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Current U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Vlatko Andonovski once criticized the USWNT, saying that during the 2019 Women’s World Cup, the program was not set up to help young players develop. Now, as the team prepares for the 2023 World Cup, the manager is sharing what the veterans on his team are passing down to the young players.
Andonovski took over from former USWNT coach Jill Ellis after the latter won back-to-back World Cups in 2015 and 2019. Despite the success, Andonovski said those teams weren’t set up to help young players develop because “It was, like, 90% veterans.”
Now, the team is much more evenly split between youngsters and long-tenured players, and Andonovski says the biggest thing the veterans are passing down is a “nasty” mentality.
“The players on this team, they’re nasty competitors,” Andonovski told Sports Illustrated’s Stephanie Aptein. “And nasty in a good way. … It’s passed on generation to generation, and I’m glad that now the next group is picking that up … because they’re gonna have to pass that on. And really, in some ways, I have a feeling that it’s almost like they have no choice.”
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The final 2023 Women’s World Cup USWNT roster will be announced the week of June 19, but it’s safe to say the veterans passing this mentality down under Vlatko Andonovski include U.S. soccer legends like Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, Julie Ertz, Lindsey Horan, and Becky Sauerbrunn.
As for the next generation of USWNT superstars, the names to watch in the upcoming 2023 World Cup include Trinity Rodman (21), Alyssa Thompson (18), Ashley Sanchez (24), and Naomi Girma (23).
The USWNT 2023 Women’s World Cup kicks off on July 21 at 9:00 pm ET as the team takes on Vietnam in its first Group Stage match in New Zealand.
