If you’re skeptical of the phrase “third time’s the charm,” then you need to hear the story of Phallon Tullis-Joyce. The star goalkeeper was first called up for international duty at the end of 2024 when the USWNT traveled to England and the Netherlands for a pair of friendlies. The same happened during the 2025 SheBelieves Cup. But here’s the catch—on both occasions, she was only brought in as a training player, not on the official roster. The third time? Apparently, the real deal—a full call-up to Emma Hayes’ squad currently facing Brazil. She even made her debut in the opening game. So, what’s next if she hopes to retain her spot on the team? Well, Emily Fox has some answers.

But why the Arsenal star? Naturally, for someone who shares a national team locker room but occasionally faces the Manchester United goalkeeper in the top tier of the WSL, the star right-back is the perfect person to offer that insight. Ahead of the second Brazil clash in the ongoing April window, Fox was asked about her impression of Phallon. Interestingly, she replied, “I feel like from last camp, we just talked a lot about defensive unity and all of us being on the same page.”

“With Brazil, we know they’re a very high crossing; want to attack; get all the numbers in our half. So we knew how important it was to just be together, communicate, and win our duels. I feel like we did that and I also think Phallon had an amazing performance. She’s done amazing in the WSL so no surprise there in terms of just how well she did coming out on her first game, first start,” concluded Fox.

Being a crucial part of the USWNT’s backline, Fox knows the importance of having an inch-perfect bond with fellow players. While the Gunners superstar is aware of the drill, Tullis-Joyce isn’t. Yet, the Red Devils goalie was able to impress both her teammates and fans, recording six saves and a clean sheet in the 2-0 win at SoFi Stadium. Coincidentally, keeping all the efforts of Brazilian players somehow made the 28-year-old goalkeeper the tenth player in USWNT history to earn a shutout in her debut.

While it’s certainly interesting to see Phallon Tullis-Joyce earn praise from a national teammate who is also her WSL rival, similar appreciation came from someone who used to face her domestically as well—but now plays alongside her.

Emma Hayes also joins Emily Fox in heralding Phallon Tullis-Joyce but with a twist

Earlier, Emma Hayes shared her first impressions of Phallon Tullis-Joyce, praising the Manchester United goalkeeper’s ability to keep the ball out of the net. From handling set pieces to dealing with crosses, Hayes felt she did a “tremendous job.” Still, the praise came with some constructive feedback. Hayes noted that while Tullis-Joyce had a strong debut, there’s room for growth—particularly if she hopes to earn more minutes and build a long-term international career.

One area of concern is her tendency to play in a more direct style at Manchester United, which doesn’t quite align with the USWNT’s approach “Her next step is something I’ve been clear on: her team Man United don’t play a lot of buildup. They tend to go from back to front but her next steps is with pressure being able to make the short passes to come out,” explained Hayes.

Then again, Hayes described Tullis-Joyce as “authoritative and commanding” in her debut but made it clear she wouldn’t overlook key qualities needed to control matches. That, she said, remains the goalkeeper’s main challenge—and one Tullis-Joyce fully understands. Perhaps this perfectly aligns with the plan Emily Fox outlined earlier for her key development.