The 11th edition of the SheBelieves Cup is set to begin, with the United States Women’s National Team seeking to claim the title for the eighth time after seeing their five-peat disrupted by Japan last year. This year’s schedule features, in order, Argentina, Canada, and Colombia, with the round-robin competition determining the ultimate victor. The initial South American opponent is participating in the tournament for the second time (finishing fourth in 2021), taking a break from World Cup qualifying
to gain further experience. The Nashville, Tennessee, venue Geodis Park – a 30,109-seat soccer-specific stadium with an all-natural Latitude 36 Bermudagrass surface – hosts the fixture.
This is the seventh all-time meeting between the two nations, with the USWNT holding a 6-0-0 advantage and claiming the most recent result in a 2024 friendly (3-0). Ranked 30th internationally by FIFA and fresh from a bronze medal at last summer’s Copa América, Argentina is seeking a third consecutive and fifth overall qualification to the World Cup through the CONMEBOL Nations League. La Albiceleste (The White and Sky Blue) is currently in second (which would secure advancement) in the Brazil-less table with a win over Paraguay (3-1), a draw at Uruguay (2-2), and a victory against Bolivia (8-0).
Germán Portanova was hired to be the manager in July of 2021 on the heels of winning three domestic titles with Deportivo UAI Urquiza. The 52-year-old Argentine has “continued to develop the team” and “shown promising signs” with improving results, seeking to “balance a shrinking class of veteran stars with [the] next generation of players.” He hopes to have his program be “peer-to-peer with the powers,” taking influence from Spain, Japan, England, Sweden, and Italy in order to improve “the culture, the forms, and the idea.”
Portanova named a 21-player roster for the SheBelieves Cup. The domestic Campeonato de Fútbol Femenino is home to nine of the call-ups; additionally, three compete in Brazil, eight are on the books of European clubs, and a single talent is based in the United States. Notable absences include Catalina Roggerone, Yamila Rodríguez, Paulina Gramaglia, Betina Soriano, and Kishi Núñez.
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GOALKEEPERS (2): Solana Pereyra (San Lorenzo), Lara Esponda (River Plate)
DEFENDERS (8): Sofía Domínguez (Basel), Justina Morcillo (DUX Logroño), Sophia Braun (Spokane Zephyr), Aldana Cometti (Fleury 91), Milagros Martín (DUX Logroño), Abril Reche (Racing Club), Eliana Stábile (Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata), Adriana Sachs (Racing Club)
MIDFIELDERS (8): Vanina Preininger (São Paulo), Daiana Falfán (DUX Logroño), Catalina Ongaro (DUX Logroño), Agustina Vargas (Talleres), Florencia Bonsegundo (Sporting Lisbon), Margarita Giménez (DUX Logroño), Maricel Pereyra (São Paulo), Chiara Singarella (Atlético San Luis)
FORWARDS (3): Carolina Troncoso (Boca Juniors), Agostina Holzheier (Racing Club), Martina Del Trecco (Bragantino)
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Portanova will deploy both the 4-4-2 and the 4-3-3 formations, seeking to be “effectively aggressive in the defensive phase” in a compact structure with several players behind the ball. The team will attempt to build out of the back with medium-range passes that split the lines but, like most well-managed sides, does significant damage from set pieces and throw-ins. The defense can be susceptible to quick counter-attacks, particularly after turnovers, but stacking the box with a few stay-at-home centre-backs puts out most fires.
Stepping up following the retirement of Vanina Correa, erstwhile understudy Solana Pereyra safely ensconced herself as the program’s number one with 12 appearances in 2025, the result of improved focus. The 26-year-old San Lorenzo goalkeeper boasts a high level of “technique and game reading” while also projecting “security to the team” in knowing “when to leave [the line],” “how to anticipate,” and “how to order the defense.” Standing at five feet, nine inches tall, she is exceedingly athletic and flies through the air when making stops, using her quick footwork to readjust before exploding toward the ball. Security when making catches can sometimes be an issue, which is ameliorated by pushing everything wide or quick recoveries that enable her to make the necessary double save.
Program stalwart Aldana Cometti is a tackling machine and always willing to take on an opponent off the dribble or assume a leading role during the build-up phase. The 30-year-old Fleury centre-back has become an increasingly impactful scorer with three goals in 2023 and 2025 while also adding the necessary intangible quality of leadership born of experience. Oregon-born Sophia Braun competes with Spokane Zephyr in the USL Super League and can line up in a variety of positions, enabling the side to play a “more direct game.” She has the athleticism and pace to cover the width of the field and can handle creative duties when pressing forward, hitting an excellent pass through or behind the opposing lines. Racing Club’s Adriana Sachs is well into her second decade with the program and adds a bit of edge to proceedings, seeking out contact and flying into one-on-one contests. Her responsibilities often involve pursuing attackers all the way to the wings by engaging in footraces with the pacier opponents, proving enough of an impediment until help arrives.
