USWNT star Trinity Rodman was listed on the first camp roster put together in 2026, setting her up to play in a United States uniform for the first time since April 2025. Now, as the team prepares to play friendlies against Paraguay on January 24 and Chile on January 27, head coach Emma Hayes reveals that she plans to rely on the young phenom more than before.
“I've given her some responsibility this week, and I think it's good for her. And she wants that. She's ready to take the next steps in her career. I think having her back is, I hope, the start of a really strong year for her,” Hayes said on ESPN's Futbol W.
“I think the thing for her this year is she's got to take responsibility, not just on the field but off the field, to make sure she gets the regular maintenance. It's all about the other 22 hours and what you do with that. If she can nail that, then I expect her to continue to thrive.”
Rodman is making her return from a nagging back injury that has kept her away from the national team in all but one game since the 2024 Olympics. In her last outing, Rodman scored in the first six minutes to give the US an early edge in its eventual 2-0 victory over Brazil.
The 23-year-old was also limited during the 2025 NWSL season due to an MCL sprain suffered in October, leaving her barely able to participate in the Washington Spirit‘s 1-0 championship loss to Gotham FC in November. Hayes made it clear she's determined to ensure that those setbacks don't continue to hinder Rodman's playing potential.
“There's a lot of people involved in ensuring that Trin not only has got back to the level she wants to but stays at that level. She's done the work to seek the right info, understand her body, and then to train the right things,” Hayes added.
“We've spoken about it. It doesn't come quickly; sometimes it takes time and consistency with that time to build the necessary strength so that her back can cope with the demands of the game.”
But ultimately, Hayes said she's pleased Rodman is fit enough to return for more than just what she's able to do on the pitch.
“I said it to her this week, I said we've missed you in many ways, most of all because she just brings a little bit of color, she's got a great personality, and she injects that into the environment.”
