USWNT Roster Reaction and Opinions!
It’s here folks, the official 2024 Paris Olympics USWNT Roster. Released this morning, there has already been some controversy surrounding the decisions. Let’s get into it!
I’m also going to be tracking how many I got right from my previous prediction post.
2 Goalkeepers
6 Defenders
5 Midfielders
5 Forwards
4 Alternates
Goalkeepers
Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars): Got this one correct! Alyssa will be making her 3rd Olympic appearance with the USWNT and the second as the number 1 goalie spot.
Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage) : Got this one correct! Casey Murphy will be making her first appearance with the USWNT.
Overall feeling great about the goalie decisions they felt pretty obvious and no-brainers.
Defenders
Tierna Davidson (Gotham FC) : Got this one correct! Great to see Tierna back in form and back on the national team on the international level. This will be her second Olympic appearance with the USWNT
Emily Fox (Arsenal): Got this one correct! I think Fox is doing great in club and country and the olympics is a great way for her to make a big impact on yet another world stage after her debut in the World Cup. Since her move to Arsenal I see a lot of improvement in her game so this is exciting.
Naomi Girma (San Diego FC): Got this one correct! Easiest pick by far, so so excited to see her at the Olympics.
Casey Krueger (Washington Spirit): Washington Spirit represent!!! I got this one correct! and Krueger was not on a ton of the lists I had looked on, or they just had her as an alternate but I knew that Hayes would want to go a different direction with Crystal Dunn and move her further up.
Jenna Nighswonger (Gotham FC) : I got this one correct! Excited to see Nighswonger and her ability to serve set pieces at the Olympics, it is so essential to the USWNT to be able to create chances off of set pieces.
Emily Sonnett (Gotham FC) : I did not get this one correct, but I did guess Sonnet on the roster. I still think that Sonnet could make a difference in the midfield, but now that I think about it I did forget to add a 6th person on my prediction and Sam Coffey does fill the 6 role very well on the team. Plus Sonnet is more used to the Defensive role.
Overall happy with this, I put a lot of trust in Casey Krueger and I think she is such a solid choice espeically here for her 2nd Olympic. Girma is someone I’m really going to be looking out for, she is a superstar and I hope for an international win on a big stage for her. I trust the backline a lot, looking forward to seeing how they all mesh, especially the Girma-Davidson connection.
Midfielders
Korbin Albert (Paris Saint-Germain): :| disappointing choice and I did not get this one right. I had left Albert off my list entirely, due to her homophobic and transphobic social media posts and likes, and honestly from a soccer perspective, I don’t see a reason to go so hard for her as the midfield pool for the US is also deep. It isn’t really like she’s a veteran or someone who has been on the team for a few years. I am disappointed and it goes way beyond the game.
Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns) : I got this one correct! It’s been pretty known that Coffey plays a really solid 6 and is more used to the role so makes sense Hayes would want her there instead of Sonnet.
Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyon) : I got this one correct! It’s pretty obvious the main captain of the team would make it espeically since Horan has been a game changer for a lot of the teams international games and has made chances in big moments espeically at the World Cup in 2023.
Rose Lavelle (Gotham FC): I got this one correct! Lavelle has been healthy for the past few months which is great and lets hope she STAYS THAT WAY. She’s been making some magic at Gotham so I hope she can bring that creativity to the Olympics.
Catarina Macario (Chelsea) : Brazilllllllll representing the USA. I did not get this one right. Nothing against Macario at all, she is a fantastic player and so skilled, honestly in my work to evae puttin Albert I crowded the midfield especially since I didn’t have Dunn up as far. But very excited to see her back on the international stage, she’s a two for one. Brazil AND the USA!
Would be happier if Albert was left out but overall excited! There’s good balance and fulfillment of roles that make for a well fleshed out midfield.
Forwards
Crystal Dunn (Gotham FC): I did not get this one right. This was teased at the most recent call up for friendlies before the roster was released where Hayes called Dunn up as a forward and Dunn delivered with a goal. She is such a versatile player that having her in this position will add a lot of depth to the front line. I originally had Dunn in the midfield but honestly it was either one for me!
Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit): I got this one correct! Washington Spirit representtttt, Trinity has been very stable on the team and is doing amazing in club so it was a no brainer to have her on the front line.
Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego FC) : I hope that this time I spelled her name right because I did get this correct! She is the young superstar of the team, goal scoring machine, I am so excited to see her in her first big international tournament.
Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns): I got this one correct! Smith is the next big thing if not THE moment right now for the USWNT. Goal scoring machine for club and hopefully will continue the way she has for country. With Morgan being left off the roster the 9 spot is vacant and Smith is born to play a 9 that is where she thrives the most so I am so so excited to see how she is used and hope to see her in that position.
Mallory Swanson (Chicago Red Stars): I got this one correct! She has been on fire since her return from injury and another contender for the 9 spot on the team.
So happy with this excited to see Dunn as a forward and excited for a lot of chemistry and goals!!!
Alternates
Jane Campbell (Houston Dash): I got this one correct! She is a great goalkeeper and definitely in contention for #2 at some point.
Hal Hershfelt (Washington Spirit): I did not get this one correct. BUT IM SO HAPPY ABOUT IT! Let’s go Spirit rookies. Speaking of…
Croix Bethune (Washington Spirit) : I did not get this one correct. BUT THATS MY ROOKIE OF THE YEAR! I am so happy the Spirit rookies are getting some recognition, hopefully this is a step to them getting call ups and caps and success on the national team.
Lynn Williams (Gotham FC): Dude. I did not get this one right. I am so sad I did not get it right. An ALTERNATE??? The biggest snub. Lynn Williams deserves recognition way more than she has already she is such a good player so versatile in the front line and so fast and skilled.
Happy to see my Spirit girlies, sad to see Williams snubbed YET AGAIN
Alex Morgan was left out and I did expect that, the forward pool is so so deep and it is so important for them to test out new people in that 9 role especially with Morgan being at the back end of her career. I also do not think she has been showing up too much for club or country recently. I really like Morgan but I understand and expected her to be left out that was something that I hoped would happen in order to explore new configurations of the team, though I do feel bad since she is such a staple on the team.
The Korbin Albert thing… that deserves it’s own post.
Overall very happy! LFG! Allez!
I got 11/18 right!
Recent Update!
Catarina Macario unfortunately has withdrawn from the tournament due to a recurring injury, Lynn Williams will be taking her place in the roster.
