Hit or Miss? Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan and the USWNT stars to represent French giants Lyon and PSG

When women's soccer was between professional leagues in the U.S. following the folding of the Women's United Soccer Association, a talented young goalkeeper by the name of Hope Solo saw it as an opportunity to venture to Europe.

In the midst of establishing herself as the USWNT's No.1 at this point, Solo first went to Sweden, which was then home to one of the world's best and most attractive leagues, before signing for Lyon in 2005.

It was well before the club had become the giant it is today, with a first league title not coming until two years later, but Solo loved that "soccer was everywhere" and later credited her time in Europe for helping her to find herself "as a person and player". As for the actual success of her time in France? The goalkeeper only played seven games in a fleeting spell, so it's hard to deem this one a hit.

Verdict? Miss.

Because of the struggles that the United States had in establishing a domestic women's league, Aly Wagner only played for three professional American soccer clubs during a largely successful career that was characterised by her performances for the USWNT.

However, the two-time Olympic gold medalist did get the chance to experience the game in Europe too, joining Lyon in 2005. Wagner's return of two goals in three league appearances makes for quite an impressive ratio, but her time with the club cannot be seen as a hit given how short it was.

Verdict? Miss.

Compared to the U.S. soccer stars who spend the majority of their careers at home, Ella Masar's playing days read like a student's gap-year itinerary. The now-assistant of the Chicago Red Stars spent time in Norway, France, Sweden and Germany as a player, as well as representing American and Canadian clubs.

It was back in the 2011-12 season that Masar played for PSG, which unfortunately was not a good year for the club. The Parisians finished fourth in the league, a spot they've never been as low as in the 12 years since, and were knocked out in the last 16 in the Champions League. Masar racked up significant minutes, though, and scored six league goals in 17 appearances, several of which were decisive in turning games around.

Verdict? Hit.

Alongside Masar in that 2011-12 season was another American in Allie Long. Again, it was not PSG's best season, but Long did her best to provide a spark. She netted four goals in 12 league games, just nine of those starts, and provided the capital club with some hope in the Champions League when her brace improved a 4-0 deficit against Frankfurt to 4-2, though that was the final aggregate score.

Like Masar, that would be Long's only season with the club and her only real experience outside of the U.S., with a spell at Chelsea a year later lasting just five days. However, she certainly showed her qualities in Europe, even if it was for a brief period of time.

Verdict? Hit.

Lindsey Heaps' move to PSG back in 2012 was historic, as it saw her become the first women's player to forgo college for a professional contract in Europe. It was certainly a bold and perhaps even risky move at the time, but it absolutely paid dividends. The midfielder immediately became a key player upon her arrival in France, had four really good years in the capital - scoring 54 goals in 76 league games - and broke into the USWNT.

Heaps' time in Paris came to an end in 2016, when she returned to the Portland Thorns, but she would be back in France five years later when she joined PSG's biggest rivals, Lyon. After winning nothing in her first stint in Europe, the 29-year-old has since been trophy-laden, her seven titles consisting of three league triumphs, two victories in the Trophee des Championnes, the Coupe de France and, above all, a Champions League crown. She has been an important player in that success, too.

Verdict? Hit.

Horan had American company during her first two seasons in France, too, because Tobin Heath was also added to PSG's roster. The talismanic winger featured in the final phase of the 2012-13 season and, after returning to the U.S. to play for the Portland Thorns for a few months, returned to Paris for the 2013-14 campaign.

Heath spoke glowingly of her time abroad when she returned to Portland, dubbing it "a game-changing experience". However, perhaps due to the back-and-forth between the two clubs as well as an injury that troubled her during her second season with PSG, the forward never really hit the heights she was capable of during her time in France.

Verdict? Miss.

Like Heath, Megan Rapinoe split her time between France and the U.S. for a couple of years, and she came so close to marking her time in Europe with the ultimate prize, that being a Champions League winners' medal. The forward started the final of the 2012-13 competition as Lyon faced Wolfsburg, but she was subbed off at half-time as the French giants suffered a 1-0 defeat.

Shortly after that, Rapinoe returned to the U.S. to play with the Seattle Reign in the inaugural NWSL season, then she was back in France by September for another three-month spell, then she returned to Seattle for good.

