July 23 – Four-time Olympic women’s champions, the United States have put their disastrous World Cup campaign behind them and are ready to go again, says captain Lindsey Horan.
The Americans settled for bronze at the COVID-delayed Tokyo Games three years ago and captured their last gold in 2012.
But after their worst showing at a Women’s World Cup – knocked out in the last 16 last year – they have a point to prove. They began that journey with a win at the inaugural W Gold Cup win over Brazil in February.
“After the World Cup, we really regrouped,” Horan (pictured) told reporters. “You look at the young players coming in, the leaders on this team, you know, just (a) big mesh of what we have. I think what you’re going to see and what’s in store for us is incredible.”
The team will rely an array of new faces, with just eight members of the Tokyo team traveling to Paris on the 18-player Olympic squad.
The biggest change of all has been new head coach Emma Hayes who quit Chelsea to take on the role.
The US begin their Olympic campaign against Group B opponent Zambia on July 25.
“We’re very prepared to go into this tournament regardless of the short lead in time,” Hayes said.
“A lot of that work is being done over the last year, you know, reflecting from the World Cup and then putting the roster together bit by bit, over the course of the year, so much of that has been done.”
The USWNT enters Olympics with four World Cup titles and four Olympic gold medals, each of which are records. The Americans have never failed to win either a World Cup or subsequent Olympics since the tournaments began running in back-to-back years in 1995 and 1996. That record will be put to the test in Paris.
“If we can perform at our best level, then we have a chance of doing things,” said Hayes. “But the realities are that the world game is where it is, and the rest of the world do not fear the USA in the way that they once did – and that’s valid.”
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