Editor’s Note: USWNT Footnotes takes you inside the major talking points around the U.S. women’s national team, the NWSL, European leagues, and all across American women’s soccer.

Jaedyn Shaw, Korbin Albert and Mia Fishel are among 20 players to make up the U-23 women’s national team for two upcoming road matches against Germany. The squad will face the Germans outside Stuttgart on May 30 and again on June 2. The camp in Europe is part of USWNT coach Emma Hayes’ emphasis on this age group and its importance when it comes to the player pathway to the full senior team.

Hayes announced a 24-player senior roster on Tuesday for stateside matches against China (May 31) and Jamaica (June 3), and during her press conference, referenced Shaw, Albert and Fishel and explained why she thought it was important for them to take part in the U-23 camp instead. 

“This is what I’ve felt has really been missing for a lot of players,” Hayes said. “That they made that jump from Under 20 to seniors and they don’t have a body of games. Yes, [Fishel] could come in, sit on the bench for us, but it’s much better for her to go up and play in Germany and get the experiences so that these players are tracking to compete in the place that we want them to come [the 2027 World Cup].”

Fishel, 24, tore her ACL ahead of the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup and recently returned to play for her club Chelsea. Hayes called her in as a training player for the April matches against Brazil, but she hasn’t played with the full team in more than a year. 

Shaw, 20, and Albert, 21, are both USWNT veterans at this point given how young the squad is, and won gold medals with the team at the Paris Olympics last summer. But Hayes believes all three will benefit more from playing with the U-23 team right now.

“I think the trip to Germany for [Fishel], plus Jaedyn plus Korbin, will be another step in their development,” Hayes said. “And one where, just for context, both teams are able to play five overage players. So this is a great opportunity for us to be able to play players with less experience.” 

Trinity Rodman update

Trinity Rodman made her valiant return to the USWNT in April where she scored a brilliant goal in the team’s first match vs. Brazil. She didn’t see the field in the second game, but played for the Washington Spirit a few days later. Since then, Rodman has taken a leave of absence from soccer to address ongoing back issues. There is no timetable for her return to club or country.

Hayes said this week that she speaks with Rodman regularly and the ‘Triple Espresso’ star is “doing really well.”

“It has certainly been a multidisciplinary approach to supporting Trin – [that includes] club, country and the NWSL – so there’s good communication and support provided to her,” Hayes said. “I think with regard to the issue in her back, she wants to get to a place where it doesn’t keep coming back. So I think these are the right steps for her, and I’ve definitely seen a lot of progress. 

“But unfortunately, like anything, you can’t put a timeframe on it because we want to ensure that she’s not carrying that pain any further. And I think we’re definitely heading in the right direction. I don’t know when she will be back, but I know that Trin is being given all the support and we very much hope for a speedy recovery.”

One full year on the job

It’s been almost one year since Hayes officially took over the USWNT (her first match was June 1, 2024 which resulted in a 4-0 win over Korea Republic). Hayes spent more than a decade at Chelsea where she transformed the club and won 16 trophies. In her first few months with the U.S., she led the squad to an Olympic gold medal and gave 21 different players their senior team debut. Now, she’s developing and expanding the player pool ahead of the next World Cup, which is not until 2027.

“The truth is, I’m in love with my job every day,” Hayes told reporters this week. “I didn’t realize how stuck I’d become until I got out of that. And the self-development that’s gone on for me on a personal level was not just what I needed, but the push I needed as well. I’m on so many different leadership programs – not just formal but sometimes informal gatherings with other head coaches. I never really got as much time as I wanted to do that before. 

“Also, I’m loving learning again – a new culture, a new playing pool and everything that comes with that. Right now I’m working on the plan to qualify for 2027, but also within that, why those missing gaps are there. Not just in our program, but in our sport, because I’m all about not just closing the gap, but how can we help support all areas of the sport? So I’m in my perfect job and absolutely loving it.”

Catarina Macario scores in FA Cup Final

After being eliminated from Champions League competition, Chelsea responded by going onto win the FA Cup Final with a 3-0 win over Manchester United on Sunday. The undefeated Blues completed the domestic treble, winning the Women’s Super League, WSL Cup and FA Cup. Macario, who was subbed onto the pitch in the 62nd minute, scored Chelsea’s second goal on a header in the 84th minute.

Not only was it Macario’s 11th goal of the season, but she became the third American woman to score in an FA Cup Final, joining Sam Mewis and Carli Lloyd. 

Savy King update

In very uplifting news, Angel City FC defender Savy King has been discharged from the hospital. She posted the update on social media earlier this week.

King, 20, required medical attention during the Angel City-Utah Royals match on May 9 when she collapsed on the field. The game was stopped for about 10 minutes and King was carted off the field and immediately taken to a local hospital. The club later announced that King was in stable condition and that she underwent successful surgery for a heart abnormality.

The incident sparked outrage among players, coaches and the soccer community because the game continued after King left the field. A week later, after reviewing league protocols, the NWSL admitted the match should have ended.

In an Instagram post, King thanked her family, friends, teammates and fans for their love and support as well as the medical team “who saved my life and cared for me every step of the way.” King also said she is “looking forward to recovering and getting back out on the field.” 

Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of “Strong Like a Woman,” published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her at @LakenLitman.

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