While some might characterize 2025 as an `off-year` for the U.S. Women`s National Team, given the absence of a major tournament, the reality on the ground is anything but tranquil. For Head Coach Emma Hayes, this period has been one of intense, deliberate activity – a foundational phase meticulously designed to set the trajectory for the 2027 Women`s World Cup in Brazil and the 2028 Olympics. Her mandate, it appears, is nothing less than a strategic re-engineering of the USWNT.
Hayes officially took the reins after the team secured Olympic gold in Paris last year. Since then, her approach has been one of systematic expansion and immersion, casting a wide net to evaluate a broad spectrum of talent. The results of this initial, experimental phase are already evident: a significant cadre of new and promising players have not only adapted to the notoriously competitive USWNT environment but have also demonstrably left their mark in matches. In less than a year, Hayes has dramatically broadened the team`s viable player pool, a task that, for many, would constitute a multi-year endeavor.
With nearly 50 players having seen action across 15 matches since the last Olympics, Hayes and her coaching staff now possess a wealth of data and direct experience. The recent 3-0 victory against Canada in Washington, D.C., notably marked the conclusion of this extensive roster expansion project. The next, equally crucial, phase involves distilling this expansive pool of talent into a cohesive unit, identifying the optimal core group of roughly 20 to 23 players, and, critically, forging the intricate chemistry essential for elite international competition, all with the clock ticking towards the next World Cup.
A Wider Net: Hayes` Vision for Depth
Hayes` tenure has been defined by a clear philosophical departure from her predecessors: a deliberate move away from an over-reliance on a smaller, veteran-centric player pool. She inherited a squad that, in her view, lacked the breadth necessary for sustained global dominance. With ample time between major tournaments, a luxury not always afforded in elite sports, Hayes seized the opportunity to cultivate new talent, providing meaningful minutes to players who might not yet be at their peak but possess significant future potential.
Nine months, 15 games, and 49 evaluated players later, Hayes boasts a comprehensive understanding of the talent available. This deep familiarity will undoubtedly serve as the bedrock for her tactical and strategic vision over the coming three years. The imminent phase, commencing this fall, will see the coaching staff begin to solidify the core contenders for World Cup roster spots. While the door is unlikely to be fully closed on any player – Hayes herself has indicated that opportunities with the U-23 national team could serve as a pathway back to the senior squad – the intensity of internal competition is set to escalate. This strategy, as Hayes views it, is not merely beneficial but essential to ensuring the USWNT maintains its formidable status on the global stage.
The Re-calibration of Veterans: No Guarantees
During this period of extensive experimentation, Hayes consciously prioritized integrating fresh faces. While some veteran players from the Olympic gold-winning squad were sidelined by injury (such as Naomi Girma and Trinity Rodman) or maternity leave (Mallory Swanson and Sophia Wilson), a deliberate choice was also made to provide ample playing time to up-and-comers. This has left a fascinating dynamic: how will the returning mainstays measure up against the emerging talents?
Intriguingly, since October, six of the seven players logging the most minutes were indeed members of the gold-medal team, with midfielder Sam Coffey and defender Emily Sonnett leading the charge. However, the trajectory for other veterans appears to be shifting. Midfielder Korbin Albert and forward Jaedyn Shaw, for instance, have transitioned to the U-23 team, while defenders Jenna Nighswonger and Casey Krueger haven`t featured with the senior squad since last year. Similarly, goalkeeper Casey Murphy, formerly Alyssa Naeher`s Olympic backup, has been absent since January`s training camp. This pattern strongly suggests that only those veterans whom Hayes genuinely believes are on the right track for 2027 and 2028 will regain consistent minutes, signaling her clear intent to sculpt the team entirely in her own image.
The Goalkeeper Gauntlet: Who Steps Up?
Perhaps the most significant void in the USWNT lineup, post-Alyssa Naeher`s retirement, is the starting goalkeeper position. This has become an open contest, with six different shot-stoppers seeing action since the Olympics, each with varying amounts of playing time.
Mandy McGlynn leads the group with four appearances, but the gap to her competitors is narrow. Phallon Tullis-Joyce has three caps, while Jane Campbell and Claudia Dickey each have two, and Casey Murphy one. This truly underscores the wide-open nature of the race to become Naeher`s successor. October`s matches are poised to be particularly illuminating, offering crucial insights into Hayes` current hierarchy among these custodians. Murphy`s reduced involvement, especially as a long-time understudy to Naeher, is perhaps the most surprising development. However, it aligns with Hayes` overarching strategy of maximizing experimentation. Her public comments on the group have been commendatory, praising Tullis-Joyce as “leading in that area at this moment in time in her age category” and highlighting Dickey as “probably the best performing goalkeeper in the NWSL this season.” The pressure is undeniably on for each contender to seize this golden opportunity.
Attacking Riches: A `Good Problem`
The formidable attacking trio often referred to as the `triple espresso` – Trinity Rodman, Mallory Swanson, and Sophia Wilson – have not played together since the Olympics. Yet, remarkably, the USWNT has scarcely struggled to find the back of the net in their absence. This fact is a testament to the team`s perennial abundance of attacking talent, suggesting that its rich scoring tradition is poised to continue for another generation.
Several players have made significant strides in the forward line. Alyssa Thompson, a participant in the 2023 World Cup, ranks third in minutes played since the Olympics and boasts four goals and one assist, making a strong case for a consistent starting role. She`s not alone in making her minutes count: Yazmeen Ryan and Ally Sentnor are also within the top 10 for minutes played since October, with Sentnor, in particular, impressing greatly in her senior national team debut, averaging a goal contribution every 77.83 minutes. Catarina Macario, finally regaining form after a long battle with injuries, has contributed three goals and two assists in just 391 minutes, maintaining a similar efficiency. Veteran Lynn Williams, meanwhile, has continued her impressive run, leading the group in goal contributions with six goals and one assist. Such a deep pool of effective attackers creates what many coaches would consider a `good problem` – a delightful dilemma for Hayes and her staff in the years to come.
Midfield`s New Blueprint: The Yohannes Effect
While Hayes has been judicious in distributing opportunities across the squad, 18-year-old midfielder Lily Yohannes has emerged as a symbol of the youth-focused project. The coaching staff has, quite rightly, adopted a patient approach with Yohannes, who has played 373 minutes since the Olympics. However, the next two years will be pivotal for both her individual development and the national team`s midfield dynamic. Her recent move from Ajax to OL Lyon underscores her commitment to maximizing her potential at the club level. The early indications are clear: Yohannes possesses the raw talent to become a transformative figure in the USWNT`s midfield, an area that has notably sought balance since the departure of influential figures like Sam Mewis and Julie Ertz.
The midfield has, indeed, often appeared unbalanced since Mewis and Ertz`s respective retirements. Former head coach Vlatko Andonovski grappled with this issue at the 2023 World Cup, a period during which the USWNT endured a 200-plus minute scoring drought. Even at the Paris Olympics, Hayes` initial combinations, often featuring Sam Coffey, Korbin Albert, Lindsey Horan, and Rose Lavelle, occasionally felt disjointed. Coffey appears to be a consistent fixture under Hayes, leading in minutes played since the Olympics, and Yohannes is clearly a player the USWNT is investing heavily in for 2027.
This leaves a relatively constrained number of remaining spots. Rose Lavelle, when healthy, is likely a starter, her unique technical, attack-minded skillset difficult to replicate. The impressive ascent of 19-year-old Claire Hutton further complicates the picture, potentially forcing tough decisions from Hayes, particularly concerning Horan`s role. Horan remains a prominent figure, ranking fourth in minutes played since the Olympics, suggesting Hayes is unlikely to sideline her soon. Ultimately, finding the precise blend in this increasingly crowded and talented midfield will undoubtedly be one of Hayes` most intricate challenges, and while time is on her side, achieving that elusive balance will be absolutely key to the team`s future success.
