3-Peat’s the Goal!: Meet Members of the U.S.'s 2023 World Cup Team

Get to know some of the U.S. Women's National Team players favored for a historic third straight World Cup win

For the third time in a row, the U.S.'s World Cup players are going for the gold.

Kicking off on July 20, the Women’s World Cup pits some of the world’s most talented athletes against each other with only one goal: coming out on top. The American team has a certain knack for just that. After winning in both 2015 and 2019, the team heads into this tournament hoping to make World Cup history — among both men and women — with a third-straight championship.

While the team revs up for their first game on July 21, get to know some of its biggest players, who spoke with PEOPLE about their soccer dreams — and karaoke.

Sofia Huerta, 30

Position: Defender

Hometown: Boise, ID

Go-To Karaoke Song: “No Scrubs” by TLC

Huerta, who has dual Mexican citizenship, is proud to “inspire the younger generation, especially the Latinx community,” she tells PEOPLE. When not playing soccer, Huerta is “passionate about rescuing dogs,” and has two little pitbulls.

Rose Lavelle, 28

Position: Midfielder

Hometown: Cincinnati, OH

Go-To Karaoke Song: “It’s All Coming Back To Me Now” by Celine Dion

One of the stars of the 2019 championship team, Lavelle considers Mia Hamm, who played on the U.S. National Soccer Team from 1987 to 2004, the greatest of all time. “It hasn’t really hit me that I am to kids what players like Mia Hamm were to me,” she says. While Lavelle is proud of her journey, she wanted to thank the “people that have helped me get there that don't get their name on the roster.”

Naomi Girma, 23

Position: Defender

Hometown: San Jose, CA

Go-To Karaoke Song: “Shallow” from A Star is Born

“There’s been a lot of hard work and sacrifices from everyone,” says Girma, whose parents emigrated from Ethiopia, “not just me.” Girma found her love of soccer from local gatherings where “the Ethiopians of the Bay Area would get together, and the kids would play and the parents would chat.”

Kristie Mewis, 32

Position: Midfielder

Hometown: Hanson, MA

Go-To Karaoke Song: “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” by Whitney Houston

“I want to be a good role model as part of the LGBT community,” says Mewis. “I want everyone to be comfortable in their own skin.” Reflecting on her duties as a public figure, Mewis, whose younger sister Sam was on the 2019 team, said, “I do feel it is a sense of responsibility in a good way.”

Alyssa Thompson, 18

Position: Forward

Hometown: Studio City, CA

Go-To Karaoke Song: “Irreplaceable” by Beyoncé

As the second-youngest player ever to make a U.S. women’s World Cup team, Thompson is learning from veterans like Megan Rapinoe: “They are powerful women ready to win,” she says. Thompson emphasized the bond between the group, noting that they “always look out for you.”

Trinity Rodman, 21

Position: Forward

Hometown: Newport Beach, CA

Go-To Karaoke Song: “Take a Bow” by Rihanna

The daughter of the NBA’s Dennis Rodman says the late Kobe Bryant was an inspiration for her at age 6. Rodman played on a team with his eldest daughter Natalia, and gave her some advice: “He made it clear women are capable of being as successful.” She went on to describe her bond with the Bryant family, saying, “I've met his whole family. They're all amazing humans and I'm glad to have been able to connect with them.”

Alex Morgan, 34

Position: Forward

Hometown: Diamond Bar, CA

“Honestly, it’s probably the least amount of stress that I’ve ever felt going into a World Cup,” says Morgan, who plays for the San Diego Wave during the regular season. “I just feel really confident with where I am. Obviously the pressure will build throughout the tournament, but we feel more like a team than ever. So we’re just really excited to get started.”

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Read the original article on People.