Korbin Albert: PSG’s American Trendsetter (Full Length)

Parts 1–5 Available in Smaller Portions If Interested

Portugal’s Jessica Silva and Sweeden’s Zećira Mušović Behind USWNT Collapse

The US women’s national team has fallen apart what has previously worked is not working anymore. Ever since 2019 World Cup final, there has been a steady decline. The national team has been distracted with ulterior motives and drama that in some ways has put a target on their back. As it was shown at this latest World Cup a target, they were unwilling and incapable of overcoming. Their lowest finish at a World Cup in history. Even before that the cracks were damaging the pavement. Not only falling short in the world cup but prior to the Olympics. More and more sides were starting to figure them out. This is coupled with poor career decisions. The United States used to have any elite league with the top players. This just isn’t the case anymore. Everything has shifted towards Europe. A serious problem on the horizon that the national teams players continue to ignore. The ladies Ballon D’or has taken place since 2018. Of the five ceremonies, we’ve witnessed four of the winners came from European clubs and the one that didn’t was not a justified choice for the honor. Considering the total voting of all of those ceremonies. European football has dominated every single time. In the last two, no player playing in the United States finished in the top 10. The nominees from the last two finished near the bottom of the 20 nominations. It is clear what hasn’t worked. However, personal choices have stood in the way of the national team being prepared for these sort of moments. If you think this doesn’t matter then you’re obviously confused. All the best, players in the world are playing in European leagues. The u.s national team during the club season is not tested against the best. We’ve seen the result of this in the second match of the group stage the u.s faced Portugal. The lack of experience coming from the team, playing against the best was blatantly obvious against Portugal. Benfica star Jessica Silva against the United States was just her second ever game at a World Cup. This match in question ended as a goalless draw with Silva being a wisker away from beating the USA and sending them home. Silva hit the post in the final mintues. Silva nearly sabotaging their entire world cup before it began almost by herself. The most jarring part of all of this was seeing Jessica Silva run rampant through the World Cup holders and the favorites to win the tournament. Them being the favorites was a blind sided skewed view. In many of their friendlies against top competitions prior to the tournament they were out played. However Jessica Silva was partically a nightmare for them. At 27 years old She never played at a World Cup and humiliated the champions. Jessica Silva is an incredibly explosive individual with a wide skill set. 17 goals in 17 games for Benfica prior to the summer’s tournament. However, a US team with the pedigree could not find any way to slow her down. Silva hits the crossbar in the closing moments had it gone in the United States would have been knocked out in the group stage and Portugal would have made it through as Silva was in tears at the final whistle. Then the USA was reintroduced into Sweden’s Zećira Mušović in the Round of 16. Even though they dominate Sweden throughout they couldn’t break down the door being held by Zećira Mušović the same issues they had in 2020 in the Group stage of the Olympics. USA had a chance on several occasions but fall on penalties in the round of 16. Instead of accepting blame for their horrid tournament they then cried wolf. Outrage about the final penalty that a VAR check deciding penalty. Ignoring the fact that they had missed multiple penalties that could have put the United States in position to win and progress. Sophia Smith took one of the worst penalties we’ve seen out of World Cup in the biggest moment. She’s a tremendous talent and will be able to bounce back but the fact still remains he was expected to be the Golden Girl and crumbled at the biggest moment. Megan Rapino was denied not only in the shootout but missed multiple sitters throughout the tournament it was clear she was taken up a spot she didn’t deserved. It was at the amuse of many considering some of the toxic behavior she has displayed in recent years. No need to get political here, but let’s just say she’s created more distractions to the team than they ever have had in history not only that she was wrong about her complaints and had no case whatsoever the only people that thought she had a point have blue hair.

