The U.S. Women's National Team has been dominant on and off the soccer field for decades, and that is reflected in the players' earnings.
Part of why the U.S. women make so much is because of their fight for equal pay, resulting in a collective bargaining agreement signed in May 2022. That same fight has raised women's soccer salaries globally, but no one does it better than the USWNT.
Here are the top 10 earners at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, according to Forbes. Please note: Total combined on- and off-field earnings depict what the player has received from sponsorships, club play, their soccer federation and various business activities in the last year before taxes and fees.
10. Sofia Huerta
Photo by Bob Drebin/ISI Photos/Getty Images
Nationality: U.S.
Position: Defender
Total earnings: $1.3 million
Former Mexican defender Sofia Huerta is one of only three non-offense players on the list, speaking to her quality. (Julie Ertz, as we will later see, is a heavily defensive-minded midfielder). As for Huerta, the right-back plays club ball for the National Women's Soccer League's OL Reign.
9. Rose Lavelle
Photo by Robin Alam/USSF/Getty Images
Nationality: U.S.
Position: Midfielder
Total earnings: $1.4 million
The 2019 Women's World Cup champion and OL Reign midfielder has missed playing time as of late due to injury, meaning Rose Lavelle's earnings likely could have been even higher. Good thing Icy Hot sponsors her.
8. Lindsey Horan
Photo by Carmen Mandato/USSF/Getty Images
Nationality: U.S.
Position: Midfielder
Total earnings: $1.5 million
Lindsey Horan, also a 2019 world champion, is the only 2023 USWNT player who doesn't play in the NWSL (anymore). Horan has won in every league she's ever played in, including France's Division 1 Féminine, the Coupe de France Feminine, and the UEFA Women's Champions League with Olympic Lyon.
T-7. Sophia Smith
Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images
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Nationality: U.S.
Position: Forward
Total earnings: $2 million
Sophia Smith, the next face of American soccer, has been a dominant offensive force in the NSWL since going No. 1 overall to the Portland Thorns last year. The Gen Z striker knows how to monetize her brand, also earning money from being an influencer.
T-7. Julie Ertz
Photo by Carmen Mandato/USSF/Getty Images
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Nationality: U.S.
Position: Midfielder
Total earnings: $2 million
Two-time World Cup champion midfielder Julie Ertz had her first child with husband and Arizona Cardinals tight end Zach Ertz last year, but that isn't slowing her down. Ertz is as much of a defender as she is a midfielder; her sponsors include Subway and Spotify; and she plays club ball with Angel City FC.
T-7. Crystal Dunn
Photo by Robin Alam/USSF/Getty Images
Nationality: U.S.
Position: Defender/midfielder
Total earnings: $2 million
USWNT fans have raved about Crystal Dunn's defensive prowess for years, but she still might be one of the most underrated defenders ever. And maybe that's because she's somehow an even better midfielder, which is her position for the NWSL's Portland Thorns.
4. Trinity Rodman
Photo by Robin Alam/USSF/Getty Images
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Nationality: U.S.
Position: Forward
Total earnings: $2.3 million
You know what they say — there's nothing more marketable than a Rodman.
OK, no one says that. And while the name and reputation of her father, Dennis Rodman, certainly don't hurt Trinity Rodman's marketability, she is an incredible athlete in her own right who would likely still be making a name for herself even without her father's last name. The former NWSL Rookie of the Year signed a four-year extension with the Washington Spirit in 2021 that was reportedly valued at $1.1 million.
3. Alexia Putellas
Photo by Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images
Nationality: Spain
Position: Midfielder
Total earnings: $4 million
Two-time Ballon d'Or Féminin winner Alexia Putellas is arguably the best women's soccer player in the world, and the Barcelona midfielder certainly deserves her Messi comparisons.
She's the only non-American to breach the top 10. She boasts over 3 million Instagram followers, starred in an Amazon documentary about her recent ACL rehabilitation, has won Spain's Primera Division with Barcelona seven times, and has won the UEFA Women's Champions League twice.
2. Megan Rapinoe
Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Image
Nationality: U.S.
Position: Forward
Total earnings: $7 million
Megan Rapinoe is a hero to many, a villain to some, and an undeniable sports icon whose face, words and actions will be associated with the USWNT forevermore. But let us not forget: The divisive USWNT veteran, OL Reign striker and two-time World Cup champion always puts her money where her mouth is.
1. Alex Morgan
Photo by Robin Alam/USSF/Getty Images
Nationality: U.S.
Position: Forward
Total earnings: $7.1 million
Alex Morgan, the two-time World Cup holder and San Diego Wave striker, has been featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated, in Super Bowl commercials alongside Serena Williams, and in a recent Netflix documentary, in addition to her Anheuser-Busch and Coca-Cola sponsorships.
Like Rapinoe and many other athletes, Morgan has taken the reins of her financial future, investing her funds with a growth mindset. The only thing stronger than Morgan's on-the-field game is her off-the-field game, and her net worth will likely only increase.
There you have it — the top 10 highest-paid players at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. It's no surprise that the USWNT tops the list; it is one of the few women's teams in history to generate more revenue than its male counterparts. Now, they're a little closer to having their equal share of it.
