The 2024 Olympic women’s soccer tournament is set to conclude in Paris on Saturday with the final between the United States and Brazil. While the USWNT has been dominant in the tournament under new coach Emma Hayes — it has won all its games — Brazil had a shaky group stage before beating World Cup holders Spain and hosts France in the knockouts.
Will the new-look USWNT win a fifth Olympic gold medal, its first since 2012? Or will Brazil legend Marta finally win an international trophy with her country? Although the U.S. has been successful against Brazil in recent times, anything is possible in tournament soccer.
Ahead of Saturday’s final, ESPN’s Sam Borden and Jeff Kassouf break down the matchup, answer the biggest questions and give their predictions.
Why could the USWNT win?
Call them whatever you want — and the nickname with the most sticking power lately seems to be “Triple Trouble” — but Trinity Rodman, Mallory Swanson and Sophia Smith have been the gas pedal for this group throughout the entire tournament. The trio has scored nine of the 11 American goals over five games in France, and they’ve done it in all ways: blasts from distance, cutbacks, through balls and scrambles.
There’s no doubt that the U.S. will need a total team effort to beat a quality squad like Brazil, but there’s also no denying that any success for the Americans will almost surely involve one of their frontline attackers doing something magical. Rodman had her moment in the quarters and Smith had hers in the semis — is it Swanson’s turn in the final? — Borden
