uas-1.jpg
Getty Images

Two friendly games in April for the United States women's national team didn't go exactly as planned, but those 180 minutes sure are valuable for this team's high-ceiling future for many reasons. Manager Emma Hayes and the group settled for a 2-1 loss on Tuesday, where the United States conceded a late-game goal in stoppage time. The coaching staff opted to get more looks with familiar tactics over the two games, and with a less experienced lineup in the second friendly, the high-pressure scenarios exposed the lack of experience throughout the match.

The duo of matches were utilized as part of a longer evaluation process for Hayes and the staff in a long build-up to the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup. Ahead of the game on Tuesday, Hayes hinted at the possibility of the USWNT program heading to Brazil next year for elevated team experiences ahead of the global tournament that the country will host. After the game, the head coach was as clear as ever -- matches in 2025 will remain a focal point of processes instead of flat-out wins and losses.

"It's been a really good camp. We mustn't always measure progress by outcome," Hayes said. "If I only prioritized short-term success, of course, I wouldn't make that many changes. But I'm not making decisions for the short-term; I'm prioritizing the progress from expanding the playing pool to getting to see what these players look like in a really difficult match."

Forward Trinity Rodman made her return to USWNT camps during the April window, one-third of the 2024 Olympic gold medal-winning attack "triple espresso" that also featured Sophia Wilson and Mallory Swanson. With a longer build toward the World Cup and other players managing injuries, Hayes has been clear that the time is now to explore and expand the player pool. 

With additional gold medal winners Naomi Girma, Tierna Davidson, and Rose Lavelle unavailable for selection at the moment, more players have been in and out of camps since 2025 began, and there will continue to be. But as each camp goes by, who are the less-capped players that capitalize on the opportunity of the moment?

Here are some players I think will keep decision-making difficult for the coaching staff after the April friendlies:

Stock up

Players who have notably improved from January camps through April. Their efforts have led to more minutes or more starts and have impacted the games they participated in. Likely candidates for future camps, and maybe even compete for starting positions.

Alyssa Thompson (forward): There's no doubt about it, Thompson is entering the spot-stealing territory. The winger "has taken another step," in the opinion of Hayes, and she has featured in each camp throughout 2025 thus far. It's high praise for a player that is just scratching the surface of her career. 

Phallon Tullis-Joyce (goalkeeper): The goalkeeper made a major statement game during the opening fixture against Brazil. A shutout and six huge saves against a creative technical side have bumped her up in a goalkeeper pool that's looking for an answer at the starting role.

Claire Hutton (midfielder): The Kansas City Current midfielder had an impressive start in match two and won the ball that sprung the lone American goal of Tuesday's game. Despite the optics of 4-2-3-1 presenting a double pivot, the 19-year-old operated mostly as a solo defensive midfielder in the No. 6 position, and she was cool-headed throughout. 

Stable

Players who were called in before January camps and have since earned call-ups and minutes throughout matches in 2025. Considered part of the current pool of players the coaching staff will keep among rosters during the remainder of the year if healthy. 

Catarina Macario (forward): The Chelsea FC player has worked back from an ACL injury and even made the 2024 Olympic roster but removed herself from Olympic contention after a flare-up in knee soreness. She's playing more consistently now, for club and country, and her name has been on the score sheet in three of the four matches she started this year. 

Ally Sentnor (forward): At one point, Sentnor was a player on the depth chart, but her breakout 2024 rookie season with Utah Royals and the U20 World Cup team earned her call-ups to the senior team ahead of her "futures camp" debut in January. She's been called into camps as an attacking midfield option and as a forward and will have more call-ups this year. 

Stock down

Current players called in whose performances have led to more questions about their position in the player pool instead of clear indicators that they should remain part of the senior process. 

Mandy McGlynn (goalkeeper): McGlynn's only had three starts with the national team, but her two games in 2025 presented more questions than answers. In each of the two matches, late-game goals were conceded, so some tough lessons remain as the coaching staff continues to search for solutions at the position.

Jaedyn Shaw (midfielder): Hayes has made it clear that the timeline for player evaluation over the next two years will be key prep for roster building, and some younger players might see their senior time limited and rolled over into the relaunched U23 program. Shaw's dwindling minutes and slower start this NWSL season could be signs that Hayes wants the player to work on getting her confidence back up.

Tara McKeown (defender): There's a significant amount of trust McKeown has built up with the coaching staff in her short time on USWNT rosters. Brazil presented a ton of challenges in attacking transition and McKeown had some mixed moments. With injuries along the backline, she'll likely still be part of future camps if her club play stays consistent. 

Undefined

Alana Cook (defender) and Ashley Hatch (forward): The two players were named to the April roster and it marked their return to national team camps for the first time since 2023. Their limited minutes in the two-game series ultimately signal where their place among the player pool is -- about the same as it was before -- on the outside looking in.