The U.S. women's national team will open the 2025 SheBelieves Cup on Thursday against Colombia. Manager Emma Hayes called in 23 players to compete in the four-team showcase, as the tournament returns to a round-robin style with a six-game, three-matchday format. The USWNT will face Australia and Japan later in the competition as Hayes continues to expand and evaluate the USWNT player pool.
The roster features a mix of NWSL players and Americans playing abroad in Europe, with 12 members of the 2024 gold medal Olympic squad and players operating between the senior team and the U23 side. With three games in front of them against different opponents, who are the players to keep an eye on during the 2025 SheBelieves Cup?
Here's who we're watching
Catarina Macario
The Chelsea FC forward is finally playing consistently on the pitch after a long road back from an ACL injury she sustained in 2022. After extensive rehab and some setbacks with soreness that kept her off the 2024 Olympics, the Brazilian-American is back in the mix for the national team for the first time since June 2024.
A former SheBelieves Cup MVP (2022), Macario's time with Chelsea this season has been filled with plenty of attacking production. In ten games during Chelsea's Super League campaign, she's scored two goals and recorded two assists to help the Blues dominate the league, but her ability to generate chances (16) across lines is what makes her a strong asset ahead of the competition.
Hayes is well aware of the abundance of players who "prefer" playing as an attacking mid, but Macario's flexibility as a false nine offers more options for the USWNT toolkit, and she's listed as a forward on the roster.
"I think if I sat here with Cat, she would tell us all that her best position is probably a number 10 ... But you can see with no Sophia Smith, there's a shortage of less developed players, I think, coming through in the nine positions. But one thing's for sure, Cat can play in that position. Different type of nine to Soph in the way she stretches, but she has the ability to lean, to hold up, she's intelligent around the box," Hayes said during a press conference.
Jenna Nighswonger
Nighswonger recently made the leap from NWSL to WSL during the offseason. Moving from NJ/NY Gotham FC to Arsenal has already reintroduced Nighswonger into higher positions on the pitch. Despite making a name for herself as an outside back during her rookie season, Nighswonger spent her collegiate career as a midfielder and her adaptability will keep her high in the selection process for Hayes.
"Yes, Jenna has played as left back for both the national team and club the last 12 months, but she's always been known as an attacking midfielder and someone who I think is a student of the game, very versatile, can play a little bit higher," said Hayes.
"I always feel when she plays for us, she's an attacking fullback anyway, but I think the parts of her game she needs to develop, she will develop playing in England. And I think it's a brave move for anyone when they go to another country, and one that I know that she's extremely happy. She's settled, and I'm looking forward to seeing how she develops as a result of that."
Throughout 2024, Nighswonger was a frequent member of the senior team and won a gold medal at the Olympics, but her playing time was split both for country, behind Crystal Dunn, and eventually club behind Mandy Freeman.
The limited minutes may have sparked the interested in a new adventure to play in Europe, and her path may already be mirroring that of longtime national team fullback Crystal Dunn, where most of their club play is effective in higher areas on the field, but positionally is effective as an outside back option while performing at the national team level.
Gisele Thompson
As Hayes remains steadfast in revamping the U23 team for the women's program, several players who were part of January's "Futures Camp" will get the chance to punch above their weight class during SheBelieves. There are multiple players on the roster who are in direct competition with each other for positions, and Hayes has been transparent that this window will serve as a measuring stick for whether or not some players will continue at the senior level or need more time with U23 opportunities.
Thomspon, who got called up to SheBelieves alongside her older sister Alyssa, is on the roster as part of the defensive core. A young prospect who was part of the U17 and U20 FIFA women's World Cup also spent time with the Futures Camp in January. Her presence on a competitive roster immediately following the winter camp is a deliberate long-term strategy. Hayes sees a need to expand the overall player pool, but specifically develop outside backs.
"I think with Gisele, it's a little bit like having Savannah King as well on the roster as a training player -- we need to develop more fullbacks, and if you think Emily Fox has been experienced right back for us, we have to prepare a deeper pool of players that as we progress going in the build-up to qualify for the World Cup, we have to ready more players," said Hayes.
The Thompson sisters recently signed contract extensions with Angel City FC through 2028, and while Alyssa is an attacking option for the front, Gisele remains a prospective attacking option out of the back. But a defender still needs to defend, and it's through SheBelieves that the 18-year-old Thompson will have to brace for impact going up against other senior-level teams.
"If I look at the gap from say, Emily Fox, and the next young fullback, then I look at that on the other side, say, Crystal Dunn -- Yes, there's Jenna Nighswonger that's been developing in that area -- But we've got two young fullbacks playing for our under 20's that are going to need an investment in time. There's no point in me sitting in two and a half years time and saying, 'Actually if there was an injury to key players, have I prepared the entire playing pool adequately?' And the answer to that would be no.
So, I'm just really looking at it through the lens that we need to develop certain players in certain positions, and what better way to give them exposures of competition and put them into situations like the SheBelieves."
