USWNT

Portland Thorns and United States women’s national team forward Sophia Smith received her first Ballon d’Or nomination in her career on Wednesday. The 23-year-old was the only American player to make the 30-woman nomination list.

For those who don’t know about the Ballon d’Or here’s a quick explanation. The annual award is given to the best women’s and men’s player in the world and is presented by France Football, a French news magazine. It’s the highest individual award a soccer player can earn.

Two-time World Cup champion Julie Ertz retired from professional soccer with an announcement on social media on Thursday.

"With immense emotion and processing, I've decided it is time to hang up the boots," the U.S. women's national team icon and longtime NWSL defender posted on social media.

THANK YOU! pic.twitter.com/GapGnMfSa5

— Julie Ertz (@julieertz) August 31, 2023

The United States women’s national team will bid farewell to one of its biggest stars in September as Megan Rapinoe will play her final game.

When is Rapinoe's last game for USWNT?

Rapinoe’s farewell will be a friendly match against South Africa on Sept. 24 at Soldier Field in Chicago. The game is the second of two friendlies that the USWNT will play against South Africa. Rapinoe won’t feature in the first game in Cincinnati on Sept. 21.

The latest edition of the FIFA women’s world rankings was released on Friday and the big news is that the USWNT have dropped two places. For this first time in history the U.S. sit third in the world, their lowest ever ranking.

USWNT FIFA rankings

The latest Women’s FIFA World Rankings have dropped!

Which ranking surprises you the most? pic.twitter.com/fHV0LvjrkE

Lindsey Horan had strong words about the United States women’s national team’s coaching staff and their World Cup failure when she sat down with her former teammates Christen Press and Tobin Heath on The RE-CAP Show.

Horan discussed that the team wasn’t set up for success at the tournament, had no joy throughout and dropped a bombshell about the team’s tactics during the Round of 16 loss vs. Sweden.

The Women’s World Cup final will have American representation despite the game being between Spain and England.

The referee crew for the Women’s World Cup final has three Americans with Tori Penso being the head referee. Her two lineswoman and fellow Americans are Brooke Mayo and Kathryn Nesbitt.

Women’s World Cup final referee

pic.twitter.com/r0VT9oNNIW

Vlatko Andonovski is set to resign as the head coach of the United States women’s national team this week as first reported by Lizzy Becherano and Emily Keogh of 90min.

Let’s be honest here, if he wasn’t resigning then he would surely be getting the boot after leading the USWNT to their worst Women’s World Cup finish in history. The Round of 16 defeat to Sweden on penalty kicks stings, but overall, the campaign was a failure.

Netherlands forward Lineth Beerensteyn didn’t hold back when she was asked about the United States women’s national team being eliminated from the 2023 Women’s World Cup in the Round of 16.

The U.S. women’s defeat to Sweden on Sunday was the earliest exit from a World Cup in the team’s history.

Beerensteyn, who was out with an ankle injury when the USWNT and Dutch played each other in the group stage, was elated with the Americans being eliminated.

Megan Rapinoe did not get the Women's World Cup farewell she wanted on Sunday, a penalty that sailed over the crossbar the last international play by one of the United States' most decorated players.

American soccer's charismatic figurehead was sent on as a substitute in extra time but the last-16 game against old foes Sweden ended 0-0 before the Swedes won the penalty shootout 5-4.

Rapinoe was one of three American players to miss her spot-kick.

Rapinoe misses the fourth!