Mass. Native Alana Cook Capable Of Playing Key Role For U.S.

The United States women's national team has multiple players out with injuries, and the loss of Becky Sauerbrunn will be huge in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.

The USWNT captain is out with a foot injury, and head coach Vlatko Andonovski will rely on a center-back pairing of Naomi Girma and Alana Cook. The duo has played well for their National Women's Soccer League clubs, but the lack of experience on the international stage will be a big talking point.

Cook, who was born in Worcester, Mass., will be the one-to-one replacement for Sauerbrunn. She had a mixed outing against Wales last Sunday, but the 26-year-old is ready for the big stage in Australia and New Zealand.

The OL Reign defender played the most minutes out of any U.S. player since the last Olympics, according to data from Alison Gale. She is a solid player on the ball, and she's been praised for her leadership qualities at the club level.

Cook doesn't have much experience playing with Girma, but Andonovski likely is working on potential chemistry issues in training.

The new center-back pairing also gives fans a look at the potential future of the team. Sauerbrunn is 38 years old, and while she still was playing at a high level and it would have been nice to see the two-time World Cup champion go out on her own terms, the U.S. will get a look at more athletic tandem along with their technical prowess.

Cook scored her first international goal back on April 11, and it showed a glimpse of the all-around defender she can be. She's also a threat on set pieces, which is a different dynamic for the United States.

The former Stanford Cardinal was named Pac-12 Conference Defender of the Year and a MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist in 2018. She was part of the Paris Saint-Germain team that won Division 1 Féminine in the 2020-21 season. And she helped the OL Reign win the NWSL Shield last season.

She has the ambition to be the best center back in the world. Cook won't have to deal with the loss of key players alone, and while players like Sophia Smith will shine through their goal-scoring, Cook and Girma could cement themselves as the future of the U.S. backline.