Since bringing home their fourth trophy for the United States a few months ago, the U.S Women’s National Team has undergone some vast changes.

The 2019 Women’s World Cup win was Head Coach Jill Ellis’s final victory with her team. 

Ellis began her career in 2012 as an interim coach. She concluded her career with having coached the national team through two Women’s World Cup wins.  

Ellis is one of only two coaches ever to win two World Cups. Given her success, her decision to retire left fans upset. 

Now, Coach Vlatko Andonovski has been hired to fill Ellis’s shoes. There are many fans who are disappointed with this choice, but others are optimistic. 

Andonovski expects to carry on the women’s legacy and take more steps forward rather than being comfortable with where they are. 

It is safe to say that some of the players are very fond of Andonovski, having been coached by him in the National Women’s Soccer League. Megan Rapinoe and Allie Long were coached in Seattle by Andovoski, so he is respected by the majority of the team. 

With the Olympics nearing, it will be a huge challenge for the national team to adjust to the new coaching staff.  

The national team will also be facing a detrimental hit to their offensive line with their top scoring forward taking leave. Forward Alex Morgan has recently announced her pregnancy, which takes her out of the starting lineup for the 2020 Olympics. 

This is a huge opportunity for younger players like Mallory Pugh to take advantage of playing time to score goals and possibly earn a spot on the starting lineup. 

Veteran midfielder Carli Lloyd, meanwhile, has announced that this will be her last Olympic competition before her retirement.

Lloyd has helped the national team out tremendously, especially in the 2015 World Cup, when she secured the win against Japan with a hat trick in 16 minutes. She received numerous awards for her efforts and is one of the most influential players of the decade, next to Morgan and Rapinoe. 

The national team definitely has some obstacles to overcome before the quickly approaching 2020 Olympics. Going forward, all eyes are on the national team as they embark on their journey to protect their title as the greatest team in the world.