Gotham FC star midfielder Rose Lavelle stepped onto the stage at New York City Hall to cheers of “MVP, MVP” from the devoted crowd who turned out on Monday.

The U.S. women's national team will close out the calendar year with a pair of friendlies against Italy, and head coach Emma Hayes is getting final looks at the player pool before 2026 arrives. The manager named a 26-player roster for the two-game series with some notable names returning to the mix.