USWNT Abroad: Emily Fox targets every trophy with Arsenal, Chelsea leans on Alyssa Thompson and Naomi Girma seeks breakthrough
With the WSL season and next USWNT camp nearing, GOAL looks at what’s ahead for Alyssa Thompson, Naomi Girma, Sam Coffey and the other Americans abroad.
U.S. Women’s National Team midfielder Sam Coffey had always dreamed of playing professionally overseas. Just months after joining Manchester City from the Portland Thorns, she helped the club win its first Women’s Super League title in a decade.
Coffey was one of several USWNT players to compete across the pond last season. While the NWSL is already well into the second half of its campaign, the new WSL season has yet to begin.
With World Cup qualifying approaching later this year, national-team rosters can be shaped by players’ performances at club level. The USWNT has talent competing across the globe, including Alyssa Thompson and Naomi Girma, who will be expected to help Chelsea challenge for the WSL title while strengthening their own national-team standing.
Then there is Phallon Tullis-Joyce, who is chasing the USWNT’s No. 1 goalkeeper role and will once again be tasked with delivering for Manchester United.
Emily Fox is also ready to go again with Arsenal after being named to the PFA WSL Team of the Year for a second consecutive season. The right back recorded one goal and four assists across 37 appearances while helping the Gunners lift the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup. Assuming she stays healthy, Fox appears to be the closest thing to a lock in the USWNT back line.
In France, Lily Yohannes begins another season with OL Lyonnes. She will be without former teammate Lindsey Heaps, who joined NWSL expansion side Denver Summit FC. That will require some adjustment from Yohannes, who played some of her best soccer alongside Heaps in midfield.
With preseason underway, GOAL looks at what lies ahead for the USWNT stars competing in England and France this season.
Emily Fox and Arsenal are targeting every trophy
Fox has every trophy in her sights this season. In an interview with ESPN ahead of the WSL campaign, the USWNT defender made Arsenal’s ambitions clear.
“I think you have to go for all of them,” Fox said, referencing the domestic and international trophies available. “If you want to be the best, you have to go for it and be all in.”
Arsenal lost just once in the WSL last season, but six draws ultimately cost them the league title. With such fine margins separating the Gunners from reigning champions Manchester City, every result will matter this time around. Arsenal looked sharp in Wednesday’s final preseason friendly, defeating Charlton Athletic 5-1.
Fox did not start, but came on at right back during the second half and made an almost immediate impact going forward, forcing Charlton goalkeeper Sophie Whitehouse into action.
The 28-year-old is an elite one-on-one defender who can also surge relentlessly down the right flank. Her ability to influence the game at both ends of the pitch earned her a place in the PFA WSL Team of the Year.
Fox should be set for another strong season with Arsenal, and she has made it clear that the club is not chasing just one trophy. The Gunners want them all.
Sam Coffey’s comeback comes at a crucial time
When Coffey suffered an injury near the end of Manchester City’s season, the biggest impact came at the international level. The midfielder missed the USWNT’s June camp and its two friendlies against Brazil in Brazil.
Her recovery has progressed since then, and Coffey played 45 minutes in a preseason match against Barcelona as she continued working her way back. That appearance suggests she should be available for the start of the WSL campaign.
Last season was Coffey’s first in England. After a brief adjustment period, she established herself as a consistent starter and made 10 appearances following her January arrival. Coffey ultimately played an important role as Manchester City claimed its first WSL crown in a decade.
She will enter this season with that experience under her belt. With USWNT World Cup qualifying approaching this fall, Coffey’s immediate priorities will be regaining her rhythm, playing consistent minutes and staying healthy after an extended absence.
Chelsea set to lean heavily on Alyssa Thompson
After an offseason filled with change at Chelsea, Thompson is one player the Blues will be relying on heavily. The winger hit the ground running after arriving last season, immediately showcasing her fearlessness, intelligent movement around the box and clinical finishing.
Thompson scored nine goals across 32 appearances in all competitions during her debut season, finishing as Chelsea’s second-highest goalscorer. Seven of those goals came in the WSL, where she also contributed three assists. Her performances earned her a nomination for WSL Player of the Season and a place in the league’s Team of the Season.
Thompson has also established herself as a consistent presence on the wing for the USWNT. During a period when players such as Mallory Swanson and Sophia Wilson were away on maternity leave, she quickly climbed the depth chart and earned a starting role out wide. Thompson has recorded four goals and four assists for the U.S. to date.
Is this finally Naomi Girma’s time to shine?
Girma’s greatest strength has always been her ability to make defending look deceptively simple. She reads danger early, positions herself before an attack fully develops and excels at stepping into passing lanes. Her distribution is just as impressive, with Girma capable of consistently finding teammates’ feet with pinpoint passes.
Those qualities should become even more valuable to Chelsea this season. For the Blues, the hope is that this will finally be Girma’s time to shine.
Her Chelsea career has yet to truly take off, with injuries and limited minutes preventing her from building continuity and chemistry within the back line. Girma’s talent has never been the question; her availability has been the issue. Repeated interruptions have stopped her from generating momentum and establishing herself as a regular starter. Even last season, Chelsea had to carefully manage the minutes of Girma and Millie Bright as Veerle Buurman took on greater responsibility.
If Girma can put together a sustained run of matches, the ceiling is extremely high for both her and Chelsea as the club looks to reclaim the WSL title. The same applies internationally. If she stays healthy and sharp, Girma should be a first-choice USWNT center back for the October matches against Spain and World Cup qualifying.
Phallon Tullis-Joyce still chasing the USWNT’s No. 1 spot
For Tullis-Joyce, the upcoming WSL season is about building on another campaign that established her as one of the league’s most reliable goalkeepers.
The American made 21 WSL appearances for Manchester United last season and kept seven clean sheets. She recorded 17 shutouts across all competitions, underlining her importance to United’s defensive stability. Even with that success, however, Tullis-Joyce has yet to clearly establish herself as the USWNT’s No. 1 goalkeeper.
Her distribution remains the clearest area for improvement if she is to secure that role. Emma Hayes wants a goalkeeper capable of playing out from the back and helping the USWNT retain possession as an additional defender. Tullis-Joyce has improved in that area, although United’s direct style does not always allow her to consistently showcase it.
She will also face increased competition at club level following Janina Leitzig’s arrival from Leicester City. The move gives United genuine competition at the position and necessary depth as the club attempts to close the gap on the WSL’s leading contenders.
Lily Yohannes ready for a bigger role without Lindsey Heaps
Heaps’ departure for Denver Summit removes one of OL Lyonnes’ most experienced midfielders — a player capable of slowing matches down, connecting phases and providing a reliable presence between the defensive and attacking lines.
Yohannes has the technical qualities to assume a larger share of that responsibility. At just 19, she is already an exceptional midfielder, combining outstanding vision with an ability to keep the ball moving and retain possession under pressure.
Yohannes enjoyed a productive first season in Lyon, scoring six goals across all competitions, including two in the Champions League. She was also named the UEFA Women’s Champions League Revelation of the Season and was particularly effective when playing alongside Heaps.
Without the USWNT captain, Yohannes may need to become more assertive in the middle. She certainly has the passing ability to do so, although a midfield that also features Melchie Dumornay, Korbin Albert, Damaris Egurrola and Ingrid Syrstad Engen means she will not have to become a traditional do-everything No. 8.
Yohannes is also firmly in contention for a place on the USWNT’s 2027 Women’s World Cup roster. Despite her age, she is the type of midfielder who can raise the team’s level while helping maintain its rhythm and style of play when she enters a match.
