Photo by Hannah Peters – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
Rodman’s story is about so much more than her NBA father.
Get used to hearing the name Trinity Rodman, because you’re going to be hearing it A LOT over the next month. The 2021 NWSL rookie of the year is making her World Cup debut for the USA, and while seniority will cause her to come off the bench, her impact is going to be profound.
Rodman is one of the brightest young stars in all of women’s soccer. The 21-year-old forward was the youngest player to be drafted in the history of the NWSL when the Washington Spirit took her with the No. 2 overall pick in 2021, and since arriving she’s shown time and time again that the belief in her was justified.
A rare mix of athleticism and poise, Rodman is unflappable around goal. Her game revolves around shaking defenders with speed and ball skills, but never rushing her chances to find the back of the net. Instead she’ll patiently wait for the right angle to emerge, before slotting the ball home from an incredible angle that’s impossible for a keeper to get a hand on.
Since making her debut for the USWNT in 2022, Rodman has struggled to always find minutes. That’s to be expected when you’re playing behind Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe — however Rodman’s time is coming, and we’ve already seen head coach Vlatko Andonovski experiment with upping her usage ahead of the cup.
Rodman came off the bench at halftime on July 11 against Wales, and immediately became the difference maker. A second half brace gave the USA a 2-0 win, capped off with a beautiful touch strike into the top corner.
And yes, she happens to be Dennis Rodman’s daughter. That’s a fun footnote to this, but by no means the central part of this story. While there’s no doubt her father’s genes contributed to her athletic ability, the real story here is a breakout star about to make waves on the brightest stage in women’s soccer.
There might not be a more dangerous scorer off the bench in the entire World Cup this year, and I promise than when the dust settles we will have witnessed the future and heir apparent to Rapinoe.
