England’s Lionesses clawed their way to a second consecutive Euro title on Sunday in Switzerland, toppling reigning world champions Spain 3-1 in a dramatic penalty shootout. With a record-breaking 1.35 million viewers watching in the U.S., it raised an intriguing question: Could the U.S. women’s national team (USWNT) have won it—if they were allowed to compete in the European Championship?
On The Women’s Game podcast, USWNT captain Lindsey Heaps, now with OL Lyon, tackled the idea head-on. Reflecting on England’s wild quarter-final comeback over Sweden with retired World Cup winner Sam Mewis, Heaps acknowledged it’s hard to draw direct comparisons—especially with the U.S. in transition under Emma Hayes.
“We’re missing a lot of players,” Heaps admitted. “But we’ve got young, fresh talent that’s thriving. Emma would have us dialed in for tournament mode, and that would change everything.”
Still, when it came to the team’s fire, she didn’t hesitate: “It comes down to mentality. I’ll always believe we’d be dominating and winning.”
Of course, the internet was quick to remind everyone of the 2023 World Cup heartbreak in Melbourne, where the USWNT suffered their earliest-ever exit—ironically, at the hands of European competition. But others were just as fast to point to their redemptive triumph at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where Emma Hayes snagged gold only 76 days after taking over.
Let’s get one thing straight: this summer’s USWNT isn’t the same squad that stumbled in 2023. They’re also not identical to the Olympic gold medalists from last year—and likely won’t be the same team that steps onto the pitch for the next World Cup.
So the big question remains: Could this current version of the USWNT have shattered dreams in Switzerland?
Probably not. But they weren’t far off.
While direct head-to-head comparisons are messy—thanks to shifting squads and strategies—the U.S. record against Euro 2025 contenders isn’t as grim as it might seem. Since the 2023 World Cup, the USWNT has faced six of the 16 teams that reached Basel, including Iceland (twice), Portugal, Germany (twice), England, the Netherlands (twice), and Sweden.
In those nine matches, the USWNT notched five wins, three draws, and just one penalty shootout loss. Four wins came against Iceland and Germany, with the fifth against the Dutch.
Not too shabby—though it's worth noting that half of those teams flamed out in the group stage in Switzerland. Against the eight quarter-finalists, the U.S. played four and managed just one win—against Germany—since 2022.
Even so, their Olympic run was proof the U.S. could still go toe-to-toe with elite squads. And while they only faced Germany in that tournament, they also beat Brazil, who had earlier knocked out both France and Spain.
Could the current USWNT have made the Euro knockout rounds? Absolutely. Could they have gone deeper? That’s where things get murky—especially when comparing today’s roster to the Olympic-winning side.
The biggest difference? Star power at both ends of the field.
Up front, the “Triple Espresso” trio—Swanson, Rodman, and Smith—lit up Paris with a combined ten goals. And in the back, the towering presence of Alyssa Naeher was irreplaceable.
Naeher racked up 22 saves in the Olympics, including four clean sheets, 12 knockout-stage saves, and seven heroic stops in a brutal semifinal against Germany. While rising names like Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United) show promise, the goalkeeping pool lacks big-stage experience—a major concern in a tournament like this one, where penalties played a huge role.
On the attacking front, the absence of game-changing stars has forced new names to step up. Sam Coffey, a defensive midfielder, stunned everyone by scoring three goals in five games this June, locking in her role in Hayes’ midfield. Others have shown flashes, with new combinations forming, but the reality is: the magic of Triple Espresso isn’t easily replaced. Maybe by 2027, that spark will be back.
Let’s not forget: Emma Hayes led the U.S. to gold in just 76 days. Now, over a year into her tenure, the squad is progressing rapidly and positioning itself to challenge the very best in Europe.
Had they been thrown into Euro 2025 in Switzerland, they’d have definitely held their own. But winning the whole thing? That dream might be a few years away—yet it’s one that’s inching closer, one match at a time.
Description:
"England may have won Euro 2025, but could the USWNT have taken the crown if they were allowed to compete? Captain Lindsey Heaps and the numbers say yes—almost. Dive into the bold claims, Olympic flashbacks, and Emma Hayes’ rising empire."