Kassouf’s prime 50 USWNT gamers proper now. Who’s No. 1?

The United States ladies’s nationwide workforce received a fifth Olympic gold medal this 12 months earlier than a string of retirement bulletins for veteran stars together with Alex Morgan, Alyssa Naeher and Kelley O’Hara. After Saturday’s recreation in opposition to England at Wembley Stadium and subsequent week’s showdown with the Netherlands in The Hague, the workforce will shift its consideration to a much-anticipated January summit in Southern California, the place senior gamers will be a part of federation workers and a “Futures Camp” of, successfully, the subsequent couple of dozen gamers on head coach Emma Hayes’ radar.

From there, Hayes will weed out gamers to determine who might be a part of the pool she develops in preparation for the 2027 World Cup.

Hayes is understood to have an eye fixed for expertise, so we will anticipate to see loads of intriguing call-ups for that January camp. These two adjoining rosters may drastically shift our participant pool rankings. For now, although, we’re going with who we predict the highest 50 gamers within the pool are primarily based on kind for membership and nation over the previous 12 months. Some stay uncapped. Lots are on ESPN FC’s 2024 Ladies’s Rank, the world prime 50 that we simply unveiled (though this author’s particular person vote diversified from the mixed listing).

Gamers who’ve introduced their retirement have been omitted. We additionally omitted just a few gamers attributable to long-term accidents, though in a single distinguished case (see: No. 6), there was a big sufficient physique of labor from the season to judge.

So, who’re the perfect of the perfect from the celebs ? And who is perhaps within the pool proper now with out you even realizing it? Let’s get to it.

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50. Makenna Morris, FW, Washington Spirit

49. Reilyn Turner, FW, Portland Thorns FC

48. Jane Campbell, GK, Houston Sprint

47. Alana Prepare dinner, DF, Kansas Metropolis Present

A summer time switch to Kansas Metropolis was precisely what she and the Present wanted for a run to the semifinals. Her newfound kind at middle again may revive her USWNT profession, too.

46. Riley Jackson, MF, North Carolina Braveness

45. Kennedy Fuller, MF, Angel Metropolis FC

44. Morgan Weaver, FW, Portland Thorns FC

43. Ryan Williams, DF, North Carolina Braveness

42. Abby Dahlkemper, DF, Bay FC

The World Cup winner endured a troublesome stretch of accidents lately, however her midseason transfer to Bay FC confirmed she’s nonetheless a prime middle again.

41. Kerry Abello, DF, Orlando Pleasure

40. Lo’eau LaBonta, MF, Kansas Metropolis Present

39. Gisele Thompson, DF, Angel Metropolis FC

38. Kylie Strom, DF, Orlando Pleasure

Strom may need been overshadowed by Emily Sams, however the middle again was equally integral to Orlando’s league-leading protection. She, amongst others on this listing, are possible previous the age to be in Hayes’ plans, however her season is price recognizing.

37. Jaelin Howell, MF, Seattle Reign FC

36. Mandy Haught, GK, Utah Royals FC

35. Ella Stevens, FW, NJ/NY Gotham FC

34. Ally Watt, FW/MF, Orlando Pleasure

33. Michelle Cooper, FW, Kansas Metropolis Present

Did any participant enhance their inventory extra this season? Cooper quietly did the work amongst a solid of stars in Kansas Metropolis.

32. Taylor Flint, MF, Racing Louisville FC

31. Hailie Mace, DF, Kansas Metropolis Present

30. Ally Sentnor, FW, Utah Royals FC

29. Claire Hutton, MF, Kansas Metropolis Present

Hutton is perhaps the USWNT’s holding midfielder by the subsequent World Cup. Indisputably, she ought to get a glance in January’s large mixed camp.

28. Tara McKeown, DF, Washington Spirit

27. Casey Murphy, GK, North Carolina Braveness

Our first goalkeeper on the listing is the de facto new No. 1 after the latest announcement that two-time World Cup-winner Alyssa Naeher will retire from worldwide obligation on the finish of the 12 months. Murphy has been the backup for 2 years now; is she the reply for 2027?

26. Hal Hershfelt, MF, Washington Spirit

25. Emma Sears, FW, Racing Louisville FC

24. Ashley Sanchez, MF, North Carolina Braveness

23. Lily Yohannes, MF, Ajax

Yohannes just lately dedicated to the USWNT after fielding curiosity from the Netherlands, and she or he might be the way forward for the Individuals’ midfield. She already scored 10 minutes into her debut in June, and she or he has the kind of artistic imaginative and prescient Hayes loves.

22. Yazmeen Ryan, FW, NJ/NY Gotham FC

21. Vanessa DiBernardo, MF, Kansas Metropolis Present

20. Jenna Nighswonger, DF, NJ/NY Gotham FC

19. Korbin Albert, MF, Paris Saint-Germain

18. Catarina Macario, FW, Chelsea

Macario continues to be solely slowly working her manner again from harm. On paper, she’s a top-five expertise and has lengthy been thought-about a possible generational expertise; nonetheless, years of knee points have prevented her from debuting in a World Cup or Olympics. A wholesome Macario strikes manner up this listing.

