Emma Hayes Picks Olympic Team 🥇🇺🇲

It’s July 1, 2024. Give us four minutes, we give you everything The Women’s Game.

Good morning, TWG readers! So much has happened in the last week — the USWNT named their Olympic roster, multiple head coaches were let go in the NWSL, and we interviewed Viv Miedema for Friendlies, coming this Wednesday. We have found ourselves over halfway through the season and approaching an 8-week hiatus from NWSL play during the Olympics. We have one more round of games this weekend before our attention shifts to Paris.

I competed in my own personal Olympic-like event this weekend, running food during my husband’s burger pop-up on Saturday. Pat and a couple of his friends cooked 150 smashburgers out of a coffee shop in Burlington. It was so awesome -- so many people came out to support the event and we sold out of burgers around 7:30pm. I think I found my calling in the food industry, but unfortunately Pat might disagree.

We have a packed week of content for you all. Today we dropped an interview that Rog did with Jonaton Giráldez, incoming Washington Spirit head coach who joins the team from Barcelona. We also have our last episode of Good Vibes for a few weeks dropping tomorrow, and then a Friendlies interview with Viv Miedema dropping on Wednesday. MAKE SURE YOU’RE SUBSCRIBED so you don’t miss a thing. Three days of new podcasts in a row, only the best for my besties.

Keep reading for the inside scoop on all things NWSL, USWNT, WSL and more! Thanks for being here with us.

Love,
Sam

I. NWSL Matchday 15: Kansas City Current make history, Ashley Sanchez scores against her former club ⚽ 

a. Kansas City Current set a new record at CPKC Stadium this weekend. After defeating the Houston Dash 2-0, they’re now a remarkable 17 games unbeaten. That’s the longest undefeated streak in NWSL history. Malawian forward Temwa Chawinga scored a brace to secure the accomplishment, and moved to the top of the golden boot race (where she’s tied with Barbra Banda). More history made: Chawinga also sent a ball soaring into the Missouri River Friday evening, becoming the first river-goal scorer in CPKC Stadium history. Listen to the crowd roar for a glimpse of what it means. 😂 Sunday in LA, Orlando Pride scooped up a seamless 3-0 victory over Angel City to also stay unbeaten as they prepare to face the Current in a must-watch game of the season next Saturday night. NWSL’s only unbeaten teams will face-off with the pair of golden boot leaders (Chawinga, Banda) on either side. (Saturday, July 6, 730 ET, ION) 👀

b. Ashley Sanchez sliced home an emotional, decisive goal against her former club this weekend. The North Carolina Courage midfielder was traded by the Washington Spirit on 2024 NWSL Draft night, a shock to the midfielder and her teammates, including on-and-off field partner in crime Trinity Rodman. As Sanchez told Sam on a recent episode of Friendlies: “I had no idea at all. There wasn’t even a thought in my mind, to the point where when I answered the phone, I said you’re not trading me, right? Hahaha. Obviously, I was traded.” (LISTEN HERE) To celebrate her goal, Sanchez acted out one half of her go-to celly with Rodman, from back when they were side by side with the Spirit. 

c. What a weekend for scoring against your former club. US midfield magician Rose Lavelle notched her fourth goal of the year in Gotham’s 1-1 draw against her former team, the Seattle Reign. As Lavelle has missed multiple games with injury for Gotham, Sunday's goal marks her fourth goal in eleven games played, and her third in the past five matches. As she builds momentum heading toward the Olympics, Lavelle now has the sixth-highest goals per 90 (.58) in NWSL.

More: ‘NWSL Power Rankings: Can anyone stop Kansas City Current?’

II. NWSL’s midsummer shakeup: multiple coaching changes and a departing GM 🔁

a. We’re more than halfway through the season now and multiple clubs have made big changes. Last Monday, San Diego Wave stunned supporters as they let go of 2022 NWSL Coach of the Year Casey Stoney. The former England defender and captain has led the Wave since their debut season, guiding them to remarkable expansion club success as they collected the 2023 Supporters Shield and 2024 Challenge Cup trophy. This year has been stagnant, though, and Stoney departs with a regular season record of 3W-6D-5L. 

b. In Utah, the 2024 expansion side Utah Royals dismissed former NWSL player-turned-manager Amy Rodriguez. The Royals are ranked 14 of 14 clubs in the league and have struggled in their return to the NWSL. That said, the decision came at an odd time, following the club's respectable 0-0 draw with the formidable Portland Thorns. 

c. The much-anticipated arrival of former Barcelona manager Jonatan Giráldez has put the rest of the league on notice, as the esteemed Spanish manager takes over the third-ranked Washington Spirit. Rog sat down with Giráldez to get the lowdown on what he’s most looking forward to with the Spirit. Episode drops today. (LISTEN WHEREVER YOU GET YOUR PODCASTS). 

d. And finally, Bay FC’s General Manager Lucy Rushton announced her resignation last week. As GM for the midtable expansion side, Rushton oversaw the recruitment of Bay’s coach, Albertin Montoya, as well as some big-name signings, such as the record breaking transfer of Zambian forward Racheal Kundananji. 

