Lindsey Horan is expecting nothing less out of this World Cup than the toughest tournament the U.S. women’s national team has ever faced.
The USWNT and Lyon midfielder spoke to USA Today Sports’ Sports Seriously on the challenges her team will face during the upcoming World Cup, and she expects the road to a three-peat to be demanding.
“I’ve said it many times: This is gonna be the most competitive World Cup,” said Horan. “You see a lot of young players coming into different pools in other nations. So I think it’s gonna be very exciting for all nations, for all fans, for the world to watch one of the most competitive tournaments in the world.”
Horan — who is seen as the frontrunner to take the captain’s armband after Becky Sauerbrunn was left off the roster due to injury — admitted that she didn’t expect to be in such a prominent leadership position at this point in her career, but called the situation “very exciting for me.”
“We’ve had so many veterans, so many leaders in my eyes, that I’ve looked up to and I’ve grown and learned from,” explained Horan. “Actually seeing myself as that type of role model for the young players on our team was new for me. I think I always felt like I was a young player…I’ve embraced it. I’ve loved taking on this new role.”
For Horan, the USWNT won’t just be facing challenges in terms of a stronger-than-ever field of opponents. There are also the realities of going to a World Cup without big names like Sauerbrunn, Abby Dahlkemper, Catarina Macario, Christen Press, and Mallory Swanson.
“It’s been tough on us,” admitted the 29-year-old. “Some of the injuries that we’ve picked up over the past year and recently, it’s unfortunate. No one likes to see that. You don’t want to see some of these big players out and missing a World Cup.”
Still, to Horan, the USWNT’s vaunted mentality is the key to overcoming both the lost talent on the field and the disruptions to the squad’s rhythm off of it.
“When it comes down to it, when we get to tournament mode, and we have to finalize all the details, that’s when we all kind of embrace our roles on the team,” said Horan. “[We] know that we’re fighting for each individual out there that’s on the roster, and players that didn’t make it as well. We come together, and I think every major tournament that I’ve played in, that’s kind of how it goes.”
“You put the team first and the individual second, and you do whatever you can to win and I think that’s the kind of thing that just brings everyone together.”
Watch Sports Seriously with Lindsey Horan
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