Trinity Rodman scored a goal in her first cap with the U.S. national team in nine months as the Americans dominated Paraguay in a 6-0 rout Saturday in Carson, Calif.
Rodman, who has been hindered of late
by back and knee injuries, had previously made just one USWNT appearance since the 2024 Olympics.
Two days after the forward reportedly became the highest-paid women's player in the world with a three-year contract worth over $2 million a year, Rodman, 23, scored the fourth goal of the match in the 56th minute.
"The whole game, I was telling Tara (Rudd), 'Please, play one over the top. Come on, we got this,'" Rodman said in a postmatch interview on the TNT broadcast. "And then she again just had so much time, and I finally just called for it, played a perfect little ball, cut it back, and then when it went in, I was like, 'All right, it's my time to shine.'"
It was her 12th goal in 48 USWNT appearances, but just her second in the last two years after she had two-plus in each of her first three years on the senior-level team.
Rodman's injuries limited her to a career-low nine starts for the Washington Spirit last season in the NWSL, scoring five goals and two assists in league play. She had previously started at least 16 games in each of her first four seasons in Washington, which made her the youngest drafted player in NWSL history when she was picked second overall in 2021.
"I'm happy for her, I really am," USWNT coach Emma Hayes said after the match. "It was a hard year, as we know. And she's ready to move forward, which I think today symbolizes that this is a fresh year. It's a fresh start for her.
"She's settled, she's happy. I think knowing what her future is, this is a big weight off of her shoulders."
Reilyn Turner, Ally Sentnor (twice), Fiorella Martinez and Emma Sears also scored in the runaway victory which saw the Americans net five goals in the second half.
--Field Level Media
