Mallory Swanson’s return to international competition has been a godsend for the U.S. women’s national team in the 2024 Paris Games, bagging three goals in her first two appearances to spearhead Emma Hayes’ explosive side.
She’s providing just the sort of performances Hayes and her coaching staff have needed.
With Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe — two of the team’s most prominent attacking figures in the 2021 Games — off the roster, the likes of Swanson, Sophia Smith, and Trinity Rodman have been called upon to exert their will on opposition defenses with regularity.
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That trio has done just that in the attacking third. Swanson, in many ways, serves as the centerpiece, marauding down the left flank with vigor. Her speed, agility, and close control have been foundational pieces as Hayes attempts to craft a tactical vision all her own in this year’s Olympics.
It wasn’t always that way for Swanson, who just one year ago was on the outside looking in on the national team setup. Her absence from the 2023 World Cup wasn’t due to a lack of production, as she was the U.S.’s leading scorer despite playing in far fewer games than her counterparts.
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