USWNT’s Biggest Problem: Why Smith and Rodman can’t be the center piece

The US national team didn’t work its clear why. Everyone will blame the coach he was horrendous; However, the real reason is staring them in the face no one will admit it was the reason to protect the NWSL, but it was bluntly obvious. 23 players that were picked to represent their country at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. 22 of them were not playing in Europe Lindsey Horan is the only one with Olympic Lyon. She also spend time previously at PSG before spending time in the US in between. She was the best play on the U.S national team by a country mile. Catarina Macario is the best American player going at the moment. She plays at Cheslea and spent the four previous seasons at Lyon. She missed the tournament due to injury. She is one of the best young players in the world the only player at the level with the best. I reference all this to say the trend of the national team is heading in a direction That’s not of a positive nature. After the World Cup they forked out the big money for one of the best coaches on the planet. Emma Hayes a woman with a trophy cabinet that very few can match. She’s a winner She’s tough and can be very intimidating with a deep mentality She demands a certain level. Some of these girls will not be able to handle it. We could be seeing a total reconfiguration of the national team. The USA is far behind as we evaluate the best teams in the world. Most of the stars players are playing in the top level on big champions league nights. They also are playing against the best. Something of the vast majority of the squad has never done! The United States players are not competing against the best in the world because of the leagues have chosen to play in It. Don’t matter if it’s Spain, Italy, Germany, Norway or Sweden. Being at the top against the best is the only way to truly return the glory. Emma Hayes is one of the best managers in the world. She brings a different personality that they will be unfamiliar with. However, the arrival of Emma Hayes isn’t enough. The USA league used to be at an acceptable level NO MORE. Here in lies the problem All the best Players are not playing in the United States. They are playing in Europe. The route to professionalism and success for the United States is not working. The way is set up is for them to fail. Spain, England, Sweden, the Netherlands, Australia and many of the other top countries will continue to grow. To grow. If we don’t change the way everything is happening, it will be hard to catch up to what is being developed across the board. Bringing in Emma Hayes simply isn’t enough! Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman are the gems of the team and the future they set the standard going forward. Yet display no bravery and no risk to test themselves in Europe. Not only are they part of the problem they are the problem. There are plenty of teams that would be interested but we’re not seeing it happen nor do they display that they want to. What the national team needs is someone to break the mold someone to make the right choices! someone to test themselves on the highest of peaks. Someone that can be the face of the transformation of the women’s national team. Even Canada is making the tight moves their players get it. The USA needs A trendsetter. We saw this two years ago with the Canadian national team. Julie grosso went to Juventus only to see many others follow suit. Jessie Fleming (Cheslea), Olivia Smith (Sporting Lisbon), Kadeisha Buchanan (Cheslea) Shelina Zadorsky (Spurs) Jayde Riviere (Man United) Vanessa Gilles (Lyon) Ashley Lawerence (Chelsea) Deanne Rose (Leicsiter City) and Evelen Viens (Roma) there’s even more to name. Even though the USA got further Canada is doing all the right things. Ask youself who won something more recently who is better set up for the future Canada or the USA every year in existence the answer would have been USA but its not anymore. Something not right! At least Canada is leaning in to change the path of Canadian football. The United States need something similar. Sophia and Trinity can’t be the ones dictating the future it’s too much power to put in the hands players making the wrong decisions. USA needs a young on to take it out of their hands and put in the hands of one that has the responsivity of carrying it. A young star is needed, one that is willing to sacrifice and push back against what is always been done to highlight the European importance. Her name is Korbin Albert. She our only hope.

Korbin Albert shows College Soccer is a Dying Breed for the Elite

Korbin Albert has abandoned the traditional route. Historically speaking, the USA women’s national team has gotten its players through the collegiate system. It is a system that certainly has lost its sizzle. It has been designed as a pathway towards the NWSL. The American youth system has been broken for a number of years. While the college system can be effective for some players it turns out it can be very damaging for others. Korbin Albert went from the being the rising star of college soccer at Notre Dame to PSG. A Sensational young talent that was the biggest difference maker for Notre Dame. She was one THE star of the show. Only to leave early for greater pastures. We very rarely have seen players do this in fact she may be first. In Europe they have youth academies that is how all the big stars have gotten their name. Korbin Albert followed the untraditional route in terms of what in the norm in Europe, but she started with the Traditional one fully being aware of what that route leads to playing in the NWSL. A league without the best players on the planet and that’s putting it nicely not very many players in the league would even be capable of a move to Europe. World class player is hard to come by in a league that doesn’t have that substance. I’m not simply trashing the NWSL as a product. It is competitive and some of the games have an exciting element. However, that simply is not the point. The best players are elsewhere. The same players that they will compete against at the World Cup are another countries. The route is effective for girls that want to play professional football. However, it is not an effective route for national team players. Yet they all fall into this trap because it is what is available to them and it’s the easiest thing to do. To do what is difficult is never truly the encouraged option, especially in American society. Young footballers go through the tribulations to become great high school stars. They become college stars and then then get drafted to the NWSL. This is how it’s always been done. This is also primarily why a large portion of American players are not at the best leagues because this entire route and pathway is designed to get to a league that the top players shouldn’t want to be. However, change could be on the horizon. Korbin Albert whether she wants to or not, she is the face of this new movement. She is a trendsetter that could absolutely change college soccer and the NWSL forever. This league is a safe haven for the up-and-coming stars. In reality, particularly for national team players, it certainly should be a last resort. If you are a national team player or someone with the ambitions to be on that stage, this should be avoided at all costs. You can’t be an ambitious player with big objectives and end up in the NWSL as their first choice. However, if you don’t have any national team pedigree in your future but still want to play professionally, the NWSL is a fine place and I would encourage it for those in that camp but for the ones that vow to be great it will only kill the career you may have even if you get found out and it doesn’t work for you at least you had the courage to take that chance. Occasionally some of Europe’s premier stars as they age come down here to experience all of this at the end like Martha and Andressa Alves. However, the objective of any young woman striving to do great things for their country and their club should follow the breadcrumbs that is being left by Korbin Albert.

