The U.S. Women’s National Team will face a familiar foe, Brazil, in a pair of matches in the April window.
The first of the two will be historic – the first-ever professional women’s sporting event at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, April 5 at 5 p.m. ET (TNT, TruTV). Then the U.S. travels north to face Brazil again at Paypal Park in San Jose, California, on Tuesday, April 8, 2025 at 10:30 p.m. ET (TBS, TruTV).
Here are five key things to know going into these matchups:
1. Gold Medal Rematch
The last time these squads met was under the bright lights of the 2024 Olympics in the gold medal game. The Americans won 1-0 to bring home the gold, reclaiming its spot atop the podium after eight years.
However, when the U.S. and Brazil meet in Los Angeles and San Jose there will be several different faces. Only nine Olympians return to this 24-player roster that head coach Emma Hayes named last week.
Much like in the SheBelives Cup earlier this year, many young players will have the opportunity to gain experience with the senior team alongside veterans like Lindsey Heaps and Crystal Dunn.
2. Trinity Rodman Returns
Trinity Rodman is on the USWNT roster for the first time since battling Brazil for gold.
“We’re delighted she’s back with us,” Hayes said. “I was saying to someone the other day, ‘I have not had the chance to work with Triple Espresso, Rose [Lavelle], Naomi [Girma] together since the Olympics. So it's a long time, but to get one of them back is really exciting.”
Rodman has scored 10 total USWNT goals, three of which came in the 2024 Olympics.
Not only does the forward provide a boost on the pitch, but she’s just as impactful off of it.
Veteran Lindsey Heaps noted Rodman’s presence stating the energy she brings feels different, and it creates a “domino effect” throughout the locker room.
3. A Youthful Opportunity
The average age of the roster for this April camp is 25 years old. The SheBelieves Cup roster was just a tick lower. Young players like 17-year-old Lily Yohannes and 21-year-old Ally Sentnor played with the senior team in that tournament and earned valuable reps.
Hayes said she’s excited to see how players like Sentnor take the experience of the SheBelieves Cup, where the team fell short to Japan in the final, and the strides they will take.
“We don’t always like it. It does take time, and it takes these experiences,” Hayes said. “... There’s still a lot of inexperience, so I think it’s going to chuck up a lot of different things, but one that I feel so much better positioned than I did, I can’t even say 12 months ago, 10 months ago. And I think our roster is going to be stronger as a result of it, even though it might not feel like that all of the time.”
As players continue to develop for the future, there are question marks these players can answer. Who will fill the goalkeeper position is one of them. Alyssa Naeher retired at the end of 2024 after an illustrious 11-year international career including two World Cup titles and an Olympic gold medal.
Jane Campbell got two starts in the SheBelieves Cup against Colombia (2-0, U.S.) and Japan (2-1, Japan) while Mandy McGlynn started in between those matches against Australia (2-1, U.S.). The third keeper on the roster, Phallon Tullis-Joyce, received her first call up in late 2024 and has yet to notch her first cap.
Forwards like Sentnor, Catarina Macario and others will get a chance to prove themselves at their positions with veteran players out.
4. A look at Brazil
Brazil is also in a similar transition moving toward the future. The gold medal match was the final international match for the legendary forward Marta Vieira da Silva, the team’s all-time leading scorer.
The April roster carries eight starters from the last time it met the United States, including Brazilian Olympic goal leader Gabi Porthilho (2). Tarciane is another player to watch. The 21-year-old is teammates with Lindsey Heaps on Olympique Lyonnais.
A full look at Brazil’s current roster:
- Goalkeepers (3): Lorena, Natascha, Camila
- Defenders (8): Isa Haas, Tarciane, Lauren, Kaká, Fê Palermo, Bruninha, Yasmim, Antônia
- Midfielders (4): Angelina, Laís Estevam, Duda Sampaio, Mariza
- Forwards (8): Adriana, Gio, Jheniffer, Amanda Gutierres, Ludmila, Gabi Portilho, Luany, Kerolin
5. Homecomings
This first-ever professional women’s sporting event at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, is a homecoming for several different national players.
Los Angeles natives Alyssa and Gisele Thompson grew up just miles from the stadium and play across town for Angel City FC. Trinity Rodman hails from Laguna Niguel. Tara McKeown, a Valley girl, calls Newbury Park home.
McKeown said she’s had at least 30 tickets requested and joked her mother keeps asking for more.
“It’s amazing,” McKeown said. “Playing with the National Team in front of my friends and family is a dream come true.”
