‘The intensity could be felt’ - USWNT starlet Trinity Rodman opens up on ‘learning experience’ of World Cup despite eventual group-stage disappointment

USWNT starlet Rodman, daughter of basketball legend Dennis Rodman, flew across the globe to Australia to participate in her first World Cup. But the dream of a historic three-peat came crashing down as the United States succumbed to their worst-ever finish at the tournament following a dramatic penalty shoot-out defeat to the European nation. However, Rodman believes that the disappointing outcome set an incredible learning curve for the young players.

Speaking to Galore,Rodman said: "The World Cup is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. The national team has the best of the best, some of which have been playing together for over 10 years. Everyone played with such grit and relentlessness – the intensity could be felt. Was our outcome disappointing? Yes, but it was a learning experience for me. There’s so much talent here. As a young player, it’s important to remain true to myself and play into my strengths to support the team."

While advising athletes on how to recover from the losses, Rodman added: "To be successful, you must digest the defeats. Learning how to truly reflect on things is so important. If you never reflect on the defeats, you won’t learn – you’re going to keep repeating the same mistakes because you aren’t allowing yourself time to process how to fix it. Also making sure your mindset is strong, this isn’t the moment for pity or self-doubt. You must remain confident in your abilities to compete and improve. Remember you deserve to be here and trust in your abilities to be a skillful, talented force on the field."

The United States will be heading to Paris for the 2024 Summer Olympics aiming to bring back the glory days after a horrific World Cup campaign. The USWNT last took home the gold medal in 2012 and received the bronze medal in 2020.

Rodman will be back in action with Washington Spirit against the Utah Royals FC on Sunday in an NWSL fixture. After that she will join the USWNT to participate in the SheBelieves Cup where they will meet Japan in the semi-final.