The Face of the Movement

The rising Star went from being Notre Dame’s Golden girl to be playing on Champions League nights against the Italian champions and in Munich against the German champions. She used to wear Notre Dame colors Now she wears PSG colors. In a very short amount of time She became a superstar in college and in the very next moment she was on one of the best teams in the world. She’s already been someone that the national team has had their eyes on. She has played on the youth teams of the United States national team. She was one of the ones selected at the u20 World Cup She started two matches of the tournament. She has earned this enormous move. Being the face of this movement is a very polarizing position. There has been a lot of sacrifices that she has taken to make this dream a reality. PSG is a huge club, particularly in the women’s game. They have world-class players at every single position. The interest of PSG was certainly too strong to ignore or turn down. She understood the sacrifices with what she was given up. Every player on the national team currently has gone through the same route. It has been more or less a rite of passage. However, she isn’t everyone She has gone a different way to the ones that came before. In fact, you take it a step further. Very few players on the planet would have been granted the opportunity that was bestowed on her feet. Jordan Morris was given similar opportunity but he turned it down to be comfortable. Whether or not he could have made it in the Bundesliga when Bremen gave him an opportunity is unclear. However, we haven’t heard much from Jordan Morris in a big way after making the wrong move. Maybe he never would have lasted. Maybe he would have found himself right back where he was initially. However, he wasn’t willing to take the risk and sacrifice to get there. However. Korbin Albert, not only was willing to make the plunge at PSG but it was done without hesitation. It’s not like she wasn’t giving up everything to do this because she was. Her departure from college soccer and Notre Dame may have opened up the door for others to follow this. If she hits College soccer will become a launching pad instead of a stomping ground. It completely different conversation. College soccer has always been the stomping ground for professional. However, maybe that doesn’t have to be the case anymore? To reach the very best, maybe college soccer isn’t the most necessary. College soccer for special players could be used as a launching pad to Europe. The more moves like this we tend to see the more change could be on the horizon. Perhaps less importance will be put on it and on top of that we could see academies starting to be developed on pro teams or we could see the young stars of the future skip college altogether and get themselves opportunities in Europe a place that would set them up better at the next level. There will always be a place for college soccer, but the elites may find themselves within a different bracket. Even though it’s always been done this way a player sacrificing multiple years of eligibility to sign for a European team is a rarity. This may be the first time this has happened. With all the reason behind why the United States got eliminated from the world cup. There’s not been beacon of hope. The young up and coming players that have already established themselves on the national team recently. Very few of them seem to be swaying towards taking a swing at Europe. Albert has been the first one to do something like this. It has paid off with some impressive performances this season. She took a plunge for PSG. She was willing to throw everything forward the entire kitchen sink to do this. People don’t realize she was a superstar Notre Dame maybe even the best player in the country. Not only was she nominated and won many awards for her collegiate career, but her statistic would match the hype and the explanation for why Paris took an interest. She only played two seasons at Notre Dame. She threw away the other two so she could sign for PSG. As a true freshman She had 16 goal contributions. 12 goals and four assists. Her sophomore season she exploded even further with 20 goal contributions. 16 goals and five assists. In her two seasons at Notre Dame, she compiled 37 goal contributions with 28 goals and nine assists in 44 matches 44 % as a shot on goal percentage point with eight game-winning goals for Notre Dame. Had this PSG opportunity not come to light. She could have gone down as Notre Dame’s greatest player in school history. She probably would have collected more awards broken more records. Maybe could have gotten as much as 70 goal contributions before her graduation. Not only that, she would have been the overwhelming favorite to be the number one pick in the NWSL draft. So much more was coming down the pipe. However Korbin Albert surrendered everything signing for PSG was worth more than any of the other opportunities that could have come her way. Inevitably considering her quality and her level, she would have found a way to get into Europe. However, it probably would not have been immediate. The financial advantages of the playing in the United States would have been something difficult to turn down. She turned 20 years old in October. At the beginning of this season she was still 19. Had she continued her college career and seen it through, she probably would have ended up playing in the United States for a couple years before making the jump to Europe. This very move could have still come together down the line. However, she wouldn’t be playing in the Champions League at 20, but maybe 24. The fact that she makes this move now vindicates herself as a critical piece of the national team going forward playing against the best on a regular basis but more so than ever understanding and knowing in her heart that she made the right choice. Not only did she make a brilliant choice for her career, a choice that many of the US women’s national team players would not have made,but She may have transcended American soccer by doing this provide somthing meaningful to follow. The impact of this move is unclear this moment. However, the more Americans that do this and the up-and-coming ones that are witnessing this from the distance could change the perspective of the approach to professional football. She not only joined one of the best teams in the world, but she may have just revolutionized and change the conversation surrounding Europe. If she continues to be a success in PSG and becomes a pillar of the national team, more and more players will start to make the moves to Europe. Something that is more needed than many realize.

