As one generation said goodbye in the September friendlies, several young stars are ready to step in ahead of the 2024 Olympics in Paris
A moment to celebrate the past, a glimpse into the future. The United States women's national team's September camp was a unique one, as two legends said goodbye while several hopefuls showed why those icons don't need to be too worried about how the next generation will fare without them.
This was it for Megan Rapinoe and Julie Ertz, who played their final USWNT matches against South Africa to conclude history-making careers. Both are irreplaceable, on and off the field. Both are legends, born-winners, legitimate superstars. Those don't grow on trees, even for the USWNT.
But, as Rapinoe and Ertz say goodbye, a new generation is more than ready to say hello. Trinity Rodman is one member of that group, and it was the Washington Spirit star that was the big winner of this camp, as the U.S. ran out 3-0 winners on Thursday and 2-0 victors on Sunday. Rodman scored in both games, solidifying her place as one star of the future in an attack full of them.
It wasn't just young stars who shone, though, as several familiar faces made their case to both interim boss Twila Kilgore and the next permanent head coach, whoever that may be. The 2024 Olympics are just around the corner and, while Rapinoe and Ertz won't be there, the U.S. may be just fine, even after this most recent World Cup mess.
GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from the September camp…
GettyWINNER: Trinity Rodman
Her World Cup was just a bit disappointing, but these two games showed exactly why many around American soccer are so high on Rodman as a potential USWNT star.
Against South Africa, Rodman very much showed why she's so highly-rated. She scored in both wins, both fantastic finishes to cap off attacking sequences that were totally absent at the World Cup.
The first came via a magnificent move on Thursday, as Alex Morgan teed up Rodman for a first-time finish. The second? Another Morgan assist and a lovely Rodman volley, one that drew the biggest of smiles from Rapinoe on her way out.
It's fitting that Rapinoe was the first to hug Rodman after her second goal. As one USWNT legend had her swansong, one up-and-comer showed why she may be ready to take up the mantle.
A new generation is emerging, and Rodman is just one piece of an ever-expanding puzzle. During this camp, Rodman showed why she's ready for more and why she'll almost certainly be a massive part of this upcoming cycle.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesLOSER: Alex Morgan
Loser is harsh here, as Morgan had a pretty good camp. She picked up a few assists and was a heck of a playmaker throughout, showing how she's evolving as a player from that young, physically-gifted monster that first broke onto the scene.
But the fact that she didn't score herself will continue to lurk in the background until she does finally find the back of the net again. It's now been nine USWNT appearances since Morgan scored, which is a long time for a player as talented as her. On the club level, she hasn't scored since May, going eight appearances without a goal.
Most likely, everything is fine. Morgan is still playing well and creating goals, even if she isn't scoring on her own. What's that old saying about goals being like a ketchup bottle? One tap and everything comes out at once. That probably will happen at some point
Still, with the Olympics around the corner and a ridiculous amount of talent in the USWNT attacking pool, Morgan's spot isn't guaranteed. If this continues into 2024, things may very well change at the striker position for the first time in a while.
Getty ImagesWINNER: Lynn Williams
During the World Cup, social media seemed pretty united with one big question: Why haven't we seen more Lynn Williams? Well, her performance over these two games makes the fact that that question existed even more frustrating, as the USWNT winger showed what she could have added to that team during this summer's tournament.
Williams was fantastic in the opening game of this camp, scoring a brace in her first match since the USWNT's exit from the World Cup. Her role was a constant talking point, and it'll remain one now as she continues to push for minutes in an increasingly-crowded forward unit.
Vlatko Andonovski's failure to get the best out of his attack proved to be his downfall, and his inability to get Williams into the mix was a contributing factor. The next coach will face similarly tough decisions, and Williams is making them even tougher by continuing to make things happen.
Getty ImagesLOSER: Vlatko Andonovski
Not everything that Andonovski was criticized for was magically fixed during this camp. However, the changes made by Kilgore did offer a glimpse into what the World Cup could have, and maybe should have, looked like.
We've already discussed Williams, of course, and that's just one part of an attacking unit that looked much better over these two games. Now, it's a small sample size, as is a World Cup, but it is significant to see the U.S. attack looking a bit more dynamic and confident than they did during the summer.
The midfield composition was also different, with Kilgore turning to Emily Sonnett as a holding midfielder, much like Andonovski did late in the World Cup campaign. It makes you wonder what would have happened if he had made that move sooner, or what would have happened if the center-back group looked different Down Under.
There are plenty of 'what ifs' to go over when it comes to the World Cup, and it isn't necessarily fair to compare those four high-pressure games to these two send-off friendlies. Even so, though, the U.S. looked better under Kilgore than they did during large stretches of Andonovski's tenure, which is a tough look for him and perhaps a bit of encouragement for whoever the next permanent coach will be.