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The World Cup is just a few short months away, and we\u2019ve all got our eyes on that USWNT roster. A few players are guaranteed to show up in Australia and Aotearoa, but we\u2019ve also got some gaps to fill. Christen Press, Sam Mewis, and Julie Ertz are likely to sit this out due to recoveries from injury<\/a> and pregnancy, respectively. However, there are so many young up-and-comers making appearances for the USWNT in friendlies, and during the SheBelieves Cup, there\u2019s no shortage of talent to pick from. So who is still fighting for a spot on the USWNT World Cup roster? Here are our predictions for the 23-player list.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Typically there are three spots given to keepers on the USWNT World Cup roster. Alyssa Naeher is one obvious choice. Then there\u2019s Adriana Franch and Casey Murphy, who have both been in incredible form for their NWSL teams and during their USWNT call-ups.<\/p>\n Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/p>\n However, Jane Campbell and Aubrey Kingsbury are not out of the running.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Crystal Dunn, Becky Sauerbrunn, and Kelly O\u2019Hara have been holding down the backline in perfect unison for years now, but they can\u2019t do it alone. It\u2019s almost certain that Rookie and Defender of the Year Naomi Girma<\/a> will get a spot on the World Cup roster. But we\u2019re also looking at Tierna Davidson.<\/p>\n Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/p>\n Davidson has been making the occasional international appearance for the USWNT, and she really shined in the last Olympics. She is an undeniable asset for this team at her best, but Davidson is still mending an ACL tear.<\/p>\n Also in the mix are Emily Fox and Alana Cook. Fox has shown to be a perfect fit in the fullback position, and Cook has been on the way to becoming a roster regular since last season.<\/p>\n Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/p>\n A wildcard call-up could be Hailie Mace or Carson Pickett, as they\u2019ve been getting minutes in the past year. Additionally, Abby Dahlkemper has been struggling with injury but is an excellent asset at her best. USWNT regulars like Emily Sonnett and Sofia Huerta will also be battling for defensive roster spots.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n With Sam Mewis and Julie Ertz sitting this one out, there are some enormous shoes to fill in the midfield. Luckily, there is a huge pool of talent to choose from.<\/p>\n Rose Lavelle and Lindsey Horan have the attacking midfielder role down to a science, but we need a defensive midfielder to truly make up for Ertz\u2019s absence.<\/p>\n Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/p>\n Andi Sullivan seems to be Coach Vlatko Andonovski\u2019s pick as of late, but could Sam Coffey be the one to step in? She has historically been a more attacking midfielder, but Dunn was a full-fledged forward before making that USWNT roster, so many it\u2019s time for a shift.<\/p>\n Kristie Mewis feels like a natural\u2013and poetic\u2013choice to fill that Mewis hole. She is tenacious and brings a certain kind of energy to that midline that\u2019s hard to ignore. But there are a few more names in the midfield mix.<\/p>\n Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/p>\n Catarina Macario is the biggest question mark for this World Cup roster. She\u2019s an invaluable versatile attacking player whose dribbling, and goal-scoring prowess would surely make it to the roster if she\u2019s fully recovered. Additionally, Taylor Kornieck would be deadly in a set-piece situation. If Ertz, at 5\u20197, is our header queen off of a corner kick, imagine the damage 6\u20191 Kornieck could do.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n There are few certainties on this front line. However, classic choices like Alex Morgan<\/a> and Megan Rapinoe, along with the incredible (relatively) new players Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson, will undoubtedly be making their way to the World Cup.<\/p>\nGoalkeepers<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Defenders<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Midfielders<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Forwards<\/strong><\/h2>\n