There must be something about pink hair in Paris.
(Or France, if you’re so inclined for specifics.) Five years after the U.S. women’s national team won the World Cup there, Trinity Rodman is putting on a show in France — echoing that of another pink-haired player: Megan Rapinoe.
So far, Rodman has played maestro in the 2024 Paris Olympics — in an ode to Tobin Heath, one of her inspirations — with two goals and one assist through three games. Rapinoe, to her own credit, finished the 2019 World Cup with six goals and three assists through seven matches. It was an effort that won her the Golden Boot and Golden Ball awards.
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Under Emma Hayes, Rodman is turning into the world-class player that she has shown glimpses of in the past. And she’s doing so somewhat quietly, with her utility coming more often around the goal rather than through goalscoring.
Alongside Mallory Swanson and Sophia Smith, Rodman has propelled the USWNT to a 3-0 result in the group stage. It’s just the second time the team has won all of its group-stage matches at the Olympics, joining the 2012 Games.
Both Smith and Rodman have either scored or assisted in each of the team’s group-stage games. They’re the first pair of USWNT players to record a goal contribution in each of the team’s group-stage matches in a single major tournament since Alex Morgan and Abby Wambach at the 2012 Olympics.
Despite a low block put on by the Matildas, Rodman was able to be a frequent problem out wide on the right side. She was able to put the attack in dangerous positions, eventually resulting in the team’s first goal Wednesday.
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But even in scoring that goal, Rodman’s mind was focused on being a good teammate. Afterward, she could be seen on the broadcast appearing to say about Smith’s wayward shot, “Was that going in? I feel bad.”
While the goal may or may not have been going in, and whether or not Rodman’s redirection resulted in the team’s first tally, it speaks to the type of player that the 22-year-old is. More often than not, her job on the attacking front is setting up her teammates to score.
Rodman isn’t always the most boisterous among the forward group. Both Smith and Swanson are the ones targeted the most on the field. But Rodman has a tactical ability to often be in the right position at the right time, and she excels in the one-on-one game.
“I think we’re all similar, but we’re all different in our own ways. Obviously, Trin is a flank player, she’s out wide, she’s going one-v.-one. She’s creative out there and she creates a lot of things for us,” Smith told the Associated Press when asked about Rodman and the forward group Tuesday.
One of those things is a signature spin move that has become almost undefendable. The “Trin Spin,” as it has been dubbed, even led to a goal against Zambia in the team’s second game.
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“That goal was amazing, [and] to get it on that big of a stage was great,” Rodman told reporters after that game. “Our team started off on the front foot, created a lot of chances, move off each other — I’m really happy about our performance.”
Rodman’s creativity showed Wednesday, as despite the Matildas having starved Rodman at times, she still made the most of her slim chances. She had four successful dribbles, a key pass and three shots — all of which came on target. On the defensive end, she won five of seven ground duels and was a part of shutting down counterattacking threats.
Smith also spoke with the media Tuesday about the trio’s strengths, citing each player’s unique attributes as contributing to what makes them great.
“I think we all open each other up,” she said. “There’s things Trin does that opens Mal up. We all do things that draw defenders in and opens up spaces for each other.”
