Rose Lavelle recalls her goal of a lifetime ahead of the next U.S.-Netherlands showdown

A goal in a World Cup final is life-changing for any player. But Lavelle is still as down-to-earth as ever — and she's ready to play in the U.S.' biggest group stage game of this tournament.

Rose Lavelle (left) scored an all-time goal against the Netherlands in the 2019 women's World Cup final.Read moreFrancois Mori / AP

by Jonathan Tannenwald

Published Jul. 26, 2023, 12:57 a.m. ET

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — There are few rarer feats in sports than scoring a goal in a World Cup final, and Rose Lavelle is in the small club of people who’ve done it.

As she prepares to play for the U.S. women’s soccer team in its latest showdown against the Netherlands (9 p.m. ET Wednesday, Fox 29, Telemundo 62, Peacock), Lavelle recalled her famous blast that sank the Dutch squad in 2019. And she said that for all the fame she has gained since then, she doesn’t think she has changed all that much.

“I always say I think I would have expected a moment like that to feel like I’m different or change me, but I don’t really feel like it did,” the 28-year-old Cincinnati native said at a jammed-to-the-walls news conference. “I feel like it was a goal, and it was fun, but I feel like I’m still just me.”

Seated next to Lavelle, U.S. manager Vlatko Andonovski was as amused as everyone else in the room.

“Maybe Rose’s life has changed, but she hasn’t changed a bit,” he said. “She’s still the same humble and great person.”

Lavelle responded with a sheepish: “Thank you,” cueing up another round of laughter.

Those four years have brought Lavelle not just stardom, but a lot of experience. Though she has suffered many injuries over that time, the Netherlands game will be her 90th senior U.S. team appearance. She has 24 goals and 20 assists for her country’s top squad to date.

“Four years ago, I was obviously one of the younger players on the team, one of the most inexperienced players on the team,” she said. “And I think now I find myself in a different position, which I think just kind of gives me a little more confidence, knowing I have more experience under my belt. I feel like I’m a smarter player … I think I’ve kind of grown in every realm, which is what I would hope, and hopefully I can use that to help the team.”

That Lavelle was on stage in the first place was news itself — and a signal that she’s in line for a big role in this game. Her 36 minutes on the field against Vietnam marked her first game action since suffering a knee injury in April.

“I feel pretty good,” she said. “Yeah, I feel good.”

It seemed like a good idea to get a second opinion, just in case, so Andonovski was asked for one.

“Rose is fine, and I’m happy that she’s available for selection,” he said.

Though this will be the biggest U.S.-Netherlands game since the 2019 World Cup final, it won’t be the first one. The teams have met twice since then, a 2-0 win in a friendly on Dutch soil in late 2020 and a 2-2 tie in the 2021 Olympics quarterfinals that the U.S. then edged on penalty kicks. Lavelle played in both and scored an outstanding goal in the first.

The Netherlands narrowly won its World Cup opener over Portugal, 1-0, the day after the Americans’ 3-0 win over Vietnam.

“Both teams are completely different players, different coaches,” Lavelle said. “So I think it’s a fun memory. But I think we have a new mindset for this game. I think we know every time we play the Netherlands, it’s going to be a great game — they have a lot of experience on the field — and yeah, I think it’s going to be fun.”

Dutch star Jackie Groenen, a veteran of clubs including Chelsea, Manchester United, and, currently, Paris Saint-Germain, concurred.

“We have a lot of new players too, so not everyone was present at the 2019 final,” she said. “We have a lot of respect for America, which is clear because of the games we’ve had before. But I also think we’re not trying to dwell on what’s been. So we’ve mostly been talking about us, honestly.”

And, as Andonovski said: “It may seem like a rematch, but I would say it would have been a rematch if this was the final. For us, it’s just a very important game in the group stage, and we’ll do whatever it takes to be successful in it.”