Korbin Albert: Americas Centerpiece in Midfield

While the lack of members of the national team playing in Europe is one of the biggest problems and has heavily contributed to the World Cup disappointment; It’s not the only issue that needs to be addressed. The United States has a massive gap in another area. It’s a big problem and needs to be explored but the desperate need of Korbin Albert goes slightly beyond that. The national team, Now has to their disposal in my view the best manager in the Wolrd. A few more players are starting to venture into Europe but its a slow process that sees the USA far behind However, the midfield is a complete disaster! From top to bottom the midfield is complete rubbish! In comparison to the world champions, for example They are miles apart how many midfielders from USWNT could get into the Spain Midfield even the bench most of the current would struggle to get into. Most of the top national teams that the United States inevitably wants to be competing against are elite in the midfield if not world class. Spain are the hunted after winning the World Cup. The midfield choices that Spain has to their disposal are outrageous. Then you look at the United States, a national team that has dominated for several decades. There is a serious lack of quality throughout in this area making it a necessary problem they must find improvement. This is why there’s never been no bigger need for a 20-year-old champions league midfielder. Korbin Albert is a necessity if not a requirement. While she only has one cap to her name so far. As the midfield has been obliterated and become significantly the weakest link of the entire team. She isn’t some nice piece to have She is THE PIECE. She’s a rising star with world-class potential that operates in a position of need. Korbin Albert is going to continue to develop at PSG and could become even more important for the national team. She is the one playmaker on the national team at the moment that has the pedigree some level of experience and the skill set to be able to compete with the best. The midfield options currently are horrid. They have red flags written all over them. Korbin Albert and Lindsay Horan happen to be the only positive outlooks on the midfield. Lindsay Horan needs help! Desperate HELP! Anyone that watched the world cup will know how one side of that midfield was it was one dimentional slow Linsey Horan and the midfild battle is yours! Lindsay had to do absolutely everything. She’s been in a completely overwhelmed position. A young rising star such as Korbin Albert has never been more important to this aspect of the national team. The other midfield options are appalling. The retirement of Megan Rapino and Julie Ertz is going to crush them. This is why there’s going to be so much pressure and important on Korbin Albert becoming a vital component to the American midfield. The European ladies being Lindsay Horan and Korbin Albert could create something special together. They are very vastly different types of midfielders. Lindsay is more defensively minded. However, recently she’s had to be a box-to-box midfielder which isn’t to her strengths she has adapted extremely well though the 29-Year-old has scored 6 goals in 7 in Ligue I for Lyon. She’s done as well as one possibly could have but it has put her out of her comfort zone. This is becuase the lack of qualities and issues that They have outside of Lindsay Horan and Korbin Albert. Rose Lavelle might be only 28 years old. However, her performances since the last World Cup have only gone down. She peaked in the 2019 World Cup final and has been erratic and inconsistent ever since. She spent a year and a half at Manchester City and was blatantly exposed on a weekly basis against the best competition. Many people view her as an asset. I see her as a liability a huge one! That goal in the world cup final in 2019 means nothing now! Emily Sonnett only lasted 10 matches in Europe before returning to the United States. She’s already 30 years old and has not offered a lot of value to the team. She would get bullied by most elite midfielders. Jenna Nighswonger and Olivia Moultrie are completely unproven and too much of a risk to be used in matches of importance. Then we have Savannah De Melo One of the dirtiest players in the game today while also being incredibly erratic with her decision making. She only has seven caps with the national team and I’m already tired of her. Andy Sullivan anytime she’s been up against elite opposition She has been exposed repeatedly. I don’t mean to throw all these players under the bus, but they just do not have the quality to compete with the best midfield in the world. The game is won in the midfield and on the international stage. This midfield is so far behind and have so much catching up to do. Kristie Mewis is a very solid midfielder again She has limited European experience and it did not go well when she took the chance. She’s also so on the older side but she’s a solid piece to the midfield at least for now. Then we have a few others that aren’t ready and a few others that aren’t proven. This leaves a gigantic gap in what the national team needs to provide in the midfield. Right now the US midfield is sitting in a situation where as it stands.

The Ligue I Duo: Lindsey Horan and Korbin Albert MORE Help Needed

Lindsey Horan is the only reliable option. Korbin Albert with one cap. However, she should be a centerpiece to the retransformation of the US midfield. It’s a huge issue which is why bringing her into the setup and her big move to PSG and her doing well thus far is really important. She will get her opportunities to come in and really prove herself on a high level. The potential duo between herself and Lindsey Horan can be quite a strong partnership. Albert is more of a creator and an attacking midfielder. She has the athleticism to be box to box but her attacking attributes and her passing outweighs her defensive capabilities. Meanwhile, Lindsay can pick up the slack defensively allowing Albert to roam free and be the playmaker that she is in the middle. However Linsdey can be a dangerous threat in attack too she knows how to position herself in the right spots. The United States attack has real substance. Fixing the midfield outside of having more of the players In Europe is the biggest problem that needs to be addressed. That is why the stock of Albert is only going to go up. She has the opportunity to make a big impact and fill in the gap of a midfield that has so many issues. The fact of the matter is Lindsey Horan and Albert is not enough much more is needed but they dont have it. They can create quite a combination with one another. It’s essential that they do so. However, the United States is missing multiple components of a midfield collectively. That is why the timing of Albert for breakthrough at PSG and her continued growth couldn’t be more important. The hope is that some of the unproven ones will start to develop and show their quality to add some level of help to a midfield that is crying for it. However, the optimistic view of this is Albert can come in almost immediately, especially considering the way she’s played so far not only in the league but in the Champions League as well. She’s on one of the best teams in the world, which means she’s training and battling against world-class players. Multiple world-class players. Every single training session. The necessity of Korbin Albert in a fading midfield is more than a necessity. She feels an absolute requirement. There’s going to be a token of responsibility because of this but it’s something she’s capable of. She didn’t forgo her last two years at Notre Dame for kicks and giggles. She did this to become a big factor with PSG and the national team. She will welcome that responsibility and she can create a great relationship with Lindsey Horan. The two of them can start the rebuild of the midfield it starts with them. They need to be best friends; on the pitch and off of it. What does a 20-Year-old and 29-year-old have in common? Probably not much of anything but they need to find common group. They need to eat together room together know each other’s families know every little detail about what makes them tick. During USA camps they shouldn’t even leave each other’s site the entire midfield is banking on them clicking. The USA Midfield is horrible! Korbin Albert and Linsdey Horan need to be like sisters. Everything hangs on them. It’s missing a lot of components but those two becoming critical pieces together as a duo will give the national team and experience player and a rising star as building blocks for this midfield down the line. They will need help and eventually the United States will have to figure out their midfield situation, but with Albert becoming more of a regular on the national team set up, it gives them an opportunity to start a midfield rebuild with piece that they can build around. She is a requirement and fills the need that needs desperate help.

