Megan Rapinoe is back for USWNT ahead of SheBelieves Cup

Megan Rapinoe is back on the U.S. women's national team roster after missing time with an ankle injury. (Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post)

The U.S. women’s national soccer team on Wednesday unveiled its 23-player roster for this month’s SheBelieves Cup, providing a glimpse of who might take the pitch for the Americans at the World Cup this summer in Australia and New Zealand.

Longtime standout Megan Rapinoe, a forward who has made 197 career national team appearances, is back on the roster after she missed two friendlies against New Zealand last month with an ankle injury. She is joined by fellow stalwarts Becky Sauerbrunn (212 caps), Alex Morgan (201), Crystal Dunn (128) and Lindsey Horan (123). But 11 players on the roster have made 27 appearances or fewer.

After the SheBelieves Cup, which also includes Japan, Brazil and Canada, prospective players will have few chances to make an impression or integrate with the U.S. team before the World Cup. The Americans will have only two other friendlies in April before the final World Cup roster is announced sometime this summer.

Attacker Catarina Macario, who stars for Olympique Lyonnais in France and is one of the top young players in the world, remains unavailable after she tore an ACL last year. Defender Tierna Davidson, who was on the winning 2019 World Cup team and helped the Americans to bronze at the Olympics in 2021, also still is recovering from an ACL injury suffered while playing for the Chicago Red Stars in March. She will participate in the first part of SheBelieves Cup training camp but will not be on the tournament roster. Forward Sophia Smith, whose 11 goals led the Americans in 2022, remains out with a foot injury.

The United States, which is No. 1 in FIFA’s world rankings, opens the SheBelieves Cup with a match against No. 6 Canada on Feb. 16 in Orlando. The Americans will then face 11th-ranked Japan on Feb. 19 in Nashville and No. 9 Brazil on Feb. 22 in Frisco, Tex.

“All three of these matches are great opportunities for the players and coaches as we enter the final stretch to choose the World Cup roster,” Coach Vlatko Andonovski said in a statement. “To get to play three top teams, all who are in the World Cup, over seven days, will test our team mentally and physically, and that’s exactly what we need at this point in our preparations. We still have a few players in the pool recovering from injuries, but we are confident that they will be ready for selection for our April matches.”

The World Cup begins July 20. The United States’ first match of the group stage is scheduled for July 22 against Vietnam in Auckland, New Zealand.

U.S. roster

Goalkeepers (3): Adrianna Franch (Kansas City Current), Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars).

Defenders (7): Alana Cook (OL Reign), Emily Fox (North Carolina), Crystal Dunn (Portland Thorns), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave), Sofia Huerta (OL Reign), Becky Sauerbrunn (Portland), Emily Sonnett (OL Reign).

Midfielders (6): Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyonnais), Taylor Kornieck (San Diego), Rose Lavelle (OL Reign), Kristie Mewis (Gotham FC), Ashley Sanchez (Washington Spirit), Andi Sullivan (Washington).

Forwards (7): Ashley Hatch (Washington), Alex Morgan (San Diego), Midge Purce (Gotham FC), Megan Rapinoe (OL Reign), Trinity Rodman (Washington), Mallory Swanson (Chicago), Lynn Williams (Gotham FC).