17. Alyssa Thompson, FW, Angel Metropolis FC

16. Lynn Williams, FW, NJ/NY Gotham FC

15. Crystal Dunn, DF, NJ/NY Gotham FC

Dunn missed the ultimate few months of the NWSL with an excused absence that is still unexplained, however she reminded everybody once more on the Olympics that whilst she excels in additional superior positions throughout league play, she generally is a world-class shutdown fullback.

14. Emily Fox, DF, Arsenal

13. Emily Sonnett, DF, NJ/NY Gotham FC

12. Tierna Davidson, DF, NJ/NY Gotham FC

11. Casey Krueger, DF, Washington Spirit

10. Rose Lavelle, MF, NJ/NY Gotham FC

She’s now not the one artistic playmaker within the pool, however Lavelle continues to be a uncommon participant with unmatched imaginative and prescient. Any doubters ought to watch the no-look by ball she performed for Gotham’s purpose within the latest NWSL semifinal as additional proof.

9. Lindsey Horan, MF, Olympique Lyonnais

The USWNT captain stays a fixture in midfield. There have been troublesome moments on the Olympics for the midfield at giant, however Horan is off to an unbelievable begin to the season with Lyon.

8. Emily Sams, DF, Orlando Pleasure

Defenders, stand up! That is proper. The important thing member of the NWSL Championship-winning Orlando Pleasure’s protection (that phrase actually continues to be sinking in) helped present that there’s good defending on this league, which may not often be mentioned lately.

7. Sam Coffey, MF, Portland Thorns FC

This workforce spent two years making an attempt to determine how you can substitute Julie Ertz because the rock and glue in holding midfield, just for Ertz to come back again from close to retirement for the 2023 World Cup (to play middle again, ultimately). All alongside, Coffey was the reply in ready. She’ll have competitors to make this spot her personal for the long run, however proper now, she’s following within the pattern of necessary defensive midfielders.

6. Croix Bethune, MF, Washington Spirit

A rookie this excessive? And after an harm ended her 12 months in late August? Sure, certainly.

Bethune’s story is without doubt one of the greatest within the league in 2024. Her 10 assists tied Tobin Heath‘s single-season NWSL report, and Bethune did that in solely 17 video games. There are shades of Heath’s artistic, audacious recreation in Bethune when she is on the ball.

5. Jaedyn Shaw, FW, San Diego Wave FC

The way forward for the USWNT will revolve round Shaw. The one questions are: How and the place will she be deployed? She’s greatest used as a No. 10, and she will definitely play as a No. 9, however the competitors for these spots is so sturdy that Shaw is commonly shoehorned into a large function.

The final worldwide window was a reminder that the U.S. tics to a special beat with Shaw in central areas. The identical was true on the SheBelieves Cup and Gold Cup earlier this 12 months.

4. Mallory Swanson, FW, Chicago Pink Stars

Swanson bagged the gold medal-winning purpose to beat Brazil in August to seal the USWNT’s fifth Olympic triumph, capping off a comeback journey that eliminated her from 2023 World Cup rivalry on the peak of her profession. Swanson is a dynamic winger who can even tuck inside because the No. 10. She is the uncommon participant who appears to be quicker with the ball at her toes, and she or he has the imaginative and prescient to be an elite playmaker who combines with Rodman and Sophia Smith to finish the self-proclaimed “Triple Espresso.”

3. Trinity Rodman, FW, Washington Spirit

No participant within the U.S. pool has extra of a “wow issue” than Rodman, who’s so good with the ball at her toes that defenders often cannot cease what they already know to be coming. (The “Trin Spin” transfer simply retains on delivering.) Rodman loved her greatest 12 months but as a professional, logging eight targets and 6 assists to assist the Spirit attain a second NWSL Championship in 4 seasons. She’s solely 22 years outdated and will develop into one of many elite U.S. forwards in a protracted historical past of success on the place.

2. Sophia Smith, FW, Portland Thorns FC

If it’s good to change a recreation, name Sophia Smith. The Thorns continued to take action in 2024 even throughout tough stretches of workforce kind. Smith is a participant who can flip a recreation with out warning, combining her elite pace with a deceptively big selection of ending capabilities. She is without doubt one of the final gamers a defender needs to see dribbling at them.

1. Naomi Girma, DF, San Diego Wave FC

She’s the perfect middle again on the earth and the primary identify on the workforce sheet for the USA. For those who’ve paid consideration and listened to Hayes, Girma is nearly definitely the workforce’s future captain as properly. She not often places a foot improper in her defending and she or he’s equal elements cerebral (for positioning and decision-making) and athletic (for getting the job finished). Her membership season was extra of a footnote attributable to San Diego’s tumultuous 12 months, however Girma proved once more on the Olympics why she is in a category of her personal.