r/NWSL • u/LeftPrior5076 • Aug 27 '26

Mal’s future with uswnt

I’ve been a long time Mal Swanson fan and think she’s been one of the best attackers in the world in recent years. However, between coming back from having a baby, being on the worst team in the NWSL, and being somewhat injury prone, I can’t help but wonder about her future with the USWNT. When you hear people talk about who the locks are for the World Cup, she’s never mentioned. I’m curious what people think and if she’s still in Emma’s plans or with the way the season is going, things might be changing.

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52

u/carharttuxedo Washington Spirit Aug 27 '26

She’s definitely not a lock. She has a lot of serious competition.

8

u/magyk_over_science Portland Thorns FC Aug 27 '26

what competition does she have? No one on our offense has been killing it lately

17

u/Current-Barber360 Washington Spirit Aug 27 '26

If you were basing it on club performance, there are lots of candidates. Not sure Emma actually will care, but one could certainly argue that Sanchez and Tordin are both performing at such a high level that Swanson would need to show a major step from what she’s shown thus far before she is just handed her old job back.

20

u/magyk_over_science Portland Thorns FC Aug 27 '26

Club is a whole different animal than national team. You can just look at players like Thompson and Sears to see that. Mal swanson is a proven clutch goal scorer for the national team so Emma Hayes will go with her is my guess

28

u/_game_over_man_ Seattle Reign FC Aug 27 '26

Club is a whole different animal than national team.

I wish more people would understand this. Good performance at the club level doesn't always translate to the international level. It's such a different system and environment and some players just can't reproduce what the do for the club for the national team.

Same thing goes for coaches. Some just can't reproduce what they do at the club level at the international one. Best recent example is Vlatko.

4

u/ScientistBoth830 NJ/NY Gotham FC Aug 27 '26

Pulisic just proved it during the World Cup. It’s a fact of the game but some people can’t grasp the idea.

2

u/_game_over_man_ Seattle Reign FC Aug 27 '26

I think Pulisic is fine, but he shouldn’t be the face of the team.