The U.S. Women’s National Team forward triumvirate of Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson has gone by many names thus far at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Many across social media have called them “The Trident”.
Two-time FIFA World Cup winner Christen Press dubbed the trio “Triple Trouble”.
Rodman herself even suggested the nickname “Triple Espresso” to TODAY Show hosts Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb in a live interview Thursday from Paris.
Call them what you want; there’s no denying the dominance of the USWNT frontline trio this Olympics. Rodman, Smith and Swanson have scored three goals apiece heading into the Gold Medal match vs. Brazil on Saturday, Aug. 10 at Parc des Princes in Paris (5 p.m. local / 11 a.m. ET on USA Network, Telemundo and Peacock), their goal tallying accounting for nine of the USA’s tournament-leading 11 goals at Paris 2024. Their performance on the world stage and chemistry have guided the USA back to the Gold Medal match for the first time since 2012 and won the acclaim of women’s soccer fans in Paris and back home.
“We're just so dynamic, we're so fluid,” Smith told media members at a press conference in Paris on Thursday. “We all can play everywhere on the frontline and that is hard to defend.”
“It's fun to play with players like that,” added Smith, who scored the game winner in the semifinal victory over Germany. “It's fun to play with players who can match your speed and want to go toward goal as much as you want to go toward goal. It's just clicked really easily.”
Sharing a bond off the field, the trio has visited coffee shops and gone shopping during moments of downtime this trip. That relationship has no doubt carried over on to the field at the Olympics.
“The second that we started getting real minutes together and the opportunity to build on those minutes and build game-after-game our chemistry, I think it's been so much fun,” said Smith. “It feels so natural. We're really good friends off the field, and I think that just translates on the field. When you're playing alongside some of your best friends on the team, it makes it so much more fun.”
Swanson agreed: “I think any winning team or successful organization -- whatever it is -- when you have the trust and the belief as one, it's super special. We've all just been having fun off the field, on the field. That's the thing: everyone's been having joy, playing with joy.”
Though a challenge from a formidable Brazil side stands in their way, the USA squad has their sole focus on a gold medal. The three friends and forwards hope to share the top spot on the podium together.
"We want to leave with gold,” said Smith, who will celebrate her 24th birthday on Saturday. “We've made it so far, we've worked so hard. We've put in so much work every single game and we don't want to leave with anything less than that.”
“And it's my birthday! It would be the best birthday present.”
No matter the result of Saturday’s match, it’s clear that the USWNT’s frontline has made a lasting impact over the last few weeks in France. Videos of young boys and girls wearing the trio’s jerseys and even wearing Rodman’s eye-catching pink braids have flooded social media, their impact on – and off-the field – inspiring a generation watching back at home.
“[Inspiring younger generations] means the world to me,” said Swanson . “That's my 'why’. Why I'm doing this is to be an inspiration for young girls -- or anyone, really -- to be able to achieve whatever goal that they want and just know that it takes hard work and everyone's journey is different.”
