The U.S. women are gearing up for the most critical calendar year of fixtures and competitions in 2024.
Coming off the most disappointing Women’s World Cup finish in USWNT history the year before, the most dominant international women’s side has never been quite so vulnerable. With a new coach, a roster in transition, and many questions to be answered, the team is at a crossroads.
Mia Hamm, the nation’s most popular and visible pioneer for women’s football, sees this as an opportunity, not a roadblock.
“This is what we wanted from the game,” Hamm told The Sporting News. “I don’t want the U.S. to just dominate every tournament and every other team have small incremental development. The mentality of the U.S. national team is that ‘we want to see everyone’s best shot’ because that’s how you get better. Every game, every moment of the matches matters, and that’s what’s great about international soccer: it gives you different puzzles and obstacles in each match depending on who you’re playing.”
The difficulty level on those puzzles has increased dramatically in the past few years. Talent across the globe has been cultivated at an unprecedented level, and the U.S. women have never been more trepidatious at the top of the international football pyramid.
It…
