Anyone who has followed the youth national teams knew this day would come. The USWNT's under-20 team did not get out of the group stage at both the 2022 and 2018 U-20 Women's World Cups. The U-17 USWNT did get out of the group in 2022, only to be eliminated in its first knockout game, and previously crashed out of its groups in 2018 and 2014.
If the U.S. isn't producing the best young players, it won't produce the best senior players. The young players who made this World Cup roster -- the likes of Smith and Rodman -- are potent, but one-dimensional, forwards. Injured forward Macario, who brings flair and creativity, developed her game in
Brazil before moving to the
United States.
You also have to question the role of scouting when it comes to which players break through. Injured forward Swanson, a player known for her pace and athleticism, first caught the attention of the youth national team at 13.
Rose Lavelle -- arguably the most creative player the USWNT has other than the injured Macario -- didn't earn her first youth call-up until she was almost 18.
For U.S. Soccer to have the best, most technically gifted and creative players available at the senior level, it needs to find these players at the youth level and bring them all the way through to the senior side.
-- Murray