Stratford Olympian

Alyssa Naeher
Sport: Women’s Soccer

CT Connection: Bridgeport native, grew up in Stratford
Olympic history: 2020 Tokyo, 2016 Rio de Janeiro
First Round July 25th

Sources:  Olympics.com; Reuters; CT Insider

What to Know: The Christian Heritage-Trumbull graduate made her first appearance for the U.S. Women’s National Team in its 7-0 triumph over Argentina in the International Tournament of Brazil on December. 8, 2014. Following America’s loss at the 2016 Olympics, Naeher became the starting keeper for the U.S. and was the No. 1 keeper in the 2019 World Cup.

The 2024 Paris Olympics will give the U.S. women’s soccer team a chance to begin a new chapter, goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher said, as the four-time gold medallists look to regain their supremacy on the global stage.

In the last Olympics, Naeher brought America to the semifinals thanks to saves on three penalties in the quarterfinals against Netherlands. America went on to win the bronze medal.

The U.S. slipped to an all-time low fifth on the FIFA rankings after its worst Women’s World Cup showing in 2023, when the team exited in the Round of 16.

The Americans hope to reverse course in Paris, with new coach Emma Hayes at the helm after winning her seventh Women’s Super League crown with Chelsea, and get back to the top of the podium for the first time since 2012.

“We’ve talked this whole year about looking towards the future and turning the page and having this new identity and moving forward,” Naeher said. “This is the start of that.”

The U.S. will play warm-up matches against Mexico and against Costa Rica, before opening its Olympic campaign against Zambia on July 25th, in a competitive Group B that also features Germany and Australia.

Naeher, who helped the U.S. win bronze in Tokyo, said that fans can expect a team hungry for the challenge.

“With Emma in here and the full new staff and the roster being set, I think now this is the opportunity to officially kind of move in that forward direction. And this is the first tournament for that,” she said. “You can feel the energy.”

Twelve footballing nations will battle it out at Paris 2024 in a bid to win an Olympic medal.

Qualification for the Olympic Games has previously been decided by World Cup finishings, but this year saw a change to the qualification system and a new reliance on the UEFA Nations League results.

It was decided that the top two finishing teams from the 2023/24 UEFA Women’s Nations League would go on to claim a spot at Paris 2024 – a fate which has now been confirmed for Europe’s top sides. A similar qualification system was then implemented for the American, Oceanic, Asian and African confederations.

Olympics.com takes a look at the teams that have qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympics, as well as who has missed out.

The following nations have confirmed their qualification for Paris 2024:

• France (as host nation)
• USA (Concacaf W Champions)
• Canada (Concacaf play-off winners)
• Brazil (Copa América Femenina semi-finalists)
• Colombia (Copa América Femenina semi-finalists)
• New Zealand (OFC Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament winner)
• Spain (UEFA Women’s Nations League finalist)
• Japan (AFC Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament)
• Australia (AFC Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament)
• Germany (UEFA Women’s Nations League third-place play-off winner)
• Nigeria (CAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament)
• Zambia (CAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament)