Women

The United States women’s national team fandom is divided on one big question. Should Alex Morgan go to the Olympics this summer?

Only 18 players will be on USWNT head coach Emma Hayes’ roster this summer as the USA seek their first gold medal in women’s soccer since 2012. Does Morgan deserve one of the coveted roster spots?

Alex Morgan Olympics debate

Morgan was on the outside looking in at the start of 2024. When the USWNT Gold Cup roster was released in February Morgan’s name was nowhere to be found. 

The United States women’s national team will go on a month-and-a-half hiatus following a spring that saw them lift the inaugural Concacaf W Gold Cup and their seventh SheBelieves Cup. We’d say we’ve seen enough for a USWNT Olympic roster prediction.

Incoming USWNT head coach Emma Hayes will need to narrow the roster to 18 names for the Paris Olympics. She’ll have watched both tournaments and have a solid idea of who deserves to go.

Twila Kilgore’s time as interim head coach of the United States women’s national team has come to an end following the SheBelieves Cup triumph vs. Canada. 

Current Chelsea boss Emma Hayes will coach the next USWNT game which will be a friendly vs. South Korea on June 1.

Kilgore finishes her eight-month tenure with a Concacaf W Gold Cup title, a SheBelieves Cup title and a national team with renewed hope.

The U.S. women’s national team were crowned the 2024 SheBelieves Cup champions after defeating Canada in Columbus on Tuesday.

After facing off against Canada in the W Gold Cup semifinals last March and  defeating The Maples through penalties, both national teams were to meet once again in hopes of winning a trophy.

The United States women’s national team mounted a 2-1 comeback victory vs. Japan in the SheBelieves Cup semifinal on Saturday in front of a record crowd in Atlanta, Georgia.

The 50,644 fans (the most ever for a non-World Cup or Olympic game on U.S. soil) in Mercedes-Benz Stadium sat stunned when Japan figuratively punched the USWNT in the mouth with a goal just 30 seconds into the game.

30 seconds is all it takes for Japan’s Kiko Seike to take the lead vs. USWNT.

Woah

United States women’s national team head coach Twila Kilgore turned heads with her starting XI for the SheBelieves Cup semifinal vs. Japan on Saturday. Korbin Albert will start the game on the bench and Mallory Swanson returns for the first time in a year.

Swanson last started a game with the USWNT on April 8, 2023, when she suffered a severe knee injury. She’s back in the starting XI for the first time since.

USWNT starting XI vs Japan

The XI to get us started in Atlanta

United States women’s national team legend Ali Krieger is returning to the field and will play for the U.S. Women’s team in TST (The Soccer Tournament) this summer.

Krieger, who retired after winning the NWSL Championship with Gotham FC last season, is dusting off her boots for one last dance.

TST had its inaugural 7-on-7 competition last year and was a smashing success drawing in tons of fans for the $1 million tournament.

The United States women’s national team held a press conference on Wednesday which saw leaders Alex Morgan and Lindsey Horan address the controversial situation involving midfielder Korbin Albert.

The 20-year-old received waves of backlash after fans discovered she’d reposted anti-LGBTQ+ videos on TikTok and was caught liking a post making fun of Megan Rapinoe’s career ending injury.

Megan Rapinoe has stepped into the Korbin Albert controversy with a clear shot at the 20-year-old United States women’s national team midfielder.

Albert has been facing a tidal wave of backlash after fans discovered reposts on her TikTok that featured anti-LGBTQ+ posts. 

Albert also was caught liking a post that was celebrating and making fun of Rapinoe’s Achilles injury that ended her career in last year’s NWSL Championship game.

The Portland Thorns signed forward Sophia Smith to a two-year contract extension Tuesday, making her the highest paid player in the NWSL, ESPN reported.

While Smith's deal runs through the 2025 season, the contract will include an option for 2026.

No. 9

We’ve agreed to a contract extension with forward Sophia Smith.

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