It’s the end of the calendar year for the U.S. women’s national team, with 2022 performances all wrapped up in a bow. Naturally, that also means it’s time for end-of-year report cards to evaluate how each player did in the run-up to the 2023 World Cup.
Again, a quick set of criteria: Despite the team’s first three-game losing streak in decades, the U.S. lost only three games total in 2022. A failing grade would indicate a player is wildly unprepared for the game at this level, which is not something we saw from the group playing the lion’s share of minutes this year. Likewise, an A+ indicates a player with all-star, team-on-their-back, best-in-the-world status.
Throughout this series, which will grade players by position, I’m going to avoid those who didn’t get minutes in 2022 and those who have missed significant time due to injury.
So far, we’ve graded the goalkeepers, outside backs, center-backs, defensive midfielders, attacking midfielders and wingers. Now, let’s look at the center forward position.
Catarina Macario – B+
With more time, I have all the confidence in the world Macario could have ended the year with an A grade. But her ACL injury in June stopped the rising star from getting significant time in…
