Rose Lavelle and Croix Bethune Return to the United States Women’s National Team
Midfielders Rose Lavelle and Croix Bethune will join the United States women’s national team in 2025 for the upcoming matches against Ireland and Canada. Coach Emma Hayes announced the list of 25 players who will participate in these matches, including the 2024 Olympic gold medal winners. This call represents a continuation of Hayes’ strategy to expand the group of players. “We want to continue improving our way of playing and expand the group of players, and those are some of the key objectives of this three-match window,” Hayes stated.The USWNT will face Ireland on June 26 outside of Denver, Colorado, and again three days later in Cincinnati, Ohio, Lavelle’s hometown. The last match of this international window will be against Canada on July 2 in Washington, D.C. Naomi Girma is the only player on the list who is not currently playing in the NWSL. Hayes mentioned that she is allowing her Europe-based players to rest during this international window. Bethune returns to the USWNT for the first time since the Olympics. She made a big impact on the professional scene in 2024, winning the NWSL Rookie of the Year award and tying the NWSL single-season assist record. However, her season was cut short by a meniscus injury. Currently, Bethune has been accumulating minutes with the Washington Spirit, starting in the team’s four most recent matches. Lavelle, who scored in the 2019 World Cup final, returns to the USWNT for the first time since December. She underwent ankle surgery and only returned to the field with Gotham FC in early June, participating with limited minutes from the bench in the team’s two most recent matches. The four players joining the USWNT for the first time are Jordyn Bugg, Lilly Reale, Izzy Rodriguez, and Sam Meza. All of them have been part of the United States youth national teams and have participated in youth World Cups. Hayes has called up 27 players for the first time since taking over as coach just over a year ago. Goalkeepers Angelina Anderson and Claudia Dickey are the other two players without experience on the list. Mandy McGlynn, with three games played, is the other goalkeeper in the camp. This call reflects the USWNT’s trend under Hayes’ direction, who has been looking for her core group of players to develop for the 2027 World Cup. Hayes has expressed that she understands the group of players better now than at the beginning of her tenure and believes she is on track to reduce the group for the next USWNT camp in October. U.S. Women’s National Team Roster by Position (Club) – June/July Matches against Ireland and CanadaGOALKEEPERS (3): Angelina Anderson (Angel City FC; 0), Claudia Dickey (Seattle Reign FC; 0) Mandy McGlynn (Utah Royals; 3)DEFENDERS (10): Kerry Abello (Orlando Pride; 1/0), Jordyn Bugg (Seattle Reign FC; 0/0), Naomi Girma (Chelsea, ENG; 46/2), Lilly Reale (Gotham FC; 0/0), Tara McKeown (Washington Spirit; 6/0), Avery Patterson (Houston Dash; 4/0), Izzy Rodriguez (Kansas City Current; 0/0), Emily Sams (Orlando Pride; 4/0), Emily Sonnett (Gotham FC; 108/2), Gisele Thompson (Angel City FC; 3/0)MIDFIELDERS (6): Croix Bethune (Washington Spirit; 3/0), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC; 35/2), Claire Hutton (Kansas City Current; 3/0), Rose Lavelle (Gotham FC; 110/24), Sam Meza (Seattle Reign FC; 0/0), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns FC; 7/2)FORWARDS (6): Lynn Biyendolo (Seattle Reign FC; 80/24), Michelle Cooper (Kansas City Current; 6/1), Yazmeen Ryan (Houston Dash; 9/0), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville; 5/1), Ally Sentnor (Utah Royals; 9/4), Alyssa Thompson (Angel City FC; 19/1)In this call-up, we have players with diverse experience, and my priority is to deepen the exposure needed for international football. They are three challenging matches and, as always, we want to win, but also to make sure we are ready for the next steps.
Emma Hayes
