In just a month’s time, the highly anticipated 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup will commence, and the United States has announced three exceptional players who will represent their nation in the competition.
Lynn Williams, aged 30, Kristie Mewis, aged 32, and Kelley O’Hara, aged 34, have been selected to join the U.S. team and were congratulated during their appearance on TODAY on June 21. All three athletes currently showcase their talents for Gotham FC, a team in the National Women’s Soccer League situated in New Jersey. Notably, this will mark O’Hara’s impressive fourth appearance in the World Cup.
Reflecting on the momentous occasion, O’Hara expressed, “Honestly, it felt like I was getting called for the first time to go to a World Cup. I’m so excited. This is my fourth one, but when I got the news, I honestly broke out in tears I was so excited.”
For Mewis and Williams, this will be their first World Cup experience. Mewis shared her elation, stating, “It feels really good, I’m so excited. I’m honestly thrilled to have these two (Williams and O’Hara) with me. They’ve been my rock throughout this entire journey.”
Williams echoed the sentiment, adding, “I cried as well. We train so long and we fight so hard to do this, so it means everything to me.”
Later in the morning on June 21, the complete roster of 23 players was unveiled. Remarkably, it features nine members from the U.S. team that emerged victorious in the 2019 World Cup. The full roster includes the following players:
Goalkeepers: Aubrey Kingsbury, Casey Murphy, Alyssa Naeher
Defenders: Alana Cook, Crystal Dunn, Emily Fox, Naomi Girma, Sofia Huerta, Kelley O’Hara, Emily Sonnett
Midfielders: Savannah DeMelo, Julie Ertz, Lindsey Horan, Rose Lavelle, Kristie Mewis, Ashley Sanchez, Andi Sullivan
Forwards: Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith, Alyssa Thompson, Lynn Williams