Women’s World Cup scouting report: USWNT

The task ahead of the USWNT is simple: win the World Cup — again, again — to become the first nation to lift three straight World Cup trophies.

[ MORE: 2023 Women’s World Cup schedule, how to watch live ]

Twice now, a women’s national team has won back-to-back World Cups — Germany (2003 and 2007) and the USA (2015 and 2019). One the men’s side, Italy (1934 and 1938) and Brazil (1958 and 1962) have successfully defended their crown once each.

Below we focus on the USWNT as the Yanks aim to make history which might never be replicated.

Tactics and formation

Without a shadow of a doubt, the biggest news around the USWNT’s roster release was the announcement that captain and center back Becky Sauerbrunn wouldn’t be fit in time for the 2023 World Cup, leaving a 216-cap hole at the heart of Vlatko Andonovski’s defense. The last time the USWNT played without Sauerbrunn in the lineup was the SheBelieves Cup final against Japan, back in February, when Alana Cook and Naomi Girma lined up in central defense. The Yanks kept a clean sheet on 15 shots (just two on target) and won 1-0.

The coach

Andonovski has been in the job since 2019, when he replaced Jill Ellis, who guided the Yanks to back-to-back World Cups. Big shoes to fill, to say the least.

“We want to do something that’s never been done before. We believe in the quality of the team and the support we have, and we think we have what it takes to make it possible.”

Vlatko Andonovski, USWNT head coach

Star player(s)

The USWNT isn’t short on star attacking talent, both of the present and the future. Alex Morgan continues to score goals (121 internationally) at 34 years old and has over 200 caps in here legendary career — a milestone that 38-year-old Megan Rapinoe, who is also on the roster, will achieve upon making her next appearance. Two players over 400 caps (and 184 goals). On the flip side, Trinity Rodman (21 years old), Sophia Smith (22) and Alyssa Thompson (18) have all of 14 goals and 49 appearances between them, yet the trio looks set to spearhead the USWNT for the next decade-plus (eventually). To make team selection even more interesting, Lynn Williams, the other forward on the roster, has seven goals in 13 games and has been in fantastic form in NWSL this season.

Two more world-class stars, Mallory Swanson and Catarino Macario, will also miss the tournament due to long-term knee injuries.

“I think that this team is the best we’ve ever had … I feel like we have the talent, we have the quality, we have the right coach, the right players, the right camaraderie, the right mentality.”

Alex Morgan, USWNT forward

Expectations for the 2023 World Cup

Few, if any, clubs and national sides in the world bear the same weight of expectations any time they take the field, let alone every time, the way the USMNT does. The expectation is that they win it. The expectation is that they do something that has never been done before, and failure to do so would be just that: a failure. Heavy is the head that wears two crowns while chasing a third.