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Emma Hruby

'Make the important decisions under pressure' - Emma Hayes outlines expectations as goalkeeper spot remains a question mark for USWNT after SheBelieves Cup

FEATURES
USA
E. Hayes
J. Campbell
M. McGlynn
P. Tullis-Joyce
C. Murphy
A. Naeher
Women's football

With inconsisent performances in SheBelieves Cup, questions still remain over who will replace longtime goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher

Since Alyssa Naeher’s retirement from the international game, questions have surrounded who would succeed the U.S. women’s national team’s longtime goalkeeper. 

The 2025 SheBelieves Cup was the first step toward providing some answers, as Jane Campbell and Mandy McGlynn received the call.

Both McGlynn and Campbell are “extremely talented,” per USWNT defender Emily Fox. Fellow defender Sam Coffey agreed, noting that both keepers were “up for the task” in challenging for the USWNT role. 

“I think we have so much talent in our goalkeeper pool," Coffee said. "I think it is a really exciting time and opportunity for them to come into this position where it’s kind of open and there’s an opportunity to really take a shot at it.

“They’re so incredibly talented and great with their feet and have such a great understanding of the game. I think these games are such a cool opportunity for them to continue to learn and be with the group and really take steps forward in their national team careers.”

For USWNT coach Emma Hayes, making good choices while under pressure is paramount. 

"I think for all the goalkeepers competing, they have to demonstrate they can make the important decisions under pressure on both sides of the ball," Hayes said. "Of course [show] the qualities unique to play in goal for this team means that more often than not you've got to be absolutely ready to make a significant, big save in every game. You've got to be good with your decision making and execution in the deepest spaces to help the team progress up the pitch."

But who could actually end up taking the starting job? INDIVISA takes a look.

  • Casey Murphy USWNT 2024Getty Images

    Casey Murphy, 20 USWNT Caps

    2024 NWSL season: 26 games, 28 GA, 1.08 GA90, 75.9% SAVE, 6 Clean Sheets

    Longtime backup and North Carolina Courage goalkeeper Casey Murphy seems like the most obvious choice to replace Naeher. She’s the most experienced internationally of any candidate. In her 20 USWNT appearances, Murphy has kept a clean sheet in 15 of those games. 

    In 2024, Murphy allowed just 25 goals with the Courage while facing nearly 33 post-shot expected goals. Her shot stopping index of 0.77 in 2024 ranked first among U.S. keepers with more than 500 minutes played. 

    Murphy struggles with her distribution, however, tying for eighth in Passing per 96 minutes out of 12 U.S. keepers who have played at least 2,000 minutes since 2022. Her 2024 season was also average, with Murphy ranking fifth in the NWSL and recording just six clean sheets – the least for her in a NWSL season. 

    One thing about Murphy that could be working against her is her age – although the majority of the USWNT’s options at keeper fall into this category as well. She's 28 now, and will be 31 by the next World Cup. Hayes could be looking for a keeper that could hold down the role for longer than a single tournament cycle. 

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  • Jane CampbellGetty Images

    Jane Campbell, 10 USWNT caps

    2024 NWSL season: 25 games, 39 GA, 1.56 GA90, 77% SAVE, 8 Clean Sheets

    Houston’s Jane Campbell notched two more international appearances during the SheBelieves Cup, bringing her total for the USWNT to 10. The 2023 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year, she has consistently been one of the best in the league.

    But in 2024, she took a step back, allowing 39 goals – her most allowed in a NWSL season – and recording a 1.56 goals against per 90, her worst in the NWSL. 

    Against Colombia, she played well and didn’t allow a single goal. But Campbell’s outing against Japan at the SheBelieves Cup was less than stellar. Some blame can be placed on the team’s defense for the two goals she allowed in the 2-1 loss to Japan in the final - and there’s no doubt things may have been different if the team had Naomi Girma to anchor the back line.

    Ultimately, Campbell lacked composure on the ball and looked shaky at different points during the match. There is no doubt Naeher leaves big shoes when it comes to being calm under pressure, but it wasn’t the type of performance you want to see out of the starting USWNT goalkeeper.

    Combine that with the fact that Campbell appeared to regress last season, and she may not end up being the choice for the USWNT moving forward. 

  • Phallon Tullis-JoyceGetty Images

    Phallon Tullis-Joyce, 0 USWNT caps

    2024-25 WSL season: 14 appearances, 6 GA, 0.43 GA90, 88.6% SAVE, 9 Clean Sheets

    Phallon Tullis-Joyce was one of the best goalkeepers in the NWSL during her time in Seattle, ranking first in the league in 2022, before Manchester United paid a reported record transfer fee for her in 2023. During the 2024 WSL season she played backup under Mary Earps – which very well could be a reason to give her a shot at the starting spot. 

    After all, Earps was the best goalkeeper at the 2023 World Cup, winning the Golden Glove. Learning behind a talent like that is huge for Tullis-Joyce’s development, and she’s since gotten to step out and take over the starting spot for herself following Earps’ departure for Paris Saint-Germain.

    She’s played in 14 matches so far this season, ranking second in the WSL with just six goals against, .42 goals per 90 and a near 89 percent save rate. Her goals conceded are the fewest of any keeper in the WSL, and her save percentage also ranks first. 

    If you ask Manchester United coach Marc Skinner, Tullis-Joyce has abilities that he hasn't seen before. 

    “I’ll be very clear: she has all of the foundations,” Skinner told Chris Brookes in 2023. “I’ve never seen a goalkeeper make the saves that she makes, honestly. 
 She’s so athletic. I think it’s just making sure she can make those in big moments. 
 I think you’re going to see a world-class goalkeeper. I really do. She’s got all of the qualities she needs.” 

    The biggest knock against Tullis-Joyce when it comes to taking the starting USWNT spot is that she lacks international experience, having yet to make her first international appearance. She received her first call-up to the USWNT on the tail-end of last year, and Hayes has made note of that.

    “Her shot-stopping and her ability to cover the frame is second to none,” Hayes said after Tullis-Joyce’s call-up. “But in terms of building up with the team, connecting with the team, there’s room for improvement.”

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  • Mandy McGlynnGetty Images

    Mandy McGlynn - 2 USWNT caps

    2024 NWSL season: 24 appearances, 38 GA, 1.58 GA90, 73.6% SAVE, 4 CS

    McGlynn has just two USWNT caps, but is making her case all the same. McGlynn (formerly Haught) only received her first national team call-up last October, replacing an injured Campbell before posting a shutout in the team’s 3-0 win over Argentina. She had a 100% pass completion rate in that game, and despite not having “much to do” McGlynn still impressed with a save that she dubbed “simple.”

    Since then, she’s received invites to December and January camps, before getting a nod for the SheBelieves Cup. At 26 years old, she’s one of the youngest candidates. An NWSL champion, McGlynn had the best 2024 of any U.S.-eligible keeper when looking at the key advanced metrics, even despite being on a struggling Utah Royals team.

    Even still, McGlynn posted a plus-6.9 post-shot expected minus goals allowed, which showcased her raw shot-stopping ability. Factor in that the shots on target that McGlynn faced had the highest post-shot expected goals value of any NWSL goalkeeper at 0.32 and that makes her 2024 more impressive.

    Another key for McGlynn’s is the fact that she has experience overseas, playing for Swedish club PiteĂ„ Idrottsförening. She’s still young in her professional career, but she ranks in the top percentile where it matters for an elite goalkeeper.

    Combine that with the fact that Hayes would be able to mold McGlynn into the keeper of the long-term future for the USWNT, and you could be looking at the team’s next starter.