The thing about me and soccer is that for 99% of the days of the year, I forget it exists, and I’m completely at peace. But during the rare occasions, like the Summer Olympics, when I remember America does, in fact, do soccer, and that the USWNT does it very well, I’m suddenly the most hardcore footy fan you’ve ever met. I mean, if the Olympics aren’t the perfect excuse to suddenly become an expert on random sports, and their even more random athletes you’ve never heard of before, I don’t know what is. That means for some of us seasonal soccer fans (we prefer that to fair-weather, TYVM), it’s the first time we’re seeing a lot of the incredible new talent on the US Women’s Olympic Soccer team. We’ve become familiar with legends Alex Morgan, Carli Lloyd, and Megan Rapino but now there’s a new class of breakout stars hitting the field in 2024 that are already my new best friends, and soon to be yours, too. Heads up: Here’s a list of the new US Women’s Soccer Olympians you need to know before the match against Japan on August 4.
US Women’s Soccer Olympians You Should Know
Trinity Rodman
Trinity is a 22-year-old beast forward from California who currently plays for the Washington Spirit (after setting a record as the youngest player ever drafted at 18 years old). Rodman is a skilled goal scorer and showman on the pitch who has already scored two goals in Paris, her first Olympic appearance. What, like it’s hard? If her last name sounds familiar, it’s because it is. Her dad is Chicago Bulls alum Dennis Rodman FKA Meta World Peace. Soooo, when am I getting invited over for Sunday dinner?
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Sophia Smith
The 23-year-old Stanford graduate is a huge part of the success of the 2024 Olympic team’s unstoppable front three. Sophia is aggressive about getting goals (she had two of them in the Paris Olympics against Germany along with one crucial assist that led to the women beating Australia) and maintaining the perfect blowout. How she does so effortlessly despite all the sweat is beyond me! Her fiance Michael Wilson plays for the Arizona Cardinals and has been cheering her stateside while he’s in training camp.
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Mallory Swanson
Mallory, or Mal Pal as I’ve been calling her in our imaginary conversations, is 26 and the third forward in our current big three who is also married to a professional athlete (Dansby Swanson of the Chicago Cubs). She’s scored three out of seven of the Olympic team’s goals in 2024 so far which makes sense considering she’s the highest USWNT scorer on the roster. She has also scored a million points in my heart for being a fashion killer in her free time.
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Naomi Girma
The 24-year-old San Diego Wave player is already making history by being the first Ethiopian-American USWNT soccer player. She’s v proud to be able to rep all the first-gen kids watching at home, and frankly, I’m proud to have her on our team as someone who despises seeing the other team score, literally ever. Naomi is a noteworthy defender, who has made countless saves downfield throughout the entire Olympic Games. She also is basically always smiling on and off the field, which is super inspiring as someone who cries two miles into a run.
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Jaedyn Shaw
Jaedyn is a 19-year-old from Dallas, Texas who unfortunately has been out due to an injury since the tournament began. BUT never fear, Jaedyn hasn’t been medically sidelined for the entire series and could hopefully come back in time for the semi-finals against Japan. Fingers crossed, because we all want to see the team’s youngest phenom score a goal or two. Jaedyn is Naomi’s teammate on The Wave and the first Vietnamese-American to make the squad.
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