USWNT Veterans, Young Players Gear Up for the ‘Build to Qualification’

Since the U.S. Women’s National Team claimed gold in the 2024 Paris Olympics, head coach Emma Hayes has used every camp to cap at least one new player.

Five players debuted in the last USWNT camp this summer. That roster averaged 18.4 caps per player and it was just 3.3 caps without the players who had world championship tournament experience. Hayes has been intentional with the way in which she has incorporated new players into the squad over the last year, and now the page turns to preparation for qualification to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. 

“This is really the build towards qualification for next year,” Hayes said. “That's what the start of this cycle actually means.”

This “start” includes two matches against Portugal and one against New Zealand in the upcoming October international window. 

Some players who got a first look in the “experimental phase” now have a chance to make their mark in this cycle. Midfielder Claire Hutton earned her first call-up in the January futures camp. She remembers seeing Hayes laying out the next two years and making clear what was ahead. Now, Hutton is not just a young player navigating her first camps and games with the USWNT, she is a part of building toward some of the biggest opportunities in international soccer. 

“I do feel like there is a lot of pressure to it,” Hutton said. “But at the same time, we’re staying present, we’re staying focused on what we currently have. If you stay consistent, it keeps everybody where their feet are at the moment.”

This camp features a mix of World Cup champions like Lindsey Heaps and Rose Lavelle to up-and-coming senior team contributors like Hutton and Ally Sentnor, just two younger players among many on the squad.

Leaders like Heaps have been imperative in setting a standard for players who have yet to experience a qualification cycle.

“My No. 1 thing that I say to all these players here is, ‘You’re here for a reason, you’re not just coming in for shenanigans,’” Heaps said. “‘You’re here to make this team better, go and do your thing.’”

Hutton has soaked up that knowledge since arriving at her first camp. The 19-year-old midfielder recalls how it felt playing with Heaps and other USWNT veterans. The two first took the field together in April against Brazil in Hutton’s second-ever start. The starting lineup was an inexperienced one averaging 17.9 caps. At the time, it was the lowest for any USWNT starting XI in 24 years. 

In the second half, Heaps, along with Sam Coffey and Crystal Dunn, checked into the match. Hutton’s excitement is palpable even now as she reflects on the memory.

“It was like, ‘Let’s go, the Avengers are coming in. I get to share the field with the Avengers,’” Hutton said. “Just playing with Lindsey and some of the older, more experienced players there was just a level of confidence that I think us less experienced, younger players get when they’re on the field, it’s just having that backup and knowing that they do trust us with the ball.” 

The admiration is mutual. Heaps, 31, remembers when she was in Hutton’s shoes and afraid to ask for advice. The younger players’ willingness to learn has stood out to the captain, and she enjoys observing the growth of the next generation in real time. 

“I really like watching the development of our younger players or less experienced players coming in,” Heaps said. “Any bit of feedback they get or advice or things that maybe you’ve said to them, or Emma said to them — they’re putting it into play right away. It’s such a special thing to see.” 

As much as the USWNT will lean on stalwarts like Heaps as the pressure builds toward qualification, the development of younger players will also play a significant role.

“What Emma has done, bringing in so many young players, less experienced players, the caps we’re getting — I think is so crucial,” Heaps said. “What makes a winning team, especially in those tournaments, knowing that you need everyone and you might need a less experienced player that maybe doesn’t have more than 10 caps, or players to come in and make a massive difference.”

While there is still a massive amount of work to be done, the USWNT can be empowered by what the team has accomplished under Hayes so far, which gives players and coaches alike the confidence that even better times are on the horizon.