USWNT Olympic Roster Predictions!
The 2024 Paris Olympics are just around the corner (33 days to be exact) and Emma Hayes is less than a month into her new role as USWNT head coach. The Official Olympic roster has not been released yet, but I will take my shot in creating my own roster of 18 since I have read sooooooo many articles and comments pitching their 18. These are based off the recent USWNT national games and my own thoughts and opinions on the team and players.
Before I get started the way the teams are set up are as following:
2 Goalkeepers
6 Defenders
5 Midfielders
5 Forwards
4 Alternates
Let’s get into it!
Goal Keepers
Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars) : This one seems pretty obvious, she’s been #1 for quite a few major tournaments for the USWNT and is a staple in the team. She shows up in big moments and for big saves which is exactly what a good goalkeeper should do. Her penalty redemption has gone crazy since the US vs Sweden penalty shootout, performing some crazy saves and converting 2 penalties since, in the inaugural Gold Cup and the latest SheBelieves competition.
Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage) : I don’t know much about Murphy except that she plays for the NC Courage and also has been pretty set as a #2 for the national team for a bit. She has made some great saves for club and for country has also done quite well.
Defenders
Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC) : By far the EASIEST name to place on this list, it would be a huge mistake to leave her off. I’m a huge Girma fan since I saw her play at the World Cup and heard the hype for her online. I had seen a tweet along the lines of “Naomi Girma has the Becky Sauerbrunn effect of making you at peace when she has the ball”, perfect way to describe her, extremely reliable and essential to the USWNT defense for the past few years. Side note - saw Girma play recently when San Diego played the Spirit and boy is she good but infuriating when she’s not on your team.
Casey Krueger (Washington Spirit): Casey Krueger (nee; Short) had a break from the national team during her pregnancy and recently played for the Chicago Red Stars before being traded to the Washington Spirit at the beginning of the 2024 season. Krueger has done well on the club front being a staple in the Spirit backline, I see her as having a strong chance to make the roster
Jenna Nighswonger (Gotham FC): The 2023 Rookie of the Year, Jenna Nighswonger was called up fairly recently and showed precision on the set piece front and converted a penalty during the Gold Cup. She is a very versitile player in the defensive line and has shown to be able to also score goals, having 2 in her 9 caps as a left back. Seeing as she’s been called up pretty regularly I see her as getting a spot on the roster.
Emily Fox (Arsenal): Arsenals newest (and only) american on the squad, Fox has been doing really well since her transfer on the club front, being an attacking center back and effectively making runs with the ball for the team. On the national team she was a starter for the USWNT World Cup run and proved to be doing fairly well considering the position she was put in and the amount of preparation. She converted the winning penalty against Canada in the SHEBelieves cup final in April.
Tierna Davidson (Gotham FC) : Back from her massive facial injury while playing for the Red Stars last season Davidson is getting back into form and makes an excellent duo with Girma in the backline. She has shown to be very reliable for Gotham as well as showing up for the national team in recent friendlies, with a brace in a recent game against Japan.
Midfielders
Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyon) : Captain of the USWNT team it would be a shock to leave her out of the roster for anything other than injury. Horan shows to be a very reliable 8, being able to score goals and also create chances and defend in the midfield. She’s been very successful both in club and country and has been a staple of the team for some years.
Rose Lavelle (Gotham FC): It seems often that Lavelle is made of glass because boy oh boy does she get injured often. HOPING SHE STAYS HEALTHY, she’s an easy pick, very creative, playmaker, number 10 and great at finding open space for goals. Her recent performance in Gotham has been excellent, goalscoring and making a significant impact in a Gotham attack that was lacking with Lynn Williams brief injury.
Emily Sonnet (Gotham FC): Emily Sonnet played a 6 for the USWNT during the last game for the World Cup against Sweden and then continued to play at the 6 position for a few friendlies and it locked in the idea that Sonnet could play a defensive and offensive midfielder position instead of her previous role as a defender. Not to mention she played at OL Reign in that position I think it fleshes out the USWNT midfield especially as a double pivot in the middle with Coffey.
Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns) : Defensive Midfielder, playing a solid 6 position that was temporarily held by Emily Sonnet in later 2023, she has shown to be a very reliable midfielder, scoring some goals in her first few caps and securing the defensive midfield
Crystal Dunn (Gotham FC) : Crystal Dunn has played as a forward, midfielder, and defender and has cemented her place as a defender for the past few years. Many people have been advocating for her to play further up, similar to where she plays in club for the Thorns and now Gotham. Hayes placed her as a forward for the latest friendly squad and she scored a goal, showing she has the versatility for a position as an attacking midfielder.
Forwards
Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit): Trinity is one of my favorite players as of recent, she plays for the Spirit and is an absolute rockstar and her performance on the national team is also nothing short of wonderful. She is the only player to have played every match since 2023 and continues to be an essential part of the front line, and earned her a starting position in the 2023 World Cup. She has flair, she has speed, and she has excellent connection with Sophia Smith (who I hope to see play in the 9)
Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns) : Golden Boot winner of the NWSL 2023 season and serious contention this year as well, she’s a goalscorer and deserves (read: SHOULD) play in the 9, an optimal position for her to keep scoring goals, she’s got an eye for it and is a no brainer for the Olympic Squad.
Mal Swanson (nee: Pugh) (Chicago Red Stars): Swanson has made an epic comeback from her achilles tendon injury and has proved she deserves a spot just by her most recent performances for club and country, being an essential part of the attack with some excellent goals and assists.
Jadeyn Shaw (San Diego Wave FC) : Shaw is Spectacular. Her ability to score and creativity make her essential to the attack, she is abet create space and big chances for her teams both club and country and has a cheekiness to her that makes her really fun to watch. Her record on the USWNT after having very few caps should really just show how much of a game changer she is.
Lynn Williams (Gotham FC): By far one of the biggest USWNT snubs ever, Lynn Williams is an NWSL 4-time champion with a crazy pace and one of the best defensive forwards in the game. She was left off the most recent camp and made the World Cup but wasn’t given nearly as many minutes as she should have. She’s a goalscorer and extremely experienced, especially in club since she hasn’t been given much opportunity in the USWNT. She definitely has earned her spot.
Alternates
Lily Yohannes (Ajax): Wunderkind, wonderful just had her first cap will do great things and hopefully for the US and not Netherlands.
Sam Stabb (Chicago Red Stars) : former Spirit Iron Woman and now Red Stars defender, she definitely is very skilled and a great defender, lots of growth opportunity
Alyssa Thompson (Angel City FC) : The forward pool is DEEP and Alyssa Thompson is spectacular, however with the return of Mal Swanson her role has diminished a bit, but she deserves a call up
Jane Campbell (Houston Dash) : Her record in the NWSL has given her a lot of credit as well as some starts for the USWNT she seems to be jockeying for position with Casey Murphy
That’s all folks! Just my own thoughts! Excited for the roster to be released soon, hopefully before they film a new episode of the RE-Cap show so they’ll cover it.