Her time with Lyon saw her win the league and the cup, while her return of eight goals from 23 appearances isn't bad at all. However, similar to Heath, the back-and-forth nature of Rapinoe's European adventure prevented her from really hitting top gear and having the influence she would have been capable of with a little more stability.

Verdict? Miss.

When Lyon added another USWNT star to its roster a few years after Rapinoe's departure, it did so as the team to beat in Europe. Fresh off the back of a third Champions League triumph, the one that would spark a run of five in a row, Alex Morgan joined on a six-month loan from the Orlando Pride to bolster an already impressive array of attacking options.

Competing with the likes of Ada Hegerberg and Eugenie Le Sommer for minutes, Morgan didn't get a ton of game time, but she still managed to score 12 goals in 15 appearances and was given the nod to start the 2017 Champions League final, one that Lyon won.

Unfortunately, injuries troubled the striker in France though, with her forced off 23 minutes into that final. She scored goals when she could play and lifted three trophies, but was hampered in her bid to have a greater impact.

Verdict? Miss.

By 2018, the stories of USWNT stars in France might've been plentiful, but they were not for long spells, with each of them eventually returning home to play their club football. However, when Morgan Gautrat signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with Lyon in January of that year, she looked to be following in the footsteps of Horan rather than Morgan or Rapinoe.

Sadly though, things did not go to plan. Gautrat played four times for the French giants at the end of the 2017-18 season and never again. Injuries and a lack of game time led to her reconsidering the move and she returned to the U.S. after just five months, signing with the Chicago Red Stars.

Verdict? Miss.

Recent times have seen PSG sign several Americans before their USWNT breakthroughs, and Alana Cook was the first in that spree. The defender opted for a move to Europe rather than entering the NWSL Draft in January 2019 and she would go on to become an important player in the heart of defence as the club enjoyed its greatest success.

A regular starter by the 2020-21 season, Cook played her part in PSG's first-ever league title on the women's side as it finally ended Lyon's incredible Division 1 dominance. That was the high she went out on, too, as she joined the Seattle Reign just a few days later.

Verdict? Hit.

Another top talent who moved to France out of college, Catarina Macario was snapped up by Lyon in early 2021 and, after showing glimpses in her first few months, she was absolutely phenomenal in her first full campaign for the club.

Macario starred as Lyon claimed another league title, but her performances in the Champions League really highlighted her ability. The USWNT forward netted nine times in 13 appearances, including a strike in the final against Barcelona, to help fire the French giants to another European crown.

Sadly, her time at the club would end on a negative as she ruptured her ACL on the final day of the 2021-22 season and didn't play again before leaving for Chelsea. That doesn't preclude her stint from being a huge success, though.

Verdict? Hit.

Another American signed before her USWNT debut, Korbin Albert gave up her final two years of college eligibility to join PSG in January 2023 after showing herself to be an exciting talent and goal-scoring threat from midfield at Notre Dame.

Then just 19 years old, she was eased into the first team during her first half-season in France and has become a much more regular fixture in the starting XI throughout 2023-24, adding plenty of quality to the Parisians' midfield in the process. It's still early days for Albert in her career and her time with PSG, but she has certainly been an on-field asset to them so far.

Verdict? Hit.

Eva Gaetino chose to forgo the NWSL Draft when she instead joined PSG in January 2024. The defender had only been at the club for a few weeks when her first USWNT call-up came in April, with that a reward well earned after some great performances in the early days of her time in France.

However, though she has now been in Paris for 18 months, it feels like it is too soon to assess her time in the city. PSG had an awful 2024-25 season, with Fabrice Abriel leaving his role as head coach as a result of that, but Gaetino didn't feature prominently in it. It will be interesting to see what the new campaign, under a new manager, looks like for her.

Verdict? The jury's still out.

The latest addition to this list, USWNT veteran Crystal Dunn joined PSG at the end of the 2025 January transfer window. It came amid a disappointing season for the club, so it is difficult to judge her impact just yet, but she has made a decent start with two goals and an assist in her six appearances to date.

Verdict? The jury's still out.