The United States women’s national soccer team will be without longtime superstar Alex Morgan when the 2024 Summer Olympics kick off in Paris next month — and veteran midfielder Rose Lavelle knows the pressure is on.
“I think when you’re playing on the national team, there’s always pressure,” Lavelle exclusively told Us Weekly on Tuesday, June 25. “It’s just a different kind of pressure.”
The following day, Lavelle, 29, was named to her second consecutive Olympic team. In a statement following the release of the 18-player roster, Morgan, 34, said she was “disappointed” by the decision.
The USWNT dropped to 5th in the FIFA world rankings following their underwhelming performance in the 2023 FIFA World Cup — which saw them eliminated by Sweden in the Round of 16. Lavelle, who saw limited time on the pitch during that disappointing tournament, acknowledged the team’s recent rollercoaster.
“We’ve had a lot of ups and downs, but it’s something to learn from,” Lavelle said. “I think that’s the reality of Sports and it’s how you respond to that. The older players that were on the team before really helped teach me how to grow and learn through that. I can use that experience to help the next group of younger players do the same thing.”
Lavelle, who made her USWNT debut in 2017, shouted out players like Morgan who “really helped me and my age cohort grow into this role and prepare us to lead the next group of players in.” She told Us that it felt strange to find herself a veteran on the national team.
“It feels like it’s gone so fast,” LaVelle said of her international playing career. “I think it’s weird to find myself in this position now, but I had such great people to learn from. I had the privilege of being on the team when so many amazing veteran players were on the team.”
The roster isn’t the only part of the USWNT undergoing a shakeup. The team has a fresh face on the sidelines, too, in the form of head coach EMMA Hayes. Hayes, 47, joined the team in November 2023 on a contract that runs through 2027 and makes her the highest-paid women’s soccer coach in the world.
Earlier this month, Hayes ran her inaugural camp as head coach — which Lavelle said gave her high hopes for what’s to come.
“She’s been great,” Lavelle shared. “I think it was amazing. There was so much learning and growth done in that small week. We took big steps in such a short amount of time, which was really exciting. Then you think about having even more time to onboard all this stuff.”
Lavelle continued, “I just think it’s really exciting where she’s going to take this group. It’s a really exciting chapter for this team and something that is going to push us to be better than we even knew we could be.”
Lavelle knows a thing or two about chapters as a self-professed bookworm. So, it’s only fitting that she’s partnered with Kindle to promote the ease and efficiency of the new Kindle Scribe.
“I’m so obsessed with Kindle,” Lavelle gushed. “I think it’s literally the best way to read. I take it with me everywhere. All my purses have to be Kindle-proof. You might have to shut me up because I could talk about Kindle all day long.”
Deal of the Day
Act Fast — The Dyson Cordless Vacuum is $120 Off! View DealThe Kindle comes in handy when Lavelle is on the road, which includes her upcoming trip to France for the Olympics.
“During every major tournament, that’s when I’m at my most ferocious bookworm stage,” Lavelle said. “I’m off social media, I’m resting, I’m sitting a lot. I’m always reading. It’s a really, really nice way to switch off.”
The USWNT starts their quest for gold at the 2024 Summer Olympics on Thursday, July 25 against Zambia.