More: ‘Should the San Diego Wave have parted ways with Casey Stoney?’

III. Emma Hayes picks her Olympic team 🥇🇺🇲

Somehow, it’s July. Just twenty-five days from today, the US Women’s National Team launch their Olympic campaign against Zambia in Nice. Last Wednesday, newly installed English manager Emma Hayes selected the team she’ll bring to face them. 

Featuring just 18 names (and four exciting alternates— including Good Vibes FC co-host Lynn Williams 👀), the Olympic roster is exceptionally hard to make. Given the program's deep bench of talent, remarkable individuals have been left at home. That includes, for the first time since 2008, Alex Morgan. Morgan’s exclusion comes amid a difficult season with the Wave, though she’s certainly made a case for her inclusion over the past six months with the national team. A true living legend of the program, Morgan’s absence will be missed, as the 34-year-old striker has a remarkable 224 caps and 123 goals to her name. 

Elsewhere, the roster reflects a carefully chosen balance between youth and experience. Battle-tested veterans like Crystal Dunn, Alyssa Naeher, Lindsey Horan and Rose Lavelle lead the team in appearances. Dunn, Naeher and Horan will be three-time Olympians when they step onto the field in France. Still, this team is notably younger and less experienced, on average, compared to the last Olympics. With an average age of 26.8, this is the youngest USWNT Olympic roster since 2008. 

Most controversially among fans, 20-year-old PSG midfielder Korbin Albert is confirmed to the final roster, despite coming under fire for social media activity critical of the LGBTQ+ community, and celebrating an injury to retired US legend Megan Rapinoe.  

For Sam’s full review of who’s in, who’s out, and what’s notable in Emma’s Olympic roster, check out her breakdown on YouTube here. 

More: ‘Alex Morgan’s Olympic snub may not be Emma Hayes’ most contentious’

IV. News and Notes 📰

a. Amid criticism that’s been mounting since last season (as Manchester United Women finished short of their aspirations in the WSL regular season), United has shown lack of interest to invest, grow or articulate clear plans for the Red Devils Women as they prepare for 2024. A mass exodus has rocked the club, as key players from England keeper Mary Earps to midfielder Katie Zelem and Spanish forward Lucía García have all announced departures in the past week. Amid the controversy, the women’s side has also been moved out of their training facility to make room for the men, who are having their facilities renovated. More details here. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

b. Esteemed goalkeeper of England’s Lionesses, Mary Earps, is departing Manchester United in pursuit of trophies. Confirmed this week, Earps is moving to France where she’ll sign with PSG. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

c. In sharp contrast to clubs that neglect the on and off-field potential of their women’s teams, multi-club owner Michele Kang has made big moves with English second-tier London City Lionesses. Kang has brought Jocelyn Precuer in as manager from PSG, made big moves in building the training ground, and signed Swedish star Kosovare Asllani from AC Milan. 💵📈

d. Jonatan Giráldez isn’t the only star departing Barcelona. England’s veteran fullback Lucy Bronze is departing Catalonia after collecting seven trophies in just two years with the Spanish giants. NWSL clubs have reported interest in signing the Berwick-upon-Tweed born European champion.🏆 

e. Amid pervasive uncertainty, Reading Women will drop down from the Championship and aim to compete in England’s fifth tier of women’s football. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

f. Patri Guijarro has announced her formal return to La Roja, after sitting out of the 2023 World Cup as part of the famous fifteen protesting Spanish players displeased with the (now ousted) leadership of their federation. 🇪🇸

V. Parting Shots 🥃

“You are here because you deserve it.” Brazil’s living legend of the game, Marta (who assisted Orlando's first goal against Angel City this weekend), is an inspiration on and off the field when it comes to growing the game and motivating the next generation. Marta joined us on last week’s FRIENDLIES POD to share the advice she gives to young footballers, and much more. 🇧🇷

VI. Good Reads 📚

a. From Júlia Belas Trindade in The Guardian, ‘World Cup is a chance for women’s football to go mainstream in Brazil’.

b. From Emily Keough in ESPN, ‘Michele Kang: Multi-club ownership good for women’s football’.

c. From Lauren Ezekiel in PopSugar, ‘Why Buying Women’s Football Shirts is Still Complicated’.