The U.S. women’s national team and head coach Emma Hayes will play their first games of the year as they host the 2025 SheBelieves Cup later this month. The group will look to win the competition against Australia, Colombia, and Japan without the attacking trio of Mallory Swanson, Trinity Rodman, and Sophia Wilson (née Smith).
Hayes named a 23-player roster, including three training players, and it includes a mix of Americans playing abroad in Europe and NWSL players in preseason form. The absence of the front line of “Triple Espresso” isn’t new, this will be their third consecutive absence from a camp dating back to November friendlies in 2024. While there’s concern around the consistent omissions, there’s a larger, more strategic plan for Hayes.
“The way I view it is, I just control what I can control. So they’re not available. So I don’t have to think about it,” Hayes quipped during her press conference.
“Of course, I would love those players to be with us, but they’re not. So what an opportunity it is for everyone else to develop as a result of that. I’d rather take these learnings now than I would say, six months in the lead-up to a major tournament. I want to be in a position where I see how long…
