Spirit star Trinity Rodman feels tug of international soccer

Trinity Rodman and the Washington Spirit open the NWSL season Friday at Houston, but the fifth-year forward admits she feels the pull of playing overseas.

After leading the Spirit to the NWSL final and a runner-up finish to Orlando last season, Rodman took notice of multiple marquee transfers to European clubs in the offseason. It was difficult not to, considering three were teammates on the USWNT roster.

"I've always thought about playing overseas at some point in my career," Rodman told ESPN's Futbol W. "I think I would kick myself if I retired and hadn't done that. So it's just a matter of when, I think. But yeah, just focused on this year and we'll see what happens when the time is right."

Naomi Girma received a record $1.1 million to play for Chelsea in a move finalized the last week of January. Girma, 24, said Chelsea offered the "right opportunity to learn and grow in." Jenna Nighswonger (Arsenal) and Crystal Dunn (Paris Saint-Germain) are the other USWNT teammates now playing in Europe.

Rodman, drafted by the Spirit in 2021 when she was NWSL Rookie of the Year with seven goals and seven assists, turns 23 in May and didn't set any specific timetable for testing the international waters. She told ESPN she plans to focus on this season.

She had eight goals and six assists in 26 matches in 2024.

--Field Level Media