A Transformation of USWNT Under Emma Hays:

The US women’s national team has crumbled before our eyes. For the longest time they have been one of the most dominant forces in the history of women’s football. They ran through everyone and continue to win at the highest level. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the United States has the best World Cup team of all time. The United States was beaten by Japan. One of the strongest teams ever to play in the world cup. That Japan team in particular was next level. The Germany side that one World Cup and back-to-back years is probably the single greatest team we’ve ever seen on the women’s stage. However, collectively, the United States has the biggest reputation of success in the women’s game. While distractions have played a part in all of this, something that certain individuals have put on to themselves, the United States national team fell apart in a blink of an eye. They won the World Cup in 2019. The fact is there was crack in the pavement before then. The 2015 World Cup was the last time. They were truly great. In 2019 they won the World Cup without a top 20 player on their team. In some ways it was almost more impressive because of this. A penalty in the semi-final for England that hit the post could have changed everything for the United States. In the final Martens was not completely healthy had she been they probably would have lost. Before the 2019 triumph, they were beaten by Sweden in the Olympics. Since 2015 it was slowly falling apart. They managed to grab the World Cup in 2019 as fortunate as it may have been. They have fallen even deeper. Coming off the worst World Cup they’ve ever had. There’s work to be done. There are at least five national teams that are better today than the United States. Coming from a national team that has dominated for so long and has been considered the best team in the world they’ve got work to do to turn this around and to be a side capable of winning the World Cup or big trophies again. The players that have made the United States great are gone now. This is a new generation of players that we’re seeing. Make career mistakes that were exposed at the 2022 World Cup. The federation expects a certain level of excellence. They went bold and aggressive in hopes of changing the tide. They poached Emma Hayes from Chelsea. One of the most intense managers in the women’s game will be taking over the national team in March after the conclusion of the Premier League season. She has 23 trophies to her name In my eyes. She is the best manager in the world. The only thing missing from her resume is a champion’s league. She made the final once but came up short. She’s got a lot of work to do with this United States team. Korbin Albert Just maybe the gem to which she will build around. Mentally strong individuals will thrive under Emma Hayes. Weak ones will be exiled. This has been one of the most sensitive teams they’ve had in recent years. They continually complained about the way they were eliminated from the world cup. No accountability, just a list of excuses. They haven’t mentioned or talked about the penalty misses that led to the elimination. No one talks about how Jessica Silva tormented them for 90 Minuntes. They celebrated making the round of 16 in the most embarrassing way possible. Carli Lloyd, a great player and a legend of the national team called their mentality into question. Instead of taking the criticism and trying to adapt, they deflected and took her evaluation personally. Only the strong will survive Emma Hayes’s, philosophy and leadership qualities. Emma Hayes is one of the most intense managers. She’s tough She doesn’t tolerate anything other than the best. She holds everyone accountable and some people more harshly than others. This is a big job which is why the emergence of a young star in Europe will be a very valuable thing for her. Some will quit and will never be heard from again i’m not joking when I say that. In a speech that she made at Chelsea during a documentary series, she said “

“ Some of you ain’t been good enough we expect more you should expect more So many of you were s*** felt like deja vu from last year This is a business is the concept that clear in your mind. If isnt, you need to become clear This is f****** Chelsea We demand a lot from this environment We will give you everything you put it in I’ll have to say to you get better or I’ll get someone else in Wake up wake up its not pernmant”

“I’m the leader I drive the standards if I don’t set the tone I might as well be at another club. -Emma Hays