Milagros “Mili” Martín is considered one of the program’s great hopes after making her first-division debut at the age of 14, now on loan with DUX Logroño from Costa Adeje Tenerife. She is a tricky dribbler and can make an impact in the final third with her creative distribution and versatile finishing, displaying the ability to compete for headers above taller opponents. Eliana Stábile has been competing for Argentina for a decade and can bang in goals from long distances during the run of play and from set pieces, with a powerful left foot that requires little wind-up. The 32-year-old Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata fullback takes an advanced position up the field that sets her up to force turnovers in advantageous areas and quickly transition into the attack. FC Basel’s Sofía Domínguez lines up across the formation and brings a high level of speed when charging through the lines on her darting solo runs or forming quick combinations. A somewhat recent addition to the senior level, her impulse is to always advance, with and without the ball, with a history of finding the back of the net in the domestic league.
Daiana Falfán has bounced back and forth between Argentina and Spain, bringing a hard-nosed style to the engine room and is known for “her technical ability, short- and mid-range passing, and ball-winning skills.” The 25-year-old DUX Logroño holding midfielder facilitates throughout the formation, can create opportunities, provides defensive cover to the back line, and has a keen sense of security in chaos. São Paulo’s Vanina Preininger went from the outskirts of the program to a leading role and was one of the most prolific passers at the last Copa América with a 76% accuracy rate. She sets the tone during the build-up phase, darts around opponents with elusive dribbling and an intuitive understanding of space, can pick out teammates in a crowd, and has a devastating shot from long distance. Carolina Troncoso of Boca Juniors makes quick, darting runs into the final third and has a nose for the goal, working her way past multiple challenges with all manner of machinations. Capable of lining up in multiple spots, her long-range distribution comes into play in multiple situations, her heading helps to regain control, and a hard-working nature sees her track back for crucial shutdowns. Agustina Vargas recently signed for Talleres from Newell’s Old Boys, bringing “quality, creativity, vision of play, ball handling, and capacity for creation” to the Estadio La Boutique. Willing to pull the trigger from anywhere from within 25 yards, eager to spring into danger areas, and capable of hanging back in order to facilitate or start the counter, her versatility enables her to slot into several roles.
Having already made an impact during the Nations League with finishes against Paraguay and Uruguay, São Paulo’s Maricel Pereyra is also a distributor and has “a reliable ability to recover the ball cleanly.” She fights to regain possession with regular pressure and exhibits a physical running style that enables her to absorb contact while charging toward the center, looking to play the early pass into the box. Chiara Singarella has the physical strength to absorb challenges and the athleticism to dart around the field, playing up, around, and through opponents with a series of neat tricks and touches. The 22-year-old Atlético San Luis attacker will take long dribbling runs while assessing her options, making the decision to either eat up more ground or play the creator. Catalina Ongaro of DUX Logroño covers the width of the field, has a quick release on her shot, and displays the athleticism to cut through blocks of defenders and convert acrobatic finishes. The Cordoban is a shot of energy in the final third with her direct play but can also drop back in the formation and spread the ball around with long-distance passing and sustained possession.
The dynamic Agostina Holzheier of Racing Club can create danger in a second by forcing turnovers and then embarking on weaving journeys deep into the area, displaying a devastating combination of pace and technique. Observers describe her as “direct,” as her all-action style involves pushing the tempo up the touchline and forcing the game with constant challenges, early distribution, and ceaseless one-on-one (or more) attempts. Florencia “Flor” Bonsegundo, the program’s leading scorer, constantly looks to advance past opponents and is surprisingly solid in the air despite standing at five feet, five inches tall. The 32-year-old Sporting Lisbon attacker had a massive 2025 and found the back of the net three times at the Copa América with an aggressive style, excellent pace, and a variety of shots. Bragantino’s Martina Del Trecco has the pace to burst into the counter, taking a single touch and flying up the field and looking to unleash a driven attempt. She takes the game directly at defenders with a flurry of destabilizing moves, often finding herself on the wing and charging diagonally into the box.
Based on FIFA rankings and recent history, this match is a relative David-versus-Goliath battle, with the USWNT expected to claim victory by a healthy scoreline. Argentina can counter-punch but is still looking for a signature performance at a major tournament that establishes the program as a challenge to Brazil’s South American dominance. This SheBelieves Cup could be a proving ground for said future superation.
The match is scheduled for Sunday, March 1st at 5:00 p.m. Eastern, 2:00 p.m. Pacific. Viewing options include TNT, TruTV, HBO Max, Universo, Peacock, and FuboTV (free trial).
