FootyPop: New Faces Shine For The USWNT

Womens
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In this week’s women’s soccer news, the USWNT is back in action; Adidas released their Euros kits; Mina Tanaka has been unstoppable; and more!

High of the Week

The USWNT is back in action with their 2025 campaign starting with the SheBelieves Cup. It’s an exciting time for the National Team with many new faces and a new era for the team. They’ve gotten off to a good start with wins over Colombia and Australia with new faces stepping up. 

It’s fun to see young players shining, like Ally Sentnor, who scored her first goal for the senior team against Colombia, and Michelle Cooper, who got her first against Australia. They’ll have a big test this week against a very good Japan team. We’re also seeing players earn their first caps, like Claire Hutton, Gisele Thompson, Michelle Cooper, and Tara McKeown.

There’s also a bit of a goalkeeper battle going on to see who will become the starter for the USWNT after Alyssa Naeher announced her retirement. In this camp, only Jane Campbell and Mandy McGlynn have been called in but they’ve both gotten a start in the tournament. 

Alyssa and Gisele Thompson also became the third set of sisters to represent the USWNT together.

Low of the Week

Unfortunately during this international break, there have been a few injuries. Natalia Kuikka who plays for Finland and the Chicago Red Stars suffered a knee sprain but hopefully that won’t keep her off the field too long. 

Marie Müller earned her first call up for the German National Team but had to leave camp early due to an injury she suffered. Right now we don’t have an update on her status but something will likely be announced soon. Müller plays club for the Portland Thorns but it’s unclear how much time she’ll miss. 

Daniëlle van de Donk is another player who unfortunately suffered an injury. She has left the Netherlands squad and will miss the game against Scotland but her injury doesn’t seem to be too serious. 

News of the Week

One of the best parts about a new year of soccer is seeing all of the new kits that get revealed. This week Adidas released the new away kits for eight countries for the UEFA Women’s Euros 2025 and they’re gorgeous. Each jersey takes inspiration from their respective countries’ culture to create special designs. It’s hard to pick just one favorite but the pink for Scotland is such a fun and bright jersey. The UEFA Women’s Euros will take place between July 2-27 in Switzerland.

Player of the Week

Mina Tanaka has been incredible for Japan during the SheBelieves Cup. In Japan’s first two games, she’s scored four goals and tallied three assists. She’s been so much fun to watch this tournament and she’ll likely be the MVP. Tanaka and Japan are one win away from lifting the trophy but they’ll have to go through the USWNT to get it.

Goal of the Week

Ally Sentnor scored her first USWNT goal in style and boy what a beauty it was. She scored an absolute banger against Colombia in her first start for the national team. It started with a pass from Tara McKeown and then Sentnor did the rest getting by one defender then cutting inside to beat another and sending a long-range shot into the back of the net. It was quite the way for Sentnor to open the 2025 campaign for the USWNT.

Win of the Week

Spain and Belgium played one of the best games of the week in the UEFA Women’s Nations League. Belgium had control of the game with a 2-0 lead heading into the final 15 minutes of the match but Spain was able to take momentum back and get back into the game with a goal from Clàudia Pina. In stoppage time, Spain was still down but they found their equalizer and then the game-winner just two minutes apart. Cristina Martin-Prieto scored the winner at the death for Spain to take all three points. It was a brutal loss for Belgium who was close to completing the upset.

Signing of the Week

The San Diego Wave have bolstered their attack with the transfer of Adriana Leon from Aston Villa. Leon is a proven goalscorer and a veteran addition to a very young Wave team. She’s no stranger to the NWSL having spent time with six different clubs, most recently she was on loan with the Portland Thorns in 2023. After that loan spell, Leon went to Aston Villa where she made 29 appearances and scored eight goals. The forward is a Canadian international who’s made 123 appearances for her country. The Wave have lost a lot of key players this offseason but signing Leon will likely help with their attack.

What To Look Forward To

The USWNT will face Japan in a winner-takes-all match for the SheBelieves Cup. They’ll face off in San Diego at Snapdragon Stadium on Wednesday, February 26 at 10:30 p.m. ET. Japan has looked unstoppable picking up a 4-0 win over Australia and then defeating Colombia 4-1. It will be a massive test for a very young USWNT that has shown some bright moments but the defense will be tested greatly by Japan. It should be a terrific game and we’re looking forward to seeing who lifts the trophy.

GIRLS SOCCER NETWORK: YOUR SOURCE FOR GIRLS SOCCER NEWS



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