Mind you This is the way she spoke to a Chelsea team that has won almost everything. She is going to expect excellence. She expects to win even if at this moment that’s a far-fetched situation. Some of the women on the national team will not like or appreciate this type of leadership. However, Emma Hayes can do what she wants. She’s got the resume and she’s got the trophy cabinet. Most of the national team players currently on the squad haven’t won anything. Only Alex Morgan has won the World Cup and maybe a few others. However, Alex Morgan probably is on the way out. Anyways. This is why there’s a huge importance of many of the players to be playing in Europe. She’s going to lean on very particular types of individuals. She’s going to expect a lot. Some will not be able to tolerate this level and will either quit or Emma won’t call them up anymore. This is a very sensitive United States national team. Some will obliterate some and some will not be back. Emma Hayes will need someone to lean on as she tries to transform the woman’s national team. She is being paid the same amount as the men’s national team coach. She is worth every penny and then some. The national team has a few players in Europe. However, there’s only one on the national team at the moment that is just bursting onto the scene through Europe. There’s obviously a few that will be leaned on. Mia Michel & Catarina Macario for example, two players playing at Chelsea as we speak. Emma Hayes is already familiar with them and what they bring to the table. She also will somewhat rely on Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman. However, them not being in Europe testing themselves against the best at this moment those two are not the most reliable resources to build around. I’ve already referenced the attack is more than sufficient. The midfield is the area that needs the most work. She knows Lindsey Horan’s game in the Champions League. She also will be a pillar of this team. However, she’s already been well established and experienced. What Emma Hayes will want is a diamond that she can build this team around.

Korbin Albert Will be Emma Hays Dimond

There’s only one player on the national team that has transcended. The three players I mentioned went through their entire college career before hitting the big stage. Macario is 24, Fisher is 22 Sophia Smith is 24 and Trinity Rodman is 23. These are all young players. Don’t get confused Korbin Albert 20. She is the only one that broke through into Europe before the age of 20. She turned 20 in October. She signed with PSG when she was 19. She plays a position that is in need at the United States. She is drastically young which makes her a prime candidate to be a possible diamond for Emma Hayes’s USWNT. She’s already delivered on the big stage against one of the best teams in the world. She has played her part against elite teams in France and has shown an unbelievable level of quality. She is precisely the most qualified component of this team to be built around. There are players on the national team that at this stage are better than Albert. However No one else skipped their last 2 years at college to sign for a Europan Giant at 19. Korbin Albert is absolutely a different breed. She’s a type of player That can make the difference on the big stage. She’s 20 years old and has already scored in the Champions League against one of the best teams in the world. Albert has a great opportunity to be at the center of this. Emma Hayes revolution with the United States national team. Although she’s worked with some of the other players before in attack. The midfield will make or break the national team until it gets stronger. They need a strong personality there to build what she is after. Lindsey Horan is also there an experienced player who has played in France for several years. Korbin Albert has all the intangibles to be able to deliver on the big stage. She very well could be a diamond for Emma Hayes. This environment is one she’s not unfamiliar with. She plays for PSG one of the best teams in the world. PSG expects excellence It takes a mentally strong individual to jump to PSG at so young. She is the future! This is the type of player that will lead them into the fire. I understand she only has one cap but She has the maturity, the mental capability. She’s testing herself against the very best in Europe and is getting big minutes for PSG. One of the best teams in the world. Her teammates at PSG or some of the best players on the planet. She has found a way to earn her space in the starting lineup at times and off the bench. We all saw her at Notre Dame and the level she was able to reach in her two years in the collegiate space. This is a story that I have followed kind of closely from a distance. However, I hadn’t seen her perform on the big stage yet. I watched Albert play twice against the Roma women’s team my Roma. PSG happened to be in the group of death with my Roma ladies. Along with Bayern Munich and Ajax. Roma is one of the best teams in the world. They haven’t quite cracked the level shown by PSG consistently. However, they won the Italian league last season and are currently perfect in league play with 11 consecutive victories. Outside of the two losses Roma had to Albert’s PSG they haven’t lost. They’ve scored over 60 goals this season already. In another group they would probably win the group. They’re still a chance for them to qualify, but the point is Roma is a formidable opponent. Now PSG is the more talented side with the better players, however Manuela Giuliano is one of the best players in the world. There’s very few midfielders that have operated on this type of level this season. Valentina Giacinti is a player that has scored over 300 goals in her career She is a better player and has had a better career than Alex Morgan. One of the best wingers in the world Haavi One of the most inform players in the world Evelyn Viens One of the best defensive teams and patrolling their midfield Saki Kumagai a five time champions league winner. Again, PSG are the better team, but when I saw her play against Roma you see all the quality. Korbin Albert 20 years old. She is playing with players that are winners. Against Roma she didn’t look out of place and found her ways to be impactful. She was part of the passing sequence that set up one of their first half goals. She didn’t assist She didn’t score but she was a part of the goal. She made an impact. She made intelligent decisions and showed true maturity. In the second game in Rome, she came off the bench and scored her first professional goal. Scoring against one of the best defensive sides against one of the best goalkeepers Camelia Caesar. It was sweetly stuck in the back of the net. She checks all the boxes to be one of the most important components of this national team and the direction Emma Hayes intends to take it.

