5 NWSL stars who made their cases for USWNT's World Cup roster
Sophia Smith was named MVP of the National Women's Soccer League on Friday and then led the Portland Thorns to their third league title on Saturday. The 22-year-old, who was the youngest player to ever win league MVP, scored one goal and was part of the other as the Thorns beat the Kansas City Current 2-0. Smith, who was also named MVP of the championship game, scored 15 total goals this season.
Smith is a lock to play in her first World Cup next summer when the United States Women's National Team heads to Australia and New Zealand to defend their back-to-back titles. She's been consistently praised by USWNT coach Vlatko Andonovski, who has said that it would be difficult for anyone to take her starting spot, and has continued to show up in big moments for her club and national teams.
While she didn't need much help raising her profile, Smith, who has 25 caps and 11 goals for the USWNT, is poised to breakout on the biggest international stage next summer.
In addition to Smith, here are five other players who stood out this NWSL season and what that means for their chances in making the U.S. roster for next summer's World Cup.
Adrianna Franch, 10 caps, 3 clean sheets, 1 World Cup
Goalkeeper Adrianna Franch has put herself in a strong position to make Andonovski's roster moving forward. She had an impresive NWSL season for the Kansas City Current, helping lead her team to a 10-6-5 record and ultimately to the championship match over the weekend. She gave up two goals in a 2-0 loss to the Thorns, but also made a stellar 15 saves during the playoffs.
Franch, who recorded five clean sheets this season, has national team experience serving as Alyssa Naeher's backup during the 2019 World Cup and 2020 Olympics. She's also a two-time NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year and finished runner-up in 2022 to the Wave's Kailen Sheridan.
Crystal Dunn, 125 caps, 24 goals, 1 World Cup appearance
Crystal Dunn must be on this list, especially after what she did in the Portland Thorns semifinal win over the Wave. Dunn, who gave birth to her son Marcel in May, scored the game-winning goal — an unstoppable right-footed rocket — in stoppage time that sent her team to the championship game with a 2-1 victory. It was her first goal as a mom.
Dunn started practicing two months after having Marcel and was back training with the national team in September ahead of two friendlies against Nigeria. She didn't play in those, but did get on the field in the USWNT's October matches against England and Spain. Dunn, who played an integral part in the USWNT's 2019 World Cup title run, has slowly been increasing her minutes and there's no reason to think she won't be back in top form next summer.
Naomi Girma, 8 caps
Naomi Girma, who was the No. 1 overall NWSL draft pick out of Stanford, has been one of the best defenders in the league all season. She had a breakout rookie season as the anchor of San Diego's back line — and was named NWSL Rookie of the Year and Defender of the Year — and all signs point to her being the future anchor of the USWNT's back line for many years to come.
Girma is a force in the back who keeps possession, wins battles in the defensive third of the field and connects with the attack. She earned a spot on the USWNT's roster for the CONCACAF W Championship and played in four of those matches. She was a bright spot for the U.S. in its match against England in October, too, getting the start over captain Becky Sauerbrunn. Andonovski hasn't played those two together yet, mainly because they both favor the left side of the center back position, but don't be surprised if they start alongside each other at next summer's World Cup.
Sam Coffey, 3 caps
Sam Coffey is a defensive midfielder who has solidified herself in the Portland Thorns starting lineup as a rookie — which is even more impressive considering she played more as an attacking mid in college at Penn State.
She had an exceptional season for the championship-winning Thorns, and earned her first USWNT call up over the summer. Coffey made her USWNT debut in a September friendly against Nigeria and played in both matches against England and Spain. The Rookie of the Year candidate impressed Andonovski, who called her performance with the Thorns this season "tremendous."
"In my opinion, she's a [NWSL] MVP candidate," Andonovski said earlier this year before the award was given to Smith. "Sam has a lot of impact and sometimes dictates the performance of the team, which is incredible for a rookie."
Sofia Huerta, 23 caps
Sofia Huerta was one of the best defenders in the NWSL this season, which is sort of ironic considering she's also played forward and midfield during her professional career. It wasn't until 2020 when Houston traded Huerta to OL Reign and coach Laura Harvey told her she wanted her to play full-back. That was the beginning of when Huerta, who solidified a spot at right back, gained more confidence and found her rhythm on the field.
Huerta is a consistent starter on the back line for the Reign, which conceded the fewest goals of any team this season. While she's a force defensively, Huerta is also an expert crosser with an attacking mindset. She had four assists, which was among the league's best. And she helped OL Reign win the NWSL Shield, which is awarded to the club with the best record at the end of the resulgar season. While she initially played for the Mexico national team, she made a one-time FIFA switch and has been a regular face on the U.S. roster this year.
Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of "Strong Like a Woman," published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her on Twitter @LakenLitman.
