Women’s soccer in the United States has experienced incredible growth and success over the years.
The U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) has produced some of the world’s finest players, dominating the international stage and inspiring millions of young athletes around the globe.
In 2023, the team continues to show exceptional talent, with ten standout players who have distinguished themselves as some of the best in the game.
In this article, we will take an in-depth look at the top 10 best U.S. women’s soccer players in 2023.
Best USA Women’s Soccer Players
Sophia Smith
Sophia Smith is an exciting soccer player for the Portland Thorns team.
She’s making a big impact on the U.S. women’s national team. In 2022, she was named the league’s most valuable player, and her club won the NWSL Championship.
She played a crucial role by scoring the first goal in the deciding match, and she was recognized as the Championship’s most valuable player.
One of the things that make Sophia special is her strong confidence and fearlessness when attacking the goal.
She’s really good at taking on defenders and finishing with precision.
These skills make her a powerful player on the field.
As the team prepares for the World Cup, Sophia Smith is leading the NWSL scoring chart with an impressive 10 goals in just 13 games.
This shows she’s one of the top strikers in women’s soccer right now.
She’s also had great success representing the USWNT, scoring 11 goals in 17 appearances last year, including memorable goals against tough opponents like England and Germany.
Alex Morgan
This summer, Alex Morgan is playing in her 4th World Cup, and she is a crucial player for the USWNT. People consider her one of the greatest women’s soccer players ever, and she has a big influence on the team.
Alex’s performance on the field is still amazing.
Last season, she scored an impressive 15 goals in just 17 games in the NWSL. This term, she already scored 5 goals in 11 games, showing she can consistently score goals.
It’s important to mention that Alex Morgan has the highest percentage of a team’s goals in the NWSL, more than any other player.
She contributed an astonishing 42% of San Diego Wave F.C.’s goals during the 2022 and 2023 regular seasons and NWSL Challenge Cups.
As the USWNT aims to win their third consecutive FIFA Women’s World Cup title, Alex Morgan will undoubtedly be a central part of the team’s efforts, making a significant impact on the field.
Trinity Rodman
The daughter of NBA Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman, Trinity Rodman has successfully carved out her own path in soccer.
A talented forward with the Washington Spirit, Rodman’s technical abilities and flair on the ball have made her a standout player.
Despite her relatively young age, she has already earned her spot in the USWNT, showcasing her potential to become a star of the future.
In 2021, she achieved something incredible by becoming the youngest player ever drafted in the NWSL. And she proved her talent even more by winning the Rookie of the Year award that season.
On February 2, 2022, Rodman signed a new contract with the Washington Spirit, keeping her with the team until after the 2024 season, and there’s an option for 2025 too.
This new contract is worth a substantial $1.1 million, making her the highest-paid player in NWSL history.
As if that wasn’t enough, on August 13, 2022, she was nominated for the prestigious Ballon d’Or Féminine, recognizing her exceptional talent and potential on the global stage.
Trinity is a truly versatile player. She has a direct attacking style that makes her a constant threat to score, and her excellent passing skills allow her to create scoring chances for her teammates.
Rose Lavelle
An attacking midfielder with exceptional skills, Rose Lavelle’s performances have consistently impressed soccer enthusiasts.
Her vision, passing accuracy, and dribbling abilities set her apart on the pitch.
She’s great at scoring amazing goals by herself or shooting accurately from far away.
We saw how she can change the game during the last World Cup, especially in the final, where she played a crucial role in helping the USWNT win convincingly.
In the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France, she showed her talent by playing in 6 games for the USWNT and scoring 3 goals in the tournament.
Her fantastic performances earned her the prestigious Bronze Ball award, which means she was recognized as the third-best player in the competition.
Lavelle’s standout moments came during the 2019 World Cup, where her performances earned her the Bronze Ball award as the tournament’s third-best player.
Lindsey Horan
As the USWNT gets ready for the 2023 World Cup, her experience, athleticism, and technical skills will be crucial for the team’s success.
Recently, while playing for Lyon in Europe, Horan showed her talent by scoring five goals and making two assists from the midfield position.
A remarkable achievement for Lindsey Horan is that she now gets to wear the famous No. 10 jersey for the USWNT, a position that was previously held by the retired Carli Lloyd.
Also, she is the designated penalty taker for the national team, which shows she can handle pressure and is very accurate.
Her ability to play in different positions is one of her best qualities, making her one of the best midfielders in the world.
She’s excellent at winning the ball, making strong tackles, disrupting opponents’ plays, creating chances for her team, and also scoring goals herself.
Her all-around skills make her a really important player for the team.
Mallory Swanson
She made history when she was just 17 years old. She became the youngest player to ever play for the national team since Heather O’Reilly in 2002.
Amazingly, she even scored a goal in her very first match! Despite being so young, Mallory had a big impact on the team.