A Skill-set and Potential Comparable to World Class Roma Playmaker Manuela Giugliano

From a skill set standpoint she is elite and she’s only going to grow into a match winner. A dynamic midfielder with some really exceptional attacking traits. She has good dribbling skills and ball control. It is difficult to take the ball offer now. There are players that can do it and have done it, but she’s only going to refine those set of skills. Not to mention she’s a rather gifted passer. She also can make those runs in behind and find herself in great attacking situations. She is a capable goal scorer. While she is only scored once for PSG. If you look at the breakdown of what she’s able to do on the pitch, you’ll see all the level that we have seen so far at PSG. She is in a midfield that is a loaded deck, yet she’s found ways to be very effective inside of it. By the time she’s 21, she will be one of the most critical pieces of the PSG side. She is absolutely thriving at a ridiculous level. She’s played very well, not only against Roma but against Benfica and Bayern Munich. She is the type of player that we could see down the line score. 10 goals a season for a decade. Ironically, she is very similar to Manuela Giuliano. I don’t need to be a Roma fan here, but they have very similar styles of play. Now Albert just has got her feet off the ground and is doing tremendously well. She is nowhere near the level of Manuela Giuliano but they have some similar characteristics. Especially when it comes to her dribbling ability in front of goal. She often finds a way to confuse defending goalkeepers something that Manuela Giuliano has done for years. While I see Albert more as a goal scorer than a facilitator. Obviously, Manuela Giuliano does both at a high level, but she’s known for her playmaking ability and her passing as well as her leadership. Albert still has a way to go before we see that level, but they’re also quite similar in some regard. She’s only going to continue to thrive the more she’s in Europe. The fact that she made the decision to play in Europe instead of doing the United States route shows her intelligence. It’s very clear here that Korbin Albert has all the characteristics the intangibles and checks all the boxes of being a game changer in an Emma Hayes team. While there are other components of this side that are very promising, the 20-year-old PSG star will be before not too long the catalyst to Emma Hayes’s USWNT

Smith and Rodman made the wrong choices Korbin Albert Will be More Prepared when it counts

