'We cannot waste a single minute' - Triple Espresso reunited at critical point, Riley Jackson backed and goalkeeper race open: Five takeaways from Emma Hayes' USWNT roster

The last time Swanson, Wilson, and Rodman shared the field was the 2024 Paris Olympic gold medal match. At that tournament, the trio combined for 10 goals, with Swanson scoring the winner in the final against Brazil. Since then, the USWNT has had pieces of Triple Espresso, but never the full shot.

Wilson returned to the roster last camp after maternity leave, while Rodman has been the lone constant for much of the post-Olympic stretch. Now Swanson is back, too, making this camp a crucial reunion for a front three that has not played together in nearly two years.

"This front three haven't been together since the Olympic gold medal match, that's a long time," Hayes told the media. "And we cannot waste a single minute. We absolutely have to put the very best players together with every opportunity that we have."

But Hayes also made clear this is not as simple as putting the trio back on the field and expecting Paris to reappear. Swanson, like Wilson last camp, is returning after maternity leave. The USWNT, meanwhile, has continued to evolve tactically.

"You have Mal, who is coming back last, and yes, she is competing and contributing to Chicago, but like Sof [Sophia Wilson] last camp, it's so important to get them into the environment to reconnect with their teammates," Hayes said. "That is only one piece though, the team's tactical developments have progressed. So we've got to get them back up to speed within that, whether it's all right, that's our language, that's our game model, that's what we do in possession, that's what we do out of possession..."

If Swanson gets minutes on June 6, it will mark 604 days since she last played for the U.S.

Hayes said she spoke with Swanson before the call-in and gave her space to decide whether she was ready to return to camp. The answer, Hayes said, was clear.

"She really feels that she's in a good place," Hayes said. "She's been ready to play, ready to contribute to her team. She really feels she's in a good rhythm now with Josie, and it's all the things that sometimes we don't really realize, like sleeping patterns, feeding patterns, you have to get all of those things right, and she knows that she's got my full support, whatever she needs to do that. And as much as I wanted to bring her in this camp, I fully respected that if that wasn't ready for that...but she was really ready."

The roster was still missing some major pieces. Sam Coffey, Naomi Girma, and Catarina Macario all likely would have been included if healthy, and all three remain players who could factor heavily into Hayes’ World Cup plans.

"Do I think Sam Coffey and Naomi Girma and Cat Macario would be on this roster if they're fit and healthy? Yes, they would be. But you can't think like that," Hayes said.

It was a familiar reminder from Hayes: availability matters. The USWNT can only select from the players who are fit, which means depth is not just useful, but essential.

"I don't think you'll ever have a time when you will have your top, top players available all the time," Hayes said. "Which is why the development of everybody else, whether that's players that progress through our youth national team system into the seniors..."

That brings Riley Jackson into the picture. The 20-year-old midfielder could have been a candidate for the U-23s, but with Coffey unavailable, Hayes felt Jackson made sense as another No. 6 in this camp.

"I think Riley Jackson has had a tremendous start to the season, and we needed another number six that works with our game model," Hayes said.

For Hayes, Jackson’s case begins with the ball - not just what she does with it, but how calmly she handles it when pressure arrives.

"There's one thing that is clear: Riley is a well-rounded player, there's no doubt in that whatsoever," Hayes said. "She can receive the ball with her back to goal under pressure and build up. For me, this is quality number one, right? If you want to have control of a football match, your number six must be able to do that, and she can do that."

Jackson first entered the professional setup in 2022, when she was invited to train with the North Carolina Courage. A year later, she signed professional terms with the club, forgoing college soccer and turning pro at 17.

She has been part of the U.S. youth national team system since she was 14 and earned her first senior call-up earlier this year. Jackson made her senior international debut on Jan. 27 in the USWNT's 5-0 win over Chile.

"She can receive it, she can redistribute it. She also can go and get in support of the ball from lower positions and open up and switch the play, all of these things really, really matter," Hayes said. "And I think her football IQ, her football intelligence is really, really high, even for her tender age, and as I've said all along, in order to develop successive competitive teams, you can't just develop a group of 28 to 32 year olds."

It is not a bad problem to have so many viable midfielders. It only becomes complicated when Hayes has to narrow that group down for a 26-player roster.

Over the past two years, Hayes has treated the midfield like an open evaluation. She has tested different systems, pairings and profiles, while widening the player pool in a way no full-time USWNT manager has before. Hayes has now given caps to 60 different players, including 44 in 2025 alone.

Right now, the USWNT midfield still leans on the experience of Lindsey Heaps and Rose Lavelle, with Sam Coffey the obvious No. 6 when healthy. Claire Hutton and Lily Yohannes have also strengthened their cases, while this camp brings another look at Croix Bethune and Riley Jackson.

Bethune got the nod over Ashley Sanchez this time because Hayes wanted another true No. 10, especially with Lavelle’s minutes needing to be managed.

"We know that Rose will, we have to manage Rose...so we opted on another true 10, and with Ashley Sanchez playing a little wider for Carolina, the decision was based on the fact that the number of through balls into the box for Croix is her standout qualities," Hayes said. "Her ability to find a pass inside the penalty area is a standout stat for her."

There is still no clear No. 1 goalkeeper. Claudia Dickey has created some separation after playing the most minutes for the USWNT this cycle, but Phallon Tullis-Joyce remains very much in contention, as does Utah Royals shot-stopper Mandy McGlynn.

"I've been clear that I think Claudia and Phallon have probably started the fastest, but I think Mandy's been exceptional for the last five, six games," Hayes said. "I think she's been exceptional, which is great. It's just why I want competition."

The three goalkeepers have a combined 22 career caps. Dickey, of the Seattle Reign, leads the group with 10. Tullis-Joyce has seven, while McGlynn has five.