An overview of which NWSL players are competing during the FIFA June international window.
By Alex Holmes
The June window for FIFA international matches has arrived, and that means a number of talented players from the NWSL will be in action with their countries this week. Aside from the USWNT playing in the next few days, Brazil, Sweden, Ireland, Japan, and England will also take to the pitch. Here is your country-by-country guide to the NWSL teams and players that will be affected by the June match window.
Japan: Nicole Momiki and Saori Takarada
Momiki and Takarada will join the Nadeshiko in a pair of matches against Ukraine and Mexico.
Momiki, a 25-year-old attacker for the OL Reign, was born in the U.S. but her parents have Japanese citizenship. She played with Japanese youth teams at the U17 and U20 World Cups before playing with the senior team at the 2017 Algarve Cup.
Takarada is a rising star for the Nadeshiko. At 21 years old, the Washington Spirit midfielder has extensive experience with Japan’s football federation. She played in the U17 and U20 World Cups. Her U20 team won the 2018 Women’s World Cup, where she also earned the Silver Ball and Bronze Boot honors. One year later, she was part of the senior team that competed in the 2019 Women’s World Cup.
Ireland: Denise O’Sullivan and Diane Caldwell
The Irish duo of Denise O’Sullivan and Diane Caldwell have departed the NC Courage camp for a brief stint with their national team. Ireland will take on Iceland on June 11 and June 15.
O’Sullivan has made 82 appearances for Ireland since 2011 and has scored 11 goals. Fellow NC Courage teammate and defender Caldwell has made 81 appearances for the Irish since 2011 and notched three goals in that time.
England: Rachel Daly
The fiery English forward will be absent from the Houston Dash this week due to a call-up with her national team. The Lionesses do not have any friendlies scheduled, but Daly is partaking in a six-day camp with them.
Daly has had a tremendous spell over the past two years with club and country. She was recently named to Team Great Britain’s soccer team and she will make her Olympic debut later this summer. She won the 2020 Challenge Cup and that tournament’s Golden Boot before playing with West Ham United FC in England’s Women’s Super League.
Sweden: Julia Roddar
The Washington Spirit midfielder will play with her native Sweden for a slate of friendlies against Norway and Australia.
Roddar has experience with her country’s U19 and U17 teams and she was a member of the 2019 Women’s World Cup squad that took home third place in France. She will look to add on to her eight international caps this week.
Brazil: Angelina
The 21-year-old received her first call-up to the senior team. Angelina is one of the most promising young players in the Brazilian ranks and boasts a stellar résumé that includes both U17 and U20 World Cups, in which she was a captain on the U20 side.
Angelina and Brazil will take on Russia and Canada on June 11 and June 14, respectively.
USWNT
The USWNT is back in action over the next week for games against Portugal, Jamaica, and Nigeria. The NWSL will be represented by 20 players on the USWNT roster.
Portland has the most players on the USWNT roster with five. Goalkeeper Adrianna Franch, defenders Crystal Dunn and Becky Sauerbrunn, and attacking players Lindsey Horan and Sophia Smith will represent the Thorns.
The OL Reign and the Washington Spirit each sent three players to the USWNT in Texas.
Rose Lavelle, Megan Rapinoe, and the newly acquired Alana Cook hail from the Reign. Defenders Kelley O’Hara and Emily Sonnet join Spirit teammate Andi Sullivan in Texas for the friendlies.
Four teams each had two players named to the June roster. Houston sent Jane Campbell and Kristie Mewis, while North Carolina sent Sam Mewis and Lynn Williams. Gotham FC is represented by Carli Lloyd and Midge Purce. Alyssa Naeher and Tierna Davidson will represent Chicago.
Alex Morgan is the only player from the Orlando Pride.
These three games are the last few matches before head coach Vlatko Andonovski names the 18-player Olympic roster.
NWSL regular season action will resume on Saturday, June 19, with the NC Courage taking on the OL Reign at 4 P.M. ET on CBS, and the Chicago Red Stars playing the Washington Spirit at 8 P.M. ET on Twitch.
