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Malonson, Ryan, Sears: Why Emma Hayes gave them their first USWNT call-ups

The road to the 2027 Women’s World Cup begins with fresh faces in this October USWNT camp

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The eye-catching inclusions of Emma Hayes’ U.S. women’s national team squad for October’s friendlies were Alyssa Malonson, Yazmeen Ryan and Emma Sears, all first-time call-ups who will look to make an early impression as the team builds on its Olympic Gold medal and toward the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

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Hayes’ latest selection is an inclusive one, calling upon players representing 12 of the 14 National Women’s Soccer League clubs. There is also a clear focus on form.

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“The new players coming into camp — that weren’t part of the Olympic roster — are all players who have performed well throughout the NWSL season,” Hayes confirmed in her squad announcement press conference.

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Malonson, Ryan and Sears have all enjoyed positive campaigns with Bay FC, NJ/NY Gotham and Racing Louisville, respectively. Their call-ups indicate a slight change in selection policy, where club performances in the domestic league can pay quick dividends. In the past, U.S. squads have traditionally been a mix of familiar names and well-known prospects. Malonson, Ryan and Sears are also all 25 years old or younger, meaning they should be hitting their peak around the 2027 World Cup.

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Let’s look in more detail at what these three players bring to the table and why Hayes has brought them into the U.S. fold for a pair of games against Iceland, and a match against Argentina.

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