SAN JOSE — The quest for the 2025 NWSL Championship enters its final day, the Washington Spirit face a pivotal question: Will soon-to-be free agent Trinity Rodman be fit to play?
Spirit head coach Adrian Gonzalez offered the update fans have been waiting for: Rodman is “going to be available and ready to compete.”
“Trin is doing good. She’s been, I think, improving so quick, pushing to be able to play,” Gonzalez said. “Fortunately, we could see her last week, playing some minutes, and she’s doing great, so obviously she’s going to be available and ready to compete.”
Rodman’s season has been marred by injuries. A lingering back injury sidelined her for nearly four months and even sent her to Europe for treatment. Just 16 games after she returned, an MCL sprain kept her sidelined during the playoff push. She was bench-listed for both playoff games, making only a brief cameo in the final minute of Washington’s semifinal win over Portland — her first action in a month. Now, with the Spirit on the brink of a second NWSL Championship title in four years, her game-day availability could be the difference between glory and heartbreak.
You can catch the game Saturday at 8 p.m. ET on CBS and Paramount+.
Rodman has dominated championship-week headlines — not just because of her return from injury, but for what comes next. The 23-year-old enters the final game of the season as a potential free agent this offseason, with a report looming regarding a lucrative offer from USL Super League side D.C. Power, according to The Athletic. Her future has become a talking point across the league, has prompted commissioner Jessica Berman to emphasize that she and the league “want Trinity in the NWSL and we will fight for her.” That backdrop adds even more intrigue to her availability for Saturday’s must-watch title clash.
Rodman’s return to the pitch this season has been anything but smooth, but the fact that Gonzalez declared her “available and ready to compete” is a significant upgrade, considering she was labeled as questionable entering the semifinal against Portland, where she subbed in as a late-game option and played a minute.
While that’s not a ringing endorsement of the ability to play lengthy minutes, it took Rodman one minute and four touches to record a definitive shot on goal. It shows again why she’s such an important player, no matter the amount of time she can give to the Spirit in a high-stakes game like the NWSL Championship. Her availability isn’t just a boost; it could be a potential game-changer.
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