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US women’s national team will end year atop FIFA rankings

AP photo by Daniel Cole / From left, U.S. women's national team members Naomi Girma, Trinity Rodman, Crystal Dunn, Mallory Swanson and Sophia Smith listen to the national anthem ahead of a soccer match against Australia on July 31 at the Marseille Stadium in the Paris Olympics.
AP photo by Daniel Cole / From left, U.S. women's national team members Naomi Girma, Trinity Rodman, Crystal Dunn, Mallory Swanson and Sophia Smith listen to the national anthem ahead of a soccer match against Australia on July 31 at the Marseille Stadium in the Paris Olympics. AP photo by Daniel Cole / From left, U.S. women's national team members Naomi Girma, Trinity Rodman, Crystal Dunn, Mallory Swanson and Sophia Smith listen to the national anthem ahead of a soccer match against Australia on July 31 at the Marseille Stadium in the Paris Olympics.

By The Associated Press 2 min read

The United States women’s soccer team will end the year at No. 1 in the FIFA rankings.

Emma Hayes’ team won gold at the Paris Olympics this past summer to mark its turnaround in form after its reign as world champion ended last year and Spain established itself as the dominant force in the sport.

The Americans’ triumph in France — they beat Brazil 1-0 in the final — led to them climbing four places to top the FIFA rankings in August. The U.S. maintained that No. 1 spot in the final rankings of the year, which were released Friday.

Spain, which won the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia — beating England 1-0 in the final in Sydney — was on top at the start of the year, then dropped to third after losing the bronze medal match at the Olympics. The Spaniards are up to second in the latest rankings.

European champion England is down to fourth from second, while Olympic bronze medal winner Germany is third.