She quickly set a new record as the youngest player in USWNT history to get 10 career assists. And even more impressively, she has the most assists in USWNT history before turning 20.
This year, Swanson became the top scorer for the team, scoring seven goals in an incredible six games in a row. It’s tied for the 4th longest scoring streak in the team’s history.
Playing alongside Sophia Smith and Alex Morgan, the 25-year-old forward formed a powerful attacking trio and helped the team succeed.
Sadly, her journey faced a setback when she got a serious knee injury, tearing her patella tendon during the April friendlies against Ireland.
Because of this, she won’t be able to play in the 2023 World Cup, which is a big disappointment for both her and the team’s hopes.
Known for her tenacious defending and exceptional leadership qualities, Mallory Swanson is a defensive powerhouse for both her club, Orlando Pride, and the USWNT.
As a center-back, she possesses excellent ball-playing abilities and is adept at initiating attacks from deep positions.
Her defensive prowess has proven pivotal in crucial matches, earning her a place among the top 10 players.
Lynn Williams
The forward for Gotham FC, is doing really well in the NWSL Golden Boot race.
She’s tied for third place with Ashley Hatch from Washington Spirit, and she has scored an impressive 6 goals in 11 games.
Over her 7 seasons in the league, Lynn Williams has achieved a lot and left a big impact. She won the MVP and Golden Boot awards, showing how dominant she is on the field.
Also, she was part of three NWSL championship-winning teams, which shows how important she is for her team’s success.
Her ability to stretch defenses and create goal-scoring opportunities cements her status as one of the top forwards in the country.
Recently, Lynn Williams even surpassed the famous Canadian player Christine Sinclair on the all-time goalscoring list.
Now, she’s only four goals away from becoming the NWSL’s all-time leader in goals scored, which is an incredible achievement in her career.
Another great record held by Williams is that she’s the only women’s soccer player in the league’s history to have both scored more than 60 career goals (63) and made more than 25 career assists (26).
This amazing accomplishment shows that she can both score goals herself and create opportunities for her teammates, making her a very valuable and well-rounded player in the league.
Alyssa Thompson
Alyssa Thompson played a really important role in leading the under-20 U.S.
Women’s National Team to win the 2022 CONCACAF Women’s U-20 Championship. She played 5 matches and impressively scored 3 goals during the tournament.
Then, in January of the next year, Angel City F.C. chose Thompson as the very first pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft.
This was a big deal because Angel City traded a lot, spending $450,000 with Portland Thorns and Gotham FC to get that No. 1 pick.
This made Thompson the most expensive player in the league’s history, even more than Alex Morgan’s previous record.
When Thompson made her professional debut with Angel City, it was amazing because she scored a goal in just five minutes!
And then, in her first regular-season game in the NWSL, she scored another goal only 11 minutes in.
Because of her great performances in March and April 2023, she was named the NWSL Rookie of the Month.
The most remarkable thing is that Alyssa Thompson, who is only 18 years, 7 months, and 15 days old, is the youngest player on the USWNT’s World Cup roster for the upcoming tournament.
Her talent and achievements at such a young age make her a player everyone will be watching closely as she continues to do great things in women’s soccer.
Naomi Girma
A promising young talent in the realm of defense, has demonstrated remarkable potential as a center-back for both Stanford University and the USWNT.
Her composure, ability to read the game, and skill in disrupting opposition attacks have rendered her a dependable asset in the team’s defense.
Girma’s performances have undeniably marked her as a future star in top-level defending.
She swiftly made an impact, earning a spot in the NWSL Best XI of the Month for both May and June 2022, as well as securing the title of NWSL Rookie of the Month in June.
Her outstanding season culminated in being named NWSL Defender of the Year and NWSL Rookie of the Year.
Girma’s debut with the USWNT took place in April 2022 during an international friendly against Uzbekistan.
She further showcased her talent during the 2022 CONCACAF Women’s Championship, contributing an assist for a goal scored by Sophia Smith against Jamaica in the tournament.
These performances highlight her potential and promise as a formidable force in women’s soccer.
Crystal Dunn
A versatile player capable of excelling in multiple positions, including left-back, left-wing, and attacking midfield.
Her versatility and work rate make her a valuable asset to the USWNT and her club, the Portland Thorns FC.
Dunn’s performances have consistently impressed, and her contributions to both defense and attack have solidified her position among the best U.S. women’s soccer players in 2023.
In 2015, she achieved a remarkable feat by winning both the NWSL Most Valuable Player and Golden Boot awards, making her the youngest player to receive these honors at the age of 23.
After giving birth in 2022, Dunn took some time to recover, but she made a successful comeback to soccer last fall.
Since her return, she has showcased exceptional performances, indicating that she has regained the form that once made her an integral part of the 2019 World Cup-winning squad.
