Thompson and Rapinoe selected for the US Women’s World Cup roster

NEW YORK: Eighteen-year-old Alyssa Thompson was selected Wednesday alongside veteran Megan Rapinoe and 21 others for the US roster that will vie next month to do what no country has done before — raise a third straight trophy at the Women’s World Cup.

Thompson, who has been impressive this season as a rookie for Angel City in the National Women’s Soccer League, is the youngest on the roster, while the 37-year-old Rapinoe is the oldest.

“I’ve already talked to some of the other experienced players about how we rally this group of players from ages 18 through (Rapinoe),” Forward Alex Morgan joked. “Just how we can all come together and and be incredibly fluid and go through this World Cup.”

The players were introduced with a star-studded social media post that included President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden, Taylor Swift, Lil Wayne and Megan Thee Stallion.

Morgan, 33, and Rapinoe will each be making their fourth World Cup appearances for the No. 1 ranked US team. Morgan stopped short of saying the Americans were the favorites going into the tournament.

“I think that at the end of the day, we already have a target on our backs coming in as reigning World Cup champs. But there’s some teams that have done incredibly well over the last four years and have made a name for themselves to compete for this trophy,” she said.

Defender Kelley O’Hara, 34, also earned a spot on her fourth World Cup squad, lending a veteran presence to shore up the backline in the absence of team captain Becky Sauerbrunn, who announced last week she won’t play in the World Cup because of a lingering foot injury.

The tournament kicks off on July 20 in Australia and New Zealand. The Americans are in Group E with Vietnam, the Netherlands and