U.S. women's national team captain Lindsey Heaps hailed teammate Trinity Rodman in her return to international duty after an eight-month injury absence, labeling the Washington Spirit star a "very unique" talent on and off the field.
Rodman returns for the first time since helping the USWNT win the gold medal at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, when she scored three goals for the team before seeing time away from international duty due to recurring back spasms and related issues.
In a repeat of the Olympic final, the USWNT will face Brazil on Saturday at Sofi Stadium in Inglewood, California, before hosting the South American giants once again three days later at PayPal Park in San Jose, California.
"For her to come back with the injuries that she's had, but to train like she's been here for the past eight months, that is really exciting for me," Heaps told a news conference Wednesday.
"And I think as a midfielder with any of our attacking players, they make it a lot easier for us because when in doubt, you can get the ball into space for these guys and they will go at any defense and make it almost impossible to win the ball for them.
"I think they're such an attacking threat and unbelievable special qualities that they all contain. Obviously, Trin, you know, she has her own and she is very, very unique in the type of player she is. So, so happy to have her back."
Heaps continued by praising Rodman for her contribution to the team off the field, bringing in an aspect of confidence and leadership to the younger players on the squad.
Rodman is the only member of the self-proclaimed "Triple Espresso" forward line on the current roster, with Sophia Wilson (formerly Smith) on maternity leave after recently announcing her pregnancy and Mallory Swanson on personal leave from club and country since January.
"I'm very, very happy to have Trin back. I think we all are," Heaps added. "I think her presence on and off the field is just, it's different.
"You get another voice in there and you get another enthusiastic voice, someone that brings energy both on and off the field. And that's something that you want. That's something that 's a domino effect and it helps us.
"You have a lot of new young players here. They want to see that and they want to feel that. And she's young, like, so they get to see it firsthand from someone like that who also brings a load of confidence as well at her age, which is so crucial in this environment."
USWNT and Orlando Pride defender Emily Sams later added that it'll be nice to have Rodman on the same team, after constantly facing off throughout the NWSL season and playoffs.
The two played against each other in the 2024 NWSL championship match, with Sams and the Orlando Pride narrowly winning 1-0.
"Yeah, I'm super happy for her [Trinity] that she's back and after battling back from an injury," Sams said. "I'm just happy to see her back here and smiling and she just seems to be having a great time being back here.
"Obviously when we face up against her, when we play Spirit, we just have to be on our A-game. It's like a one-by-one battle, like on the wing, whoever's playing outside back.
"So I really think you just try to do anything you can to slow her down. She's obviously so good. So it's a nice change to be on the same side of her in this camp."