United States Women’s National Team rising star Jaedyn Shaw is officially headed to Courage Country, with the club announcing the blockbuster deal on Tuesday. With 17 NWSL regular season goal contributions and eight goals in 21 caps for the Stars and Stripes, fans and media alike have already started to hype up what Shaw’s move means for both her as a player and the Courage as a team heading into the 2025 NWSL season. Here’s what’s being said around the headlines.

Attacking Third crew say Courage is right place for Shaw to continue to grow

Reacting to the initial reports of the deal on their Monday show, the Attacking Third crew was all in on Shaw to the Courage and how she fits into the team’s attacking framework, especially alongside recently extended Manaka Matsukubo and Ashley Sanchez. “We get to see Manaka with Ashley Sanchez again as they continue to build that partnership, but now you throw Jaedyn Shaw into the mix. Sean Nahas does such a good job of putting players into positions to help them succeed, to help grow their game, to challenge themselves, to expand outside of this potential box they are in. Jaedyn Shaw is on the verge of cracking even more potential. She is such a young player and we saw her explode out of San Diego which called her into the national team, but there is another level and another step for her and this is a move and an opportunity that is going to be crucial for Jaedyn Shaw,” Lisa Carlin said. Darian Jenkins, who played for the Courage in 2017 and 2018, called the idea of Shaw and Sanchez as dual No. 10’s “scary” and both her and Carlin think Nahas and his style of play is the right combination to bring out the best of Shaw as the 20-year-old continues to grow as a player. “They like possession. They have self-expression from their players, a lot of combination play. It is Spanish-style, Americanized soccer and I am here for it. I think Jaedyn Shaw fits that to a T. This is a place where Shaw will be pushed to be better technically, tactically. She is around players that are just as good as she is on the ball and she is going to have to keep improving. I think Sean Nahas is the coach that is going to help push her to the next level,” Jenkins said. For the Attacking Third crew, the Courage have the right combination of players, staff, and playstyle to bring out the best in an already high-level player.

Jeff Kassouf, Jason Anderson highlight Shaw’s versatility across the front line

Time will tell exactly how Shaw fits into the attacking framework of the Courage, but the young playmaker has a proven level of versatility across the frontline and her skillset fits into the way the Courage play. Both Jeff Kassouf and Jason Anderson highlighted this versatility in their reaction articles. “First, let’s talk about Shaw. I’m on record as saying she might be the most exciting young attacker in the U.S. pool. The question is and has been: Where on the field should she play? No. 10 is the easy answer, but nothing is easy with other talented players. As the Courage roster stands now, Shaw looks like she would be a false nine in North Carolina, interchanging with Ashley Sanchez. Or maybe the Courage roll it back to the days of a double-10, with Denise O’Sullivan protecting the defensive midfield,” Kassouf wrote in The Equalizer’s transfer tracker. Anderson also homed in on the idea of Shaw as a false No. 9, but noted that the Courage system offers multiple answers. “The idea is for a player with a good first touch and creative vision to be available as a reference higher up, but as play develops, the Courage have often preferred their center forward to drop in alongside Sanchez, leaving center backs confused as to whether to follow or not while potentially creating an overload in central midfield. In many sequences, the No. 9 on paper would actually end up feeding Sanchez or wingers like Tyler Lussi and Bianca St-Georges (who combined for seven goals). “Shaw’s overall skill set may match precisely what this role requires for the Courage. Her eye for a through ball is right there with any player in the league, and she has the physical gifts to provide the hold-up play or runs in behind that are necessary to keep the false No. 9 role unpredictable for defenses. With Sanchez having proven she’s a capable scorer and North Carolina’s deep pool of goal-threat wingers, it’s not hard to imagine Shaw lighting things up,” Anderson wrote for ProSoccerWire. Shaw’s played across the forward line for both club and country and has the skillset to excel in any of those positions for the Courage.

History of high praise

Shaw has long been seen as one of the best up-and-coming players in the USWNT pool and really broke onto the international scene with her Golden Ball performance in the CONCACAF W Gold Cup last year. With that has come no shortage of praise from those who know the game well. Courage Ring of Honor inductee Sam Mewis had Shaw on her show, Friendlies, and her introduction perfectly encapsulates Shaw’s high-level impact and potential. “She is one of the most exciting young players in the world. She is so much fun to watch. Such a lethal finisher. She is so dangerous in and around the box. I cannot wait to watch her as she continues to grow into a superstar for club and country,” Mewis said. USWNT Head Coach Emma Hayes, following the October 24, 2024 friendly against Iceland where Shaw scored this insane goal, said Shaw’s skillset is second to none in the U.S. “Her ability to create and score goals is second to none in this country. Her feet were fabulous. She took her goal well,” Hayes said. No matter where you get your news from, there is a lot to be excited about in Courage Country heading into the 2025 season.