Editor’s note: Shannon Mac Millan is a US Women’s National Team legend who made 176 appearances, scored 60 goals, and won the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup and 1996 Olympic Gold Medal. She is currently the VP of Community Relations for the San Diego Loyal.  

“Shannon’s Take” will run throughout the FIFA Women’s World Cup on USL channels, including a limited-run newsletter. Sign up to receive “Shannon’s Take” directly to your inbox. 

Follow Shannon on Twitter at @Shann8nMac. 

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Hi, women’s soccer fans. Welcome to my new column and newsletter about the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. 

My hope is that I can provide you with an interesting take – my take – on everything that is happening in Australia and New Zealand, particularly, with the U.S. Women’s National Team.  

To start, I must tell you I am super excited for this year’s tournament. It promises to be one of the most incredible we’ve witnessed yet, driven by the continued growth of the women’s game both on and off the field over the last decade. (Note: There is still more to be done in WoSo, which is why efforts like the USL Super League are so important.)  

That growth has seen more players and countries reach the international level and should make this year’s tourney the most interesting ever. I cannot wait to see what stories will unfold – from the contenders turning it up a notch, to the underdogs pulling off upsets, the world-class players doing amazing things, to the “unknowns” becoming household names. 

The World Cup is simply the best. Someone’s dreams will come true. Someone else’s heart will be broken. That’s the reality of the game. 

We have the privilege of watching it all together. 

The Big Picture 

As I kick off this column and things get ready to kick off Down Under, a few thoughts come to mind: 

• 32 teams. The 2023 Women’s World Cup has seen the tournament expand from 24 nations to 32 nations. This is a strong indication of the continued growth of the game. Some of the newcomers and smaller teams will suffer, but the experience will pay dividends, both on and off the field, in the long run. We’ve seen this before, and I believe it will happen again. 

• More contenders. The skill, athleticism, and passion of the players at this year’s WWC is clearly a step up from the previous one. Every World Cup is like this. More countries than ever have legitimate shots at the title, including European champions England, the Spanish side loaded with gifted stars from Barcelona’s UEFA Women’s Champions League-winning team, and, of course, Brazil, led by the ageless Marta.  

• Beware the upsets. It’s not just the players, but also the coaches, who continue to be more sophisticated than ever. This will lead to some interesting results, as teams overcome their technical deficiencies through tactical smarts. Case in point: Zambia’s upset of Germany in a recent friendly – trust me, there’s no such thing as a “friendly” in international soccer. 

• Supporting the players. Off the field, I believe this WWC will give a much-needed push to move the needle for many players and countries. For example, can New Zealand, as one of the host nations, use this momentum to ratchet up support for its players? Can Jamaica get their federation to treat their players like the full internationals that they are? Honestly, we’ve seen way too many teams having to fundraise and/or battle with their own federations leading up to the tournament. The players will show up and fight for the crest on their jersey. Will the spotlight of the WWC push their federations to fight for them?  

• What of the USWNT? This is, for me, the biggest question of them all: Can the USWNT bring home an unprecedented “three-peat” and 5th star? 

Three Takes on the USWNT

1. Start strong. Teams, especially the US, cannot take any opponent lightly – preparation and execution of the game plan from the first match is imperative. The US mentality needs to be unleashed from the opening whistle of our match against Vietnam. For some countries, the opportunity to face the US is on par with playing in the final - the US always get their opponents’ best. The USWNT must match that energy. The ideal scenario is to have your bracket “under control” before the third match. This allow Head Coach Vlatko Andonovski to rest some starters and get important quality minutes for reserves.   

2. Embrace your role. Can players who have been the “superstars” in the past accept supporting roles? This US team has a LOT of young quality and depth, which means that stalwarts like Megan Rapinoe, Kelley O’Hara, and Julie Ertz may find themselves starting on the bench. What effect will that have on the chemistry of the team? The World Cup is a long tournament, and team unity plays a massive role in success. A healthy blend of veteran experience and exciting youth can be explosive – both for the good and the bad. How will it play out for this team? 

3. Enjoy the journey. Win or lose, the USWNT always takes us on an exciting journey during tournaments. Having been there as a player, I urge the squad to enjoy every moment – whether you are playing in your first or your last Cup. Same goes for fans. We all want the team to win, and I have confidence that our chances are good this year – but whether we lift the trophy again or not, enjoy it! The World Cup is always about more than what happens on the field. It’s about the experience and the community of fans, new and old, who come together every four years to give another huge jolt to the women’s game. So get your Red, White, and Blue out. Get ready for the journey. And LFG!