From rising star to captain: USWNT and NWSL star Trinity Rodman embraces new leadership role

As much as she embraces her new role as one of the USWNT captains, she admitted there have been a few adjustments for her. 

After featuring in Tuesday’s match against Chile, Rodman now has 13 international goals and 49 caps to her name. She was positioned to lead the younger and less experienced players during this January window, and mentioned talking to Denver Summit’s most recent signing Ayo Oke as being one of the newcomers she took under her wing. 

“I went up to Ayo a couple of times because she had come in late as a new player, and that alone is scary, and I was just checking in on her being like, ‘Are you good?’ And she’s like ‘I’m nervous.’” Oke earned her first international cap in Tuesday’s match, and although new to the senior team, has been part of a number of Under 23 national team camps and matches. 

“I guess at the game she was like freaking out in the locker room, but in a good way, good nerves. But I would just be like you’ve had an amazing week, you’re a great outside back at the end of the day,” Rodman said she told Oke. 

“So again, reassurance is the biggest thing, but also continuing to tell them to be yourself.”

She describes herself as a “young veteran” - a label she says she shares with her boyfriend Ben Shelton, a young but already established professional tennis player.

“Just the flair we bring to the game, the personality, and the young, upcoming, like veteran-ish player… So we relate to each other on a lot,” Rodman said. Rodman and Shelton have been dating since March 2025 when the couple made it ‘Instagram official’ by posting themselves together in an elevator selfie. 

Since then, Rodman has traveled to Shelton’s tournaments and matches, becoming a consistent face in the crowd. Shelton has been equally present in Rodman’s journey, through the highs and lows, and even dabbled in some soccer training with her during the offseason.

Hayes has quickly established herself as both a demanding standard-setter and a vocal supporter of her players on the national team setup. After Rodman’s first match wearing the captain’s armband, Hayes pointed to the context behind the moment. 

“I’m happy for her,” Hayes said. “It was a hard year - we all know that - and she’s ready to move forward. Today felt symbolic: a new year, a fresh start. She’s settled, she’s happy, and knowing her future is secure has taken a big weight off her shoulders.” 

That balance - accountability without fear - is something Rodman has felt directly. She said Hayes’ approach allows younger players to play freely, even after mistakes, without feeling exposed or overcorrected. 

“I’m really grateful to have a coach who believes in us,” Rodman said. “Even when we mess up, she’s clapping, saying, ‘You tried.’ That matters.” 

Nothing depicts their relationship more than the viral dance sequence that didn’t just show up at one of the January games, but at both. After Rodman scored in the game against Paraguay, she did the “sexy dexy” dance in celebration. After doing it once, she ran over to Hayes to encourage her to mirror her moves. Hayes declined, and just two days later, after Rodman scored again, was tasked to do the same dance. This time, Hayes hit the “sexy dexy” with Rodman. 

“These players keep me young. I'm not complaining," Hayes said.

This year is shaping up to be the biggest yet for Trinity Rodman. At the end of January, she signed a new contract with the Washington Spirit that made her the highest-paid women’s soccer player in the world - a deserved milestone that also signals a new ceiling for the league.

Rodman’s deal arrived amid weeks of debate between the NWSL and the NWSL Players Association over the league’s new High Impact Player Rule, which allows clubs to spend up to $1 million above the salary cap on qualifying players. While the rule is now in effect, the NWSLPA has filed a grievance, leaving key questions unresolved even as Rodman’s contract is finalized.

For Rodman, however, the focus is quickly shifting back to the field. She is nearing the start of the NWSL season with the Spirit and sits just a month out from the SheBelieves Cup, where she is expected to be a fixture in the U.S. Women's National Team attack. While “Triple Espresso” may not be fully reunited by then, the broader trajectory points toward an on-field reunion as the year unfolds.

This year and looking ahead, Rodman isn’t only carrying the present for club and country - she’s helping define what the future of the USWNT and the NWSL can look like, too.