US seek third straight Women’s World Cup title. But is the team vulnerable this time?

NEW YORK: Even without a few key players, the US head into the Women’s World Cup with a formidable group of wily veterans and eager newcomers.

The question is, will it be enough for the team to lift international soccer’s most prestigious trophy again?

The US have won the last two World Cups and the goal is to three-peat. But American dominance in women’s soccer isn’t assured anymore.

Teams like England and France have caught up, Germany and Sweden remain strong, and then there’s that rival to the north, Canada, who won gold at the Tokyo Olympics.

The growth of women’s soccer globally means greater parity. And that means the US have had to adapt.

“There’s so many leagues around the world that are paying players more, that are playing more often throughout the season, and that are treating players in a professional way that we’ve been fighting for a long time, so I think that that has a lot to do with it,” star forward Alex Morgan said.

The Americans look far different now from what they did four years ago, when they beat the Netherlands 2-0 in the World Cup final and fans in Lyon, France, feted them with chants of “Equal Pay!”

The players did indeed achieve equitable pay with their male counterparts, coming to a historic collective bargaining agreement with US Soccer in 2022. As part of the deal, the men and women on the national teams will split World Cup prize money.

On the field, the team settled for a disappointing bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics two summers ago. Afterward, US coach Vlatko Andonovski turned his attention to developing young talent.

Among the youngsters are 18-year-old phenom Alyssa Thompson and up-and-comer Trinity Rodman, the 20-year-old daughter of former NBA star Dennis Rodman.

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