We are already seeing Albert’s move to PSG as an essential method of madness. All of this is about her being a trendsetter for possibly a new outlook on the way the players will operate primarily in club selection. If everything comes together in the right way, we will see more and more players evacuate the United States and test themselves against the very best. The fact of the matter is not everyone will be capable of it. There are a couple individuals on the current national team that we’re not good enough to compete against the best in Europe. While some of them have rebounded and have been able to perform at a high level against elite competition, a vast majority of them have not. However, it takes real bravery to do what she has done. She went into a situation that was completely unpredictable. There was no guarantee that she was going to get solid game time and how much she would play. Well, she still scored only once in the PSG colors. She is basically starting every match this season. I haven’t paid too close attention to it but most of the matches she is starting or at least playing a substantial amount of time. Her PSG contract is not a short deal. It’s worth 3 years. PSG made their intense completely clear and she made her intent clear when she made the move. Since the World Cup has ended and since she joined PSG from Notre Dame, we have starting to see the trend. Have positive outlooks already. Now when I say trendsetter, we’re looking at this from a long -term vantage point. However, since she is made the move to Paris we are seeing not a lot but some moves that Go along with the trend that she is setting. Mia fishel recently moved to Chelsea. This not only will benefit the team, but Emma Hayes is the manager of Chelsea until the summer when she joins the u.s national team. Officially. Mia though is a different case. She was the number sixth pick of the draft couple years ago. She ultimately did a 360 after being drafted by the Carolina courage. She instead went to Mexico and has been a scoring machine ever since she’s arrived. She recently have made the move to Chelsea. Catarina Macario may not apply to the traditional route nevertheless she’s signed for Chelsea. After a couple seasons with Olympic Lyon and winning everything she’s now decided to make the move to England. U.s defender Emily Fox according to multiple reports is about to join Arsenal in England. So since the conclusion of the world cup and since Albert made a move to PSG, there have been several players on the move to Europe. The route Korbin Albert made was an incredibly important one. There’s going to be a substantial difference between her and some of the other counterparts. While the United States is very strong in attack, The crucial individuals that the United States is going to have to consistently rely on up front are failing to see the message. Albert only has one appearance with the national team. However, this is why despite that, she will be more prepared for the big moments wearing the red, white and blue, then multiple attacking players that played at the World Cup. The entirety of all these moves that the United States women’s national team is making. On top of Albert going to PSG Emma Hayes coming in as manager. It does seem the team is attempting to tread in a certain direction. Albert obviously appearing to be a component of this movement. In fact, she’s probably the face of it at this point. Sophia Smith and Trinity rodman are without question the most talented attacking players on the national team. Alex Morgan hasn’t retired yet, but I doubt she will participate in the next World Cup. The Olympics may be on the table but collectively Alex Morgan’s importance to the national team has dwindled Even before the World Cup. The attack will be built surrounded by Trinity rodman and Sophia Smith. That said Catarina Macario is also part of that group and it’s clear that she’s made the adequate decision to continue to prosper in Europe. She understands the importance of that. She has not played in the United States and ever since she came out of college she has been in Europe. She understands how important it is to be competing against the best. Not to mention she is one of the best young attackers in the world. She’s already down the right path making the right decisions, having the bravery to make those type of decisions and testing herself. There’s a reason she’s so highly regarded throughout Europe. Circling back to Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman. They are two of the highest paid players in the NWSL. The national team will heavily rely on them. They are 22 and 24 years old respectively. Albert is 20 and already playing for one of the best teams in the world. Her being at PSG is much more meaningful and important for the national team. Then the type of wages that Rodman and Smith are on. Now there’s no doubt about it. They absolutely smashed it to pieces in the league that they are in. However, if this national team truly wants to take a leap forward, which they need to do, considering the caliber of manager they’re bringing in both of these ladies cannot be in the United States playing their club football a year from now. Them not making the decision to play in Europe. Will make or break the capabilities of this team going forward. Of course Catarina Macario is in Europe and will continue to do well. Albert, signing for PSG gives her the possibility of being a corner piece of this national team in midfield along with Lindsey Horan that’s already established playing in Europe and in that midfield with Albert. We got a center back potentially going to Arsenal. While it’s a low number, important positions are all thriving and going to Europe to test themselves against the best players in the world. So Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman’s failure to do that so far and possibly the failure to do that going forward can self-sabotage the team. The fact of the matter is Albert will be more prepared for the big moments than either of them. She’s been playing football for a lot less amount of time yet she will be more prepared. In the group stage of the World Cup, the United States play it again Portugal and the Netherlands. Portugal has Jessica Silva. As I mentioned in my opening, She may not be a top 20 player in the world, but she still is elite at the highest level. In the match against Portugal, neither rodman or Smith could handle to match the level being put forth by Silva. Against a Portugal side with many players in Europe, they looked out of place uncomfortable and completely disoriented. Against the Netherlands The United States bumped into world-class footballers such as Jill Roord,Daniëlle van de Donk,Jackie Groenen,Lineth Beerensteyn and a top five player in the world Lieke Martens who, by the way, is a teammate of Albert at PSG. There’s even more players on top of that. Rodman and Smith really struggled. They looked out of place again. That is a team full of the most elite players in the game. They played against Sweden in the round of 16 I don’t need to list off a bunch of names but they have the likes of Kosovare Asllani at AC Milan,Amanda Ilestedt at Arsenal, Filippa Angeldahl at Manchester City and many others. Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman in their careers. All the players I named from Portugal, Sweden and the Netherlands have played against those players once. Maybe one other time in perhaps an international friendly. However, for the most part, two of the most important pieces of this national team going forward. Trinity rodman and Sophia Smith have not played against the best competition they faced at the World Cup. That’s a problem! Korbin Albert has not even finished a full season at PSG yet and she has played against several of the players I’ve named in the French league or in the Champions League, PSG is in a group with Bayern Munich and Italian champions Roma. That’s another 10 or 20 world-class players that Sophia Smith and Trinity Robin have not played against. When those moments come in critical areas, they will not be prepared. They’re great players, but without the experience of playing against the elite level footballers in the women’s game, their decision not to have the bravery to demand European football for themselves could be costly. Albert will be far more prepared than those two for the biggest moments. She’s 20 years old, playing for PSG and playing against the best of oppositions. Both Trinity Rodman and Sophia Smith are older than Albert yet. Albert will come across as the more experienced player because of the excellence that she is subjected to on a daily basis from her teammates and her opponents. Not to mention the intent, training sessions and the demand of success from PSG as a club. When it truly matters Korbin Albert will be prepared for the most difficult moments imaginable. Sophia Smith nor Trinity Rodman is being linked to any European club at the moment. Trinity rodman hasn’t left. Probably because she’s the highest paid player in league history and so Sophia Smith isn’t leaving primarily because her boyfriend plays for the Arizona Cardinals. What we’re seeing here is to the best players in the United States making selfish decisions. That will keep them unprepared for the biggest moments. While 20-year-old Albert will be ready for any obstacle because the obstacles she goes through on a daily basis with PSG. The hope we can get from all of this is that by the time. Albert is a regular on the national team and Sophia Smith and Trinity rodman can see the level that she’s got in her game. The hope is that the impact she’s made at PSG and the decision to leave college early to pursue Champions League football in Paris will convince Sophia Smith and Trinity rodman to make that brave move to Europe. Korbin Albert is a trendsetter in so many ways for the new trend that is starting to sway in a European direction. However, though she also has the chance to greatly impact others and following her footsteps to make the same choices. Albert can’t make Sophia Smith and Trinity rodman make the right choices but Albert’s move to PSG will certainly be convincing enough for the others on the come up and current members of the squad to prioritize European football. If she’s able to change the way the national team players operate and gets more and more players to Europe than The United States with Emma Hayes now as manager can win the World Cup and dominate the game again. Korbin Albert started this trend. She is the trendsetter of the new movement. Whether others will follow is unknown is but she has started the movement. The USA want to dominate again Korbin Albert is the first step as she trendsetters the movement.