In the 69th minute of the 2019 World Cup Final, Rose Lavelle had a moment etched in soccer memory. She scored the goal which gave the United States a 2-0 advantage that led to the victory over the Netherlands.
She was seen as an up-and-coming star. Now six years later, she has emerged as a veteran on a young roster.
Lavelle returned last night for the first time in 2025 against Ireland. She did not disappoint, adding a goal and assist in a 4-0 victory.
The USWNT is dangerous with Rose Lavelle in top form
She played quick throughout the game. She will be a key part of the roster moving forward, as head coach Emma Hayes seems to have many decisions to make involving a young roster. Lavelle is currently only one of two players who was on the 2019 World Cup winning roster. Emily Sonnett being the other.
With the youth movement taking over and possibly other soccer stars such as Lynn Biyendolo and Lindsey Heaps entering the twilight of their national team careers, Lavelle may be the key to the roster in 2027 for the World Cup.
The team seemed to have a turned a new page in their history at the Olympics a year ago. Lavelle played in every game except the final, which led to 1-0 Gold medal victory over Brazil. The youth movement is in full effect, but Emma Hayes will need players on the field who have a grasp of the situations that may arise.
An important star for Lavelle to mold will be forward Alyssa Thompson. The young star added a goal last night in addition to Lavelle. In 2019, Lavelle was learning from the likes of Alex Morgan and Tobin Heath and should be passing on the torch to a player of Thompson's caliber.
Currently, Heaps has been the captain during most big tournaments and friendlies since the retirement of Carli Lloyd in 2021. However, if Heaps retires before the next World Cup, Lavelle may be an option as captain leading into the World Cup roster.
The current roster as it stands has two more games this week. Seeing how the young roster plays with Lavelle on the field will be important to determine who may make Hayes World Cup roster in 2027. The play Ireland again on Sunday June 29 and play Canada on July 2 before the holiday.
If Lavelle continues to prove how valuable she is for her play and veteran leadership, she may be a staple from not until the World Cup. The National Team is not known for rebuilds but rather eras. Lavelle should be a huge part of the next era.