The United States women’s national team can make it an unprecedented three Women’s World Cups on the spin, giving it more consecutive titles than any other nation’s claimed cumulatively since the tournament began in 1991.
That would be some honor for a hallowed program that went 16 years between titles before winning in 2015 and 2019.
The quest to play in the Sydney-based final is coming up fast. Who will be the players selected by Vlatko Andonovski in a bid to make it a “three-peat” this summer?
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That could change over the next few weeks due to possible injuries, as Catarina Macario’s ruled herself out, Megan Rapinoe went off injured for OL Reign this weekend, and Mallory Swanson’s already been ruled out following an April patella tendon tear. All three would’ve been considered locks for most of the cycle.
Only 35 players have been called into USWNT camp over the last 12 months, and that includes Rapinoe and Swanson.
Of that remaining 33 only 11 were on the squad that won the 2019 World Cup: Alex Morgan, Rose Lavelle, Lindsey Horan, Julie Ertz, Crystal Dunn, Emily Sonnett, Tierna Davidson, Kelley O’Hara, Becky Sauerbrunn, Adrianna Franch, and Alyssa Naeher.
Sauerbrunn, O’Hara, Morgan, Rapinoe, and Naeher are the only five holdovers left from 2015.
So who’s going to Australia and New Zealand this summer? Here’s who’s in the pool, hoping to get the call from Andonovski.
USWNT 2023 World Cup roster projection
(Projections in italics)
Goalkeepers
Alyssa Naeher
Adrianna Franch
Casey Murphy
Audrey Kingsbury
Analysis: Kingsbury’s the long shot here as the only one of the bunch with under 10 caps (and she has one).
Defenders
Sofia Huerta
Kelley O’Hara
Tierna Davidson
Emily Sonnett
Alana Cook
Crystal Dunn
Casey Krueger
Emily Fox
Naomi Girma
Hallie Mace
Carson Pickett
Analysis: Fox, Krueger, or Davidson could be the odd person out here, and some have suggested that O’Hara’s place isn’t solid either due to injury. We’ll say she gets the nod in a bid to be a part of all three rosters. That’s often how this has worked in recent years, even if it wasn’t under Andonovski’s rule.
USWNT captain Becky Sauerbrunn has confirmed she will be out of the World Cup due to injury, which is a huge blow.
— Becky Sauerbrunn (@beckysauerbrunn) June 17, 2023
Midfielders
Lindsey Horan
Julie Ertz
Rose Lavelle
Andi Sullivan
Kristie Mewis
Ashley Sanchez
Taylor Kornieck
Sam Coffey
Jaelin Howell
Savannah DeMelo
Analysis: This one feels about as straightforward as it gets, but feel free to comment if you don’t agree with that.
Forwards
Alex Morgan
Lynn Williams
Sophia Smith
Trinity Rodman
Alyssa Thompson
Ashley Hatch
Megan Rapinoe
Midge Purce
Jaedyn Shaw
Analysis: This can change if Rapinoe is out but there are no indications yet that the 37-year-old’s World Cup is in real jeopardy.
REIMS, FRANCE - JUNE 11: Alex Morgan of the USA celebrates with teammate Megan Rapinoe after scoring her team’s twelfth goal during the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup France group F match between USA and Thailand at Stade Auguste Delaune on June 11, 2019 in Reims, France. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
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