Defender Naomi Girma will return to the United States women's national team for the first time in nearly five months for a pair of upcoming friendly matches against Italy.
USWNT coach Emma Hayes named her 26-player roster on Wednesday. It included two first-time call-ups and several other returning players, but it does not feature forward Trinity Rodman, who just returned to the field briefly on Saturday for the Washington Spirit after spraining the MCL in her right knee in October.
"Trinity and I have been speaking every week to see the progress of her sitation," Hayes said of Rodman. " She was fortunate to get a few minutes the other day, but she's still working her way back. The reality is, we felt together that with an important camp and with big game minutes required, she's not in a position to do that.
"I think Trin more than anyone wants to be playing with the national team. We hope that can happen again in the New Year, but it's just come too soon to be honest. I think when it comes to the upcoming weekend, you'll have to ask Washington what their plans are for her. But when it comes to two games against Italy, that was definitely considered to be too much at this time."
Also absent from the roster is goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce, the presumptive new No. 1 in net. Tullis-Joyce recently suffered a fractured eye socket with Manchester United. She has four appearances for the USWNT since debuting in a 2-0 win over Brazil on April 5.
The U.S. plays Italy on Nov. 28 at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida, followed by a rematch on Dec. 1 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Girma has struggled with multiple calf injuries since joining English champion Chelsea in January as women's soccer's first $1 million transfer. She missed all the spring international games before returning to the team in June, only to sustain a different calf injury in late summer. She recently returned to action for Chelsea.
Girma was the key defender in the USWNT's run to an Olympic gold medal in 2024, prompting Hayes to call Girma "the best defender I've ever seen."
"I'm just so happy she's back. I realize more and more the importance of not just her qualities on the field but of her quiet leadership -- not just in terms of leading the line, but off the field as well ... She made sure she called and texted me several times to say, 'I'm fit, I'm coming,'" Hayes said. "Like, I don't know why she'd think that we wouldn't bring her anyway if she's fit and healthy, but let me tell you, Naomi will be the first person in camp. She is so excited to get back with the team, and we are excited to have her. We've missed some of that leadership and that experience at international level."
Midfielder Croix Bethune, who is healthy again and starting for the Spirit in the team's playoff run, also returns to the USWNT for the first time since July.
Goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz and forward Jameese Joseph are joining the senior USWNT for the first time for the training camp and games against Italy.
Hayes has experimented with players throughout the year in search of answers on the road to the 2027 World Cup. She has capped 25 players in 28 games so far as head coach.
Experimentation has come at the expense of some results. The U.S. lost to Japan and Brazil early in the year before a more surprising recent loss to Portugal. The USWNT has never lost four games in a calendar year.
"It's been an exciting and important year for our group, and we've accomplished a lot of goals, expanded the player pool and made strides in our game model, so this camp will be an extension of that, but it will also set the groundwork for 2026, which will be our World Cup qualifying year," Hayes said. "Games against top European teams are so valuable as they give us an honest assessment of where we are in our growth as a team, so I know our players will embrace that challenge."
Midfielder Jaelin Howell, the No. 2 pick in the 2022 NWSL draft, is also back with the USWNT following a resurgent season with Gotham FC, who will compete for the 2025 NWSL championship on Saturday against the Spirit. Howell last played for the USWNT on April 9, 2022, when she scored her first goal for the Americans against Uzbekistan.
Also returning to the USWNT environment is defender Kate Wiesner, who had a standout match at fullback for the Spirit in their 2-0 win over the Portland Thorns in Saturday's NWSL semifinal. Wiesner has yet to debut for the USWNT. She joined the team as a training player in June 2024.
The two matches against Italy are the last of the calendar year before the USWNT reconvenes for its annual January camp.
Hayes cautioned against complacency vs. Italy.
"I think Italy are in the top echelon of the teams in Europe. I would consider them to be of the same quality of England, Spain. This is going to be a really stern test for us and one where we are going to be challenged, especially tactically," she said.
ESPN previously reported that the USWNT was planning to play another top European team in Seattle, with the roof closed at the Seattle Mariners' T-Mobile Park, but the final standings of the UEFA Nations League led U.S. Soccer to pivot to playing Italy in Florida.
USWNT roster by position (club; caps/goals):
GOALKEEPERS (3): Claudia Dickey (Seattle Reign FC; 4), Mandy McGlynn (Utah Royals; 4), Jordan Silkowitz (Bay FC; 0)
DEFENDERS (10): Jordyn Bugg (Seattle Reign FC; 4/0), Emily Fox (Arsenal FC, ENG; 69/1), Naomi Girma (Chelsea FC, ENG: 48/2), Avery Patterson (Houston Dash; 8/1), Lilly Reale (Gotham FC; 4/0), Izzy Rodriguez (Kansas City Current; 1/1), Emily Sams (Orlando Pride; 6/0), Emily Sonnett (Gotham FC; 112/2), Kennedy Wesley (San Diego Wave; 1/0), Kate Wiesner (Washington Spirit; 0/0)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Croix Bethune (Washington Spirit; 4/0), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC; 41/5), Lindsey Heaps (OL Lyonnes, FRA; 167/38), Jaelin Howell (Gotham FC; 5/1), Claire Hutton (Kansas City Current; 9/1), Rose Lavelle (Gotham FC; 115/26), Lily Yohannes (OL Lyonnes, FRA; 11/1)
FORWARDS (6): Jameese Joseph (Chicago Stars; 0/0), Catarina Macario (Chelsea FC, ENG; 27/13), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns FC; 10/4), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville; 11/4), Jaedyn Shaw (Gotham FC; 29/8), Alyssa Thompson (Chelsea FC, ENG; 24/3)