The U.S. women's national team fell short of winning the 2025 SheBelieves Cup but earned plenty of tactical and developmental victories in the end. The USWNT lost 2-1 to Japan on Wednesday and settled for second place in the 10-year-old tournament.

Despite the team's first loss under her leadership, U.S. women's soccer head coach Emma Hayes remains optimistic, highlighting the squad's progress and promising future.

Speaking of Macario, it has been a long road back to the USWNT for the Chelsea player, who has been consistently sidelined with knee injuries since 2022. The 2025 SheBelieves Cup served as a comeback, with Macario picking up one goal, her first for the USWNT since '22 and one assist across two starts.