Why Women’s World Cup exit is a big deal for United States

• The United States have been knocked out of the 2023 Women’s World Cup by Sweden
• The round of 16 is the earliest the USA have ever exited the tournament
• They have never failed to reach the semi-finals in the last eight World Cups

When you consider that not winning every World Cup tournament is considered a catastrophe, and making it to the final is the standard expectation, the magnitude of the United States of America’s shocking elimination in the first knockout round of the 2023 Women’s World Cup becomes all the more apparent.

After 120 minutes of goalless play in Melbourne, the VAR review indicated that Sweden’s Lina Hurtig’s penalty had indeed crossed the line, marking the 14th penalty attempt of the shootout. This decisive moment followed Kelley O’Hara’s unsuccessful conversion attempt. Rebecka Blomqvist and Nathalie Bjorn had previously missed for Sweden, and the Americans also faltered as Megan Rapinoe and Sophia Smith failed to convert.

The match was marked by uncertainty as Alyssa Naeher, who had initially saved Hurtig’s shot, struggled to prevent it from crossing the goal line. The assistant referee initially believed it hadn’t crossed, but the final decision from Stephanie Frappart confirmed the goal, leading to jubilant Swedish celebrations.

The American players were left shattered. For Megan Rapinoe, who is set to retire at the end of the year, this marked her last appearance on the World Cup stage. At 34 years old, Alex Morgan is also unlikely to make a return. Naeher and O’Hara, both 35, along with Crystal Dunn and Julie Ertz, both aged 31, face similar prospects.

The United States were knocked out by Sweden in the 2023 Women’s World Cup in the round of 16. | PHOTO: Sky |

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For the United States, this will remain a pivotal “what if” moment. What if they had their captain, Becky Sauerbrunn, sidelined due to a foot injury in April? What if they could count on players like Catarina Macario, Mallory Swanson, Sam Mewis, or two-time World Cup winner Christen Press?

However, what is irrefutable is that this moment marks a turning point in history. The United States has been a dominant force in women’s football for decades. Their remarkable World Cup record was a testament to their prowess – they had consistently reached at least the semifinals in the eight tournaments spanning from 1991 to 2019. They had never finished below third place, reached five finals, including the last three consecutively, and held the record for four-time champions.

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However, the 2023 team drastically fell short of these historic standards. The decline had been noticeable before. Despite starting reasonably with a 3-0 victory over Vietnam, the USA seemed sluggish throughout the group stage. Criticisms targeted coach Vlatko Andonovski, questioning his team selections and in-game decisions since the start of the tournament. Their journey was further hindered by a draw against Portugal, resulting in a 0-0 deadlock that relinquished their top spot in the group and pitted them against Sweden in the last 16, rather than South Africa.

The team’s exit could have come even sooner. If Portugal’s Ana Capeta’s shot in stoppage time had found the net instead of hitting the post, the Americans would have been eliminated, alongside unexpected casualties like Germany, Canada, and Brazil, who failed to advance past the group stage.

As the United States faces an impending period of transition, compounded by the impending retirements of several key players in the months and years leading up to 2027, significant inquiries will arise about the team’s direction and whether the global competition has finally caught up. The tournament’s outcome not only signals a departure from their historical excellence but also sparks introspection about the future of women’s football and the American legacy within it.