It took her 186 days, but Rose Lavelle is finally back in the mix. The USWNT star, who was last seen in action during a friendly against the Netherlands on December 4 before being taken off due to an ankle injury, has now made her much-anticipated return to Emma Hayes’ squad for the June/July window. While fans are thrilled to see their favorite midfielder back on the field, the excitement is just as strong for Lavelle herself.

Of course, her return comes at a perfect time. Preparations for the 2027 World Cup are in full swing for the American ladies, who are set to play a doubleheader against the Republic of Ireland on June 26 in greater Denver, Colorado, and June 29 in Cincinnati, Ohio, followed by the Allstate Continental Classico against Canada on July 2 at the Audi Field in Washington, D.C.

While both teams are set to present a significant challenge, Lavelle is grateful to be able to get such an opportunity. “It feels really great. It was a long time away, which just made me miss it a lot. So, really happy to be back with the girls, happy to be back in the environment. Yeah, it’s been fun,” said Rose Lavelle, while speaking ahead of their opening clash in Colorado.

Notably, it was on June 7 that the NJ/NY Gotham star finally returned to action for the first time since leaving the pitch injured while playing for the U.S. women’s national team. She came on in the 74th minute of the regular-season NWSL clash against KC Current. Though within 5 minutes of her appearance, she almost saw her name on the scoresheet, the game unfortunately ended in a 1–2 loss.

On the brighter side, she shared a positive update on her recovery, stating that while she feels good and strong, “It will be a little bit before my ankle is at 100%, but the rest of me is feeling good.” Hearing such a statement only saw Emma Hayes also express her admiration for having the veteran midfielder back in the team.

“I very much hope that she will be with us in camp,” Hayes told ESPN FC earlier, insisting that even Rose herself is bored due to injury. No wonder it eventually saw the English tactician call up the former Manchester City star for the upcoming clash, naming her in the 25-player team. And with that, Hayes simply couldn’t contain her excitement.

Emma Hayes missed Rose Lavelle quite extra!

Given the kind of impact that Rose Lavelle had on Emma Hayes since the 2024 Paris Olympics win, it was only natural for the former WSL manager to quickly involve the 30-year-old midfielder as soon as possible. In fact, in a domestic-heavy roster that the Gotham FC star has joined, Emma gave not one but ‘Multiple reasons’ as to why she is more than pumped about having Lavelle back in the team.

“First of all, her personality, and character in the locker room has been sorely missed in the past six months. She’s primarily gifted as a football player and playing between sort of eight to ten positions… she’s someone who is maturing like a top football player is,” said Hayes, insisting that even after the post-Summer Games friendlies, Lavelle maintained her poise within the squad.

The former Blues manager highlighted how special it would be for Lavelle to play the return clash against the Republic of Ireland in her hometown of Cincinnati, where she had once attended Mount Notre Dame High School. Either way, it’s clear that the USWNT coach is thrilled about Lavelle’s return. The pair will now aim to strengthen their connection as the team continues its journey toward the 2027 World Cup.