Rose Lavelle, Croix Bethune Return To U.S. Women's Team Roster for Friendlies

Slowly but surely, Emma Hayes is getting more of her players back in camp. During the last FIFA window in May, Naomi Girma returned to the U.S. women’s national team after recovering from injury. 

This time, it’s Rose Lavelle. The midfielder, who underwent ankle surgery last December, has been named to the U.S. women's national team roster for the first time in six months. 

Lavelle is one of 25 players that Hayes called up for the latest training camp, which includes three matches: two against the Republic of Ireland on June 26 (at DICK’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado) and June 29 (at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio); and then against Canada on July 2 (at Audi Field in Washington, D.C.).

The squad also features 2024 NWSL Rookie of the Year Croix Bethune, who has not played for the U.S. since the Paris Olympics last summer while recovering from knee surgery. Forward Yazmeen Ryan is on the roster as well after not being available in the last window due to injury.

Aside from Girma, this particular roster does not include any of the USWNT’s European-based players. Hayes said last week that she felt it was important to give those players a break following long seasons. The ultimate goal for this group is to win the World Cup in 2027, so now is the time for players to rest and recover before qualifying begins later this year.

Additionally, four players earned their first-ever senior squad call-ups: defenders Jordyn Bugg, Lilly Reale, and Izzy Rodriguez, as well as midfielder Sam Meza. Six players in the group are uncapped. This is all part of Hayes’ larger plan to keep growing and developing the player pool ahead of the 2027 World Cup and 2028 Olympics. It's also noteworthy that those four players went to