With the 2026 men’s World Cup done and dusted, all eyes turn to the women’s edition next year in Brazil. Though the United States will not be a host country, the team will enter the tournament in the top echelon, capable of winning it all. In Emma Hayes’s two-year tenure as coach of the squad, she has followed a mostly sensible process: dramatically expand the player pool by developing and giving a look to as many promising players as possible, before coalescing around a core group as the amount of time before the World Cup wanes.
That’s all well and good, except for the fact that players’ health and form are never a given. Some of Hayes’s favorite players are currently not playing their best, or at all. Then there are the players who haven’t been called up under Hayes recently, or at all, who are in fabulous form in the NWSL. Those are the players who will force Hayes to make hard decisions—should she stick with the team she’s got at risk of falling prey to the sunk cost fallacy, or should she offer a chance to some of the best players in the NWSL, at risk of messing with her team’s hard-fought chemistry?
It’s an unenviable task that asks a manager to commit to a philosophy of football: is it the players or the team that matters more? Hayes’s comments about the USWNT and her recent essay about the Spanish men’s team suggest she tilts more toward the latter, but if any individual performances do force her hand the other direction, it’ll be these:
Center backs: Sarah Gorden, Kristen McNabb, Sam Staab
Hayes’s center back depth chart is full of reliable veterans, especially since Tierna Davidson came back from an ACL tear earlier this year. But one of those veterans, Emily Sonnett, just ruptured her left patellar tendon, which will take her out for the rest of Gotham’s NWSL campaign. The USWNT’s other ace is Naomi Girma, who has struggled with a calf injury for too long to be confident. Lesser-capped players like Tara Rudd, Jordyn Bugg, and Kennedy Wesley are in Hayes’s orbit, but if she’s looking for more leadership in the back, the NWSL offers it in spades. Sarah Gorden, Kristen McNabb, and Sam Staab have been outstanding for Angel City, the San Diego Wave, and the Chicago Stars, respectively.
Gorden has lethal speed, effective tackling, smart positioning, and remarkable durability. The Angel City captain has proven she can handle some of the best strikers in the world, like Barbra Banda, which should mean something as the USWNT gets set to face the best of the best in their World Cup run.
Kristen McNabb has been having a stellar season with top-side San Diego, where she’s played every minute. McNabb is strong defensively and is an elite passer, which Hayes looks for in her defenders.
On a squad on the other end of the table is Sam Staab, who has been fighting on the front lines for the dignity of the Chicago Stars. She hasn’t exactly succeeded, but it’s far from her fault. Per American Soccer Analysis, Staab has added a whopping 1.14 total goals above average (G+) for the Stars this year — that’s a stat that encompasses both attacking and defensive on-ball actions. The number is second only to Rudd. Staab is Davidson-esque in her distribution — her long balls are something to put in a museum.
Defensive midfielder: Taylor Flint
Claire Hutton and Sam Coffey seem to have a deserved lock on the No. 6 position for the USWNT, but Coffey’s recent knee surgery proves that locks can be broken at any moment. Coffey seems to be on track for a recovery on time, but Taylor Flint is a ready candidate should a spot become open. She and Emma Sears are the only truly elite players that remain on the withering Racing Louisville. Flint is an unbelievable first line of defense and can play physical soccer with the best of them. Plus, her aerial abilities are sorely needed for the USWNT.
Wingers: Ashley Sanchez, Jordynn Dudley, Yazmeen Ryan
Trinity Rodman and Alyssa Thompson are the only USWNT regulars who are both up to form and healthy right now on the wings. Emma Sears is healthy and playing regularly for Louisville, but she hasn’t had as special a season as she had last year, not least because of the team’s general struggles. Michelle Cooper has been fantastic for the Kansas City Current, but has been struggling with an injury this season. Olivia Moultrie, I’d argue, is better used as an attacking midfielder than a winger. And Mallory Swanson, who has just returned from maternity leave, has room to go before she’s back to the peak of her powers. In their stead, Ashley Sanchez, Jordynn Dudley, and Yazmeen Ryan could make a run at the World Cup roster.
Ashley Sanchez has been nothing short of outstanding this year. She’s scored 10 goals this season, which puts her in second place in the Golden Boot race, trailing only Barbra Banda, who’s scored 12. She creates chances and puts them away. She stymies defenders with ridiculous footwork and combines with any number of teammates. If Hayes is looking for a burst of creativity and finishing prowess in her forward line, Sanchez has made herself near irresistible.
Jordynn Dudley, the runaway leader for Rookie of the Year, has proven to be an unstoppable force that even the league’s immovable objects can’t handle. She moves with both great agility and remarkable sturdiness, drawing foul after foul in dangerous areas. Dribbling is her calling card, but her crossing is not to be ignored. Dudley has played herself into a starting spot on the league’s top team. Even if Hayes doesn’t bring Dudley into the USWNT in time for the World Cup, the 21-year-old looks sure to be part of the team for years to come.
If Hayes is hesitant to call up a player who hasn’t ever been to a national team camp with her, Yazmeen Ryan would be a great choice that fits the bill. She’s earned 16 caps under Hayes, but at this point looks to be on the outside looking in. Her form with expansion side Denver Summit, however, is begging Hayes for a reevaluation. Ryan consistently creates dangerous chances along the flank and has made more than a few genuinely great shots from distance. When Denver plays, Ryan is consistently one of the best players on the pitch, and Denver isn’t short of great players.
Striker: Pietra Tordin
Hayes has lamented that the United States hasn’t produced a deep enough pool of true No. 9s, and she’s right. At the moment, Sophia Wilson is her healthiest and most in-form option at the position, and that’s saying a lot, since as dangerous as Wilson has been since returning from maternity leave, she’s still working her way back to full sharpness. At this point, bringing Ally Sentnor to the World Cup would be baffling. And Catarina Macario is still out with a heel injury, with no known recovery timeline.
The USWNT thus has a big No. 9 problem, which is nothing less than an existential problem; the job of the striker is to score goals. No goals, no wins, no World Cup trophy. Hayes’s answer might just be Pietra Tordin, who plays alongside Wilson at the Portland Thorns. Tordin shoots with deadly precision; the angles she finds are sometimes unbelievable, yet she makes them look simple. But, as I suspect Hayes would want from all players on the pitch, she’s a team player — Tordin leads the league in assists, with eight. Given a chance, Tordin could be the deadly tip to the USWNT’s spear.
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