Photo: Brad Smith/ISI Photos/GettyThe U.S. Women’s National Team is headed to the World Cup!On Thursday, the team qualified for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand after trouncing Jamaica 5-0 at the Concacaf W Championship in Mexico.The U.S. became the 12th country to punch its ticket for next year’s tournament, joining co-hosts Australia and New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Sweden, France, Denmark and Spain.While the U.S. Women have qualified for every World Cup since 1991, this iteration of the team is currently evolving and in transition,Yahoo Sports noted.With the retirement ofCarli Lloyd, and an aging veteran unit includingMegan Rapinoe, 37, andAlex Morgan, 33, vying for starting spots, head coach Vlatko Andonovski has acknowledged that the 2023 team will look different, he told the outlet.The bronze medal-winning team of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics featured a roster of 17 holdovers from 2019 and just one rookie, and it was already among the oldest groups at the 2019 World Cup.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.Younger players, including Sophia Smith, 21, Trinity Rodman, 20, Mallory Pugh, 24, and Catarina Macario, 22, are now stealing the focus.Brad Smith/ISI Photos/GettyIn Thursday’s game, Smith had two goals in the first eight minutes of play, while Rodman, the daughter of NBA Hall of FamerDennis Rodman, scored in the second half.“They’re probably the two most exciting players to watch right now in the [NWS] league,” Andonovski said of Smith, as well as of Pugh. “It will be extremely difficult for a player to come in and take their starting spots right now.“The next goal for the U.S. Women? Winning the Concacaf W tournament, which secures the team a berth to the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Photo: Brad Smith/ISI Photos/Getty
The U.S. Women’s National Team is headed to the World Cup!On Thursday, the team qualified for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand after trouncing Jamaica 5-0 at the Concacaf W Championship in Mexico.The U.S. became the 12th country to punch its ticket for next year’s tournament, joining co-hosts Australia and New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Sweden, France, Denmark and Spain.While the U.S. Women have qualified for every World Cup since 1991, this iteration of the team is currently evolving and in transition,Yahoo Sports noted.With the retirement ofCarli Lloyd, and an aging veteran unit includingMegan Rapinoe, 37, andAlex Morgan, 33, vying for starting spots, head coach Vlatko Andonovski has acknowledged that the 2023 team will look different, he told the outlet.The bronze medal-winning team of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics featured a roster of 17 holdovers from 2019 and just one rookie, and it was already among the oldest groups at the 2019 World Cup.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.Younger players, including Sophia Smith, 21, Trinity Rodman, 20, Mallory Pugh, 24, and Catarina Macario, 22, are now stealing the focus.Brad Smith/ISI Photos/GettyIn Thursday’s game, Smith had two goals in the first eight minutes of play, while Rodman, the daughter of NBA Hall of FamerDennis Rodman, scored in the second half.“They’re probably the two most exciting players to watch right now in the [NWS] league,” Andonovski said of Smith, as well as of Pugh. “It will be extremely difficult for a player to come in and take their starting spots right now.“The next goal for the U.S. Women? Winning the Concacaf W tournament, which secures the team a berth to the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The U.S. Women’s National Team is headed to the World Cup!
On Thursday, the team qualified for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand after trouncing Jamaica 5-0 at the Concacaf W Championship in Mexico.
The U.S. became the 12th country to punch its ticket for next year’s tournament, joining co-hosts Australia and New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Sweden, France, Denmark and Spain.
While the U.S. Women have qualified for every World Cup since 1991, this iteration of the team is currently evolving and in transition,Yahoo Sports noted.
With the retirement ofCarli Lloyd, and an aging veteran unit includingMegan Rapinoe, 37, andAlex Morgan, 33, vying for starting spots, head coach Vlatko Andonovski has acknowledged that the 2023 team will look different, he told the outlet.
The bronze medal-winning team of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics featured a roster of 17 holdovers from 2019 and just one rookie, and it was already among the oldest groups at the 2019 World Cup.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.
Younger players, including Sophia Smith, 21, Trinity Rodman, 20, Mallory Pugh, 24, and Catarina Macario, 22, are now stealing the focus.
Brad Smith/ISI Photos/Getty
In Thursday’s game, Smith had two goals in the first eight minutes of play, while Rodman, the daughter of NBA Hall of FamerDennis Rodman, scored in the second half.
“They’re probably the two most exciting players to watch right now in the [NWS] league,” Andonovski said of Smith, as well as of Pugh. “It will be extremely difficult for a player to come in and take their starting spots right now.”
The next goal for the U.S. Women? Winning the Concacaf W tournament, which secures the team a berth to the 2024 Paris Olympics.
source: people.com
