(Robin Alam/ISI Photos/Getty Images).
Which one player is the most essential to the success of the U.S. women’s national team at the 2023 World Cup?
Each month since September 2022, Just Women’s Sports has made the argument for a different member of the USWNT. Heading into the upcoming roster drop, that gives us 10 players who could make or break the team’s chances in Australia and New Zealand.
With one month to go until the World Cup, which players will have the biggest impact for the USWNT?
World Cup newcomers
Naomi Girma, 23, defender
After nearly sweeping the NWSL’s end-of-season awards as a rookie in 2022 – which included winning rookie and defender of the year and finishing as an MVP finalist – Girma has picked up right where she left off to begin 2023. And this summer at the World Cup, she’ll have the chance to prove herself on the world stage.
Sophia Smith, 22, forward
The reigning NWSL MVP scored 14 goals in the 2022 season, and she scored almost that many for the USWNT. Smith’s 11 goals in 2022 made her the…
