Casey Murphy, the talented goalkeeper of the USWNT, sat down for a chat in an exclusive interview with EssentiallySports. She detailed Emma Hayes’ influence on the team after being on the team for just 2 months before the Olympics. Out of all the various discussions, there came a point in time when she detailed the goalkeeping situation. Unlike other positions in soccer, the goalkeeping position remains tricky. And Alyssa Naeher’s number 1 spot looks shaky.

With one position available on the team, the number one goalkeeper continuously starts for the team. If there is a major injury or a drastic dip in performance, the head coaches change the keepers. It reminds us of the situation with Arsenal when David Raya claimed the number one spot from Aaron Ramsdale. But there is teamwork involved. It’s the same with USWNT goalkeepers Alyssa Naeher and Casey Murphy.

“Yeah, I think what’s great about being a goalkeeper is that when you’re in a high-level, intense environment during goalkeeper training, it makes everyone better. The goalkeepers at the Olympics—me, Alyssa, Jane—we all just wanted the team to be successful. We trained hard every single day, pushed each other every day, and also encouraged each other,” addressed Casey Murphy, in an exclusive interview with EssentiallySports.

It becomes the ultimate test for any individual player. Hats off to all the goalkeepers who maintain professionalism, patiently wait for their chance, and train hard to stay in top shape. It’s not a straightforward task.

Casey Murphy, though, understands the team’s needs and puts them in front. Individual accolades come later on. She concluded, “Obviously, there’s only one goalkeeper on the field, but we wanted the team to be successful, and we know a big part of that is having a solid goalkeeper in the net. On a personal level, I don’t compete against anyone else but myself.”

Alyssa Naeher vs. Casey Murphy – Who should be USWNT’s no 1?

The debate is out there for everyone who is a USWNT fan. Who should be the number 1 goalkeeper for the USWNT heading to the 2027 Women’s World Cup? Considering their ages, Alyssa Naeher will be 39 and Murphy will turn 31. Naeher started all the games at the Olympics and came up with some stunning saves. As for Murphy, she improves drastically with each passing day.

Assembling stats from FB brief, per 90, Naeher 28.6% while Murphy boasts 33.3%. Murphy is a better player when it comes to collecting crosses into the box with a healthy 5.2%. In terms of save percentages, Naeher had some stunning saves at the Olympics, with a 65.6% save percentage. Murphy has a save percentage of 76.1% and continues to improve. If one looks at the stats, Murphy clearly takes home the plaudits.

With her service to her nation, Naeher probably had her last dance at the Paris Olympics. In the exclusive interview with EssentiallySports, she detailed all the aspects of their victory in Paris. She credited the manager for revitalizing the team. Thus, it looks like Emma Hayes could go with Casey Murphy for future tournaments.