thompson's presence on the final roster wasn't guaranteed. Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman, Megan Rapinoe and Lynn Williams were all expected to make the cut, leaving Thompson as the fifth winger traveling to Australia and New Zealand.
Still, Andonovski decided Thompson was valuable enough to bring her into a crowded position group. If that doesn't speak to the teenager's talent, nothing does.
Expect this to be the first of many tournaments for Thompson.
Loser: Injuries
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As always, injuries really, really suck. They've prevented a few key U.S. players from making the trip to this summer's World Cup.
Let's run through the unfortunate list.
First, there's Becky Sauerbrunn. The 38-year-old center back was set to captain the team in Australia and New Zealand before coming down with a foot injury. A veteran of three World Cups, losing Sauerbrunn means losing an experienced, savvy leader and center-back option. Though not at her peak, Sauerbrunn's absence will be felt — Andonovski only selected two true center backs for this team, opting for Naomi Girma and Alana Cook.
Next, there's Mallory Swanson. Before her knee injury in April, Swanson was slated to be the USWNT's most dangerous at the World Cup. She scored in all five of the U.S.'s games prior to her injury and appeared to be in the form of her life. While the United States has quality and depth out wide, there's no doubt they're missing a game-changer in Swanson.
Finally, though there are other injured members of the player pool, the last big miss is Catarina Macario. The versatile attacker tore her ACL in June 2022 and has not played since.
The USWNT still has plenty of talent to lift a third-consecutive World Cup trophy this summer, but they'll be playing without some huge stars.
Winner: NWSL
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As expected, a heavy dose of Andonovski's roster plays their club soccer in the NWSL: 22 of the 23 players ply their trade in the United States' top flight, with just one outlier in Lindsey Horan who reportedly just completed a permanent move to Lyon in France after spending time on loan there from the NWSL's Portland Thorns.
Now, the United States has talent playing abroad — keep an eye on Chelsea's Catarina Macario once she's back from injury and PSG's Korbin Albert for next year's Olympic team. Still, most of their best are closer to home.
Given the NWSL's representation in the United States' squad, and in several other squads at the tournament, this summer will serve as a strong advertisement for the league.
The NWSL, which currently has just 12 teams, is in the middle of an impressive growth phase. They added two teams in California ahead of the 2022 season and the return of the Utah Royals and the addition of Bay FC in Northern California will bring the NWSL up to 14 teams by the start of next season. Jessica Berman, the league's commissioner, recently stated that "we do expect for the 2026 season to add two more teams", a move that would bring the NWSL's total to 16.
As women's soccer infrastructure continues to grow in Western European countries, the NWSL must keep pace. Sending talented players to the World Cup and growing the league at home are certainly positive signs.
Loser: Striker Depth
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In one of the most surprising decisions tied to the United States' roster release, Andonovski is bringing just one striker to the World Cup. Catarina Macario's injury opened a spot in the squad for the Washington Spirit's Ashley Hatch to deputize for Alex Morgan…and yet? Andonovski chose to leave Hatch at home.
It's a bold move, but I'll be honest: I like it.
You have to feel for Hatch. Still, she has rarely shined in her 19 U.S. caps. While the 28-year-old is more of a classic No. 9 than Morgan, who prefers to slash behind the defense, she doesn't add a wholly different skillset.
But you know who does add a different skillset up top? Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman, and Lynn Williams. All three have played as strikers for their clubs in the NWSL — Smith, in particular, is the starting No. 9 for the Portland Thorns and could offer Andonovski a change-of-pace with her elite speed and dribbling from a central position.
Selecting just one player who has regularly performed as a No. 9 for the national team is a risk, but it just might help the USWNT kickstart the attack this summer.
Winner: Savannah DeMelo
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There's something unique about Racing Louisville attacking midfielder Savannah DeMelo compared to the rest of her World Cup-bound teammates: she's the only player in Andonovski's squad who hasn't made her senior international debut.
DeMelo, currently in her second NWSL season, was in two USWNT camps last year. She didn't feature in either, though, and hadn't been back with the team in 2023 until she was named to the World Cup roster.
In a position filled with more established U.S. players, DeMelo was undoubtedly one of the final players to make the cut. Still, her performances in the NWSL have been far too strong to be overlooked. With five goals as a No. 10 for Louisville and an elite ability to progress the ball, take set pieces, and find space, DeMelo has developed into a well-rounded superstar this year.
Given that Rose Lavelle still hasn't played since picking up an injury in April (though Andonovski told media on Wednesday that her injury "is not something that we're worried about"), DeMelo could be called upon to play a real role this summer. After a dominant first half of the 2023 NWSL season, she's clearly ready.
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