The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup is rapidly approaching with the countdown under 30 days. The tournament will kick off in Australia and New Zealand on July 20, with 32 nations participating for the first time. Head coach Vlatko Andonovski and his staff have finalized the 23-player roster, a process that has included evaluation through various injuries for some and elevated play by others.
The final result has provided us with a 23-person list that has nine athletes competing in successive World Cups, and there are 14 players across the roster who will experience the World Cup for the first time. In between the nagging injuries and fresh names, that means there are some surprises and some snubs to the 2023 USWNT World Cup roster.
Let’s take a look at the players who broke through and others who fell just short of making the plane:
Surprises
There are multiple first-time World Cup players on the roster but the wide range of ages between them and the current phase of their collective careers are what stand out.
Alyssa Thompson: She cracked the roster in the same way she’s captivated current audiences, through neck-turning force on the pitch, and at 18 years old is the youngest player on the…
