GOAL writers discuss USWNT's SheBelieves Cup takeaways, and whether Rodman will be next in NWSL exodus
The USWNT had their first real blip under Emma Hayes, failing to win the SheBelieves Cup on the back of a disappointing 2-1 loss to a well-drilled Japan side – the first loss of Hayes's 18-match U.S. tenure. To the outsider who is used to seeing this side win routinely, it would have been a disappointing result.
After all, the USWNT usually thrive here. But how big of a deal was this loss? Hayes left some top players at home – including Naomi Girma, Sophia Wilson, Trinity Rodman and Mallory Swanson – and had to make do without a few others due to various injuries. Perhaps it's not as disastrous as it might seem, in context.
And with some new faces integrated into the XI, the positives might just outweigh the negatives. Ally Sentnor impressed in her pursuit to offer competition to the front line. Lily Yohannes played with quality beyond her years. A full strength team might walk this thing. Still, results are results, and, on paper, it looked poor.
But that's not the only storyline in American women's soccer. The NWSL has seen an exodus of sorts in recent months, with some top talents heading to Europe. Girma was first. Others will surely follow. Could Washington Spirit star Rodman be next?
GOAL and INDIVISA writers break it down in a women's soccer edition of… The Rondo.
Getty ImagesWas failing to win SheBelieves Cup a big deal for USWNT?
Celia Balf: Not even the slightest. It's part of the process. You would actually be more concerned if Emma didn't take any chances in the lineup. She did what she said she would and fielded two very different teams to see everybody. Japan is very good, and the USWNT were tested. Seeing the gaps in the USWNT roster and getting a sense as to how different players operate with one another was a key takeaway from the games.
Amee Ruszkai: No. That first loss was always going to come eventually, and for it to happen against a really good Japan team – one that took the full-strength USWNT to extra-time at the Olympics, let's not forget – is no disgrace. And at the end of the day, it's just that one result which cost the U.S. another SheBelieves Cup. This stuff happens, especially when most of the roster is still in pre-season.
Ryan Tolmich: Not really? Historically, this is an aberration, obviously, as the USWNT almost always wins this thing but, at this point in the cycle, winning isn't as important. This group was missing so many starters that it isn't a real reflection of where this team is. Hayes knew that from the jump, so she used this tournament as a chance to test young talent. That, by and large, worked. Because of that, it's mission accomplished, even if that mission would have felt a bit better with a trophy at the end.
AdvertisementAFPWas Hayes wise to not bring a full-strength squad?
CB: To Emma, the squad was full strength, at least for the purpose of the matches. The team represented some new faces, but also veterans in Crystal Dunn, Emily Sonnet, etc. Sure, they were missing Girma, Swanson, Wilson, Rodman and Rose Lavelle, but at the same time, the squad has two years ahead to build out their depth.
AR: It gives her the chance to properly look at other players, and that feels wise. Hayes knows full well what the likes of Wilson, Swanson and Rodman can offer, for example, and leaving them off for one camp means those are three more spots in attack that can be filled by players she hasn't seen in this environment. Those players then become more on her radar as she looks to build out the player pool for 2027. It's a long-term approach and it takes advantage of a lack of competitive fixtures that some of the USWNT's big European rivals, as well as some others, don't have.
RT: Part of it was out of her hands due to injury but, yes, rotation was key for this. The situation called for it, given the tournament schedule and timing on the calendar. Regardless, the USWNT is in the "pool expansion" part of the cycle. This was the perfect chance to take fringe players, place them in competitive environments and see how they fare. These weren't friendlies, and it was important to see players in those scenarios. So, because of that, yes, it was the perfect time to look away from the established stars.
Getty ImagesWhich USWNT players stood out across the three games?
CB: Sentnor. She was going to add something to the attack for the USWNT, but didn't know just how fast she would contribute. Her dribbling ability is rapid and she has a vision for the goal. Goalscorers like her aren't made anymore, and she proved on numerous occasions that she can find the back of the net – from many different spots on the field. Yazmeen Ryan was also superb. Her work rate on the wing is integral to the pace at which the USWNT play, and she also has an innate ability to connect passes in tight spaces.
AR: It has to be three of the youngest players on camp: Yohannes, Sentnor and Gisele Thompson. All three caught the eye in a window that always felt about looking beyond the established names. There is a ton of hype around Yohannes and yet, she consistently seems to live up to it. Sentnor was wonderfully productive across the whole tournament to really make a statement. And Thompson, still a teenager and having just played her first season of senior soccer, quietly impressed at the back, too.
RT: Sentnor was the big winner, of course, but, wow, Yohannes was good. The teenager made her big international decision late last year, choosing the U.S. over the Netherlands, but this tournament felt like her true USWNT arrival. Yohannes showed that she might actually be the best passer in the pool, one that can open up defenses in ways that her teammates don't even understand yet. Yohannes, in her appearances in this tournament, quickly made it clear just how lucky the USNWT is to have her, both near and long-term.
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Brad Mills-Imagn ImagesShould Rodman go to Europe, or stay in NWSL?
CB: She doesn't to go, but she very well can. She doesn't need to go abroad to build up her brand or gain more experience, but if she has a desire to experience the game abroad, why not? What she can do for the Spirit and the NWSL is extraordinary, and she brings so much flair, strength and technical soundness. Like many of her U.S. teammates, the time is now to experience something new. So yes, we could potentially see her do a year or so overseas.
AR: She doesn't necessarily need to go to Europe, no. She's already one of the best forwards in the world and her development isn't going to be hindered by staying in the NWSL. She's far too good for that to be the case. That said, moving across the pond would expose her to a different style, different challenges in terms of the defenses she's trying to get the better of, and introduce her to different ways to beat those opponents. It would add some new strings to her bow, as well as immersing her in all the cultural differences. It always depends on the person, though, as off-pitch factors can often impact a player's ability to do well abroad if they are not suited to the whole package.
RT: Rodman needs to be where she wants to be. She's an elite talent, one that can walk into just about any team in the world. When you're that good, you can pick and choose what you want. Does she want the comfort of home or a European adventure? Does she want to be the face of the NWSL or to represent one of the biggest brands in the world overseas? Either way, it's Rodman's call, and, given her youth, she really is in no rush to make it. Europe will remain an option, as will the NWSL. Because of that, she can do what makes her happy.