The oldest player on the U.S. women’s national team roster for this World Cup is ready to embrace the youth movement.
Megan Rapinoe may have referred to herself as the USWNT’s “fun grandma” this year, but the star winger — whose next appearance will be her 200th for the national team — told USA Today’s “Sports Seriously” that the team’s young guns are further along at this point in their careers than the veterans were in their early 20s.
“They’re obviously just so talented, all the younger players,” said Rapinoe. “They’re so much better than we were at that age, just so much more advanced. They’re going to be so huge for us in this tournament.”
Rapinoe has a point: the composition of this USWNT squad marks a turning point for the program. Out of the 23 players Vlatko Andonovski called in for this World Cup, 14 will be in the tournament for the first time.
18-year-old forward Alyssa Thompson is the second-youngest player to ever make a USWNT World Cup roster, but she’s far from alone. 22-year-old forward Sophia Smith is the team’s most in-form player as well as the reigning NWSL MVP. Trinity Rodman (21) may well join her as a starter on the front line, and already has a league championship and Best 11 season under her belt. At the other end, Naomi Girma — at just 23, and with only 15 caps to her name — will marshal the defense in Becky Sauerbrunn’s absence.
“I love playing with them,” said Rapinoe. “You need youth, you need that. You need people to be able to play game-in and game-out.”
Rapinoe: USWNT youngsters ‘exciting’
Rapinoe joked that the youngsters are keeping her in touch with new trends, just as much as she’s helping guide them through the World Cup maelstrom.
“They’re always teaching me all the new things and trying to keep me up on stuff,” said Rapinoe. “They keep me young, and I feel like hopefully I can add something to their game or influence them in some way.”
While the USWNT’s younger players may benefit from her mentorship, Rapinoe says that the group is already prepared to thrive on the big stage.
“Ultimately, they know what’s up,” said the OL Reign star. “Just to see them be able to go out and enjoy themselves and express themselves on the field is going to be really exciting.”
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