Emma Hayes ratified the list of 25 players called up by the USWNT women's national team to play friendlies against Ireland and Canada. The list confirms her project: a highly young-based team, without so many veterans and with some players still fresh in the senior national team. The objective, at the moment, is to give opportunities to the players who recently made their debut and to attentively observe who can be included in the following cycle.
The called-up team averages 24.5 years of age, and virtually nobody has featured more than a dozen times for the national team. Only six of the 25 players have yet to make a senior appearance, and four earned their first senior call-up. This, in a country which has considered the national team as a ready-made product, is unprecedented.
No Europe, by definition
The exclusion of almost all the players who play in Europe was not a coincidence. Hayes opted to rest players who had rigorous seasons in Europe and, in the process, opened up space for players who were doing well in the domestic league.
Chelsea player Naomi Girma is an exception, and perhaps for that same reason a bridge between worlds. She is a connector between native-born progress and European elite. Hayes picked 24 of the NWSL players surrounding her, reaffirming her confidence in domestic players and in that building block on which next cycle comes.
It's all about first impression
Of the debutants summoned for the squad, there are some that stand out more than others, such as Jordyn Bugg, Lilly Reale, Izzy Rodriguez, and Sam Meza. Not so much because they have proved anything yet at the international level, but precisely because they haven't proved anything yet. Risk is gigantic, but so is the reward. This is a setting where renewal had been paralyzed since the last World Cup, and Hayes gambled on speed.
One exception is Rose Lavelle. The midfielder returns after more than six months off, rehabilitated after surgery on each of her ankles. It's not just about technique, but symbolism. Lavelle has scored a World Cup final goal, has played in 110 international games, and continues to set the standard for the young players.
The attacking unit also follows the law of renewal, but without sacrificing performance. Ally Sentnor, for example, netted two goals against Jamaica and was back in the list. She is accompanied by the likes of Lynn Biyendolo, Emma Sears, and Alyssa Thompson, who have netted 19 goals in the NWSL season to date. That is, they are young but with the support of rhythm, confidence, and hunger.