Through the early months of 2024, it became quite clear that the U.S. women's national team had something special on their hands. Jaedyn Shaw, then just a teenager, was banging in goals and smashing records with enthusiasm. Scoring in each of her first five starts for the USWNT, Shaw put the world on notice. Her time was coming, if it hadn't already arrived.
Now, one year on, the spotlight isn't shining quite as brightly on the now-20-year-old attacker. An untimely injury robbed her of what likely would have been a breakout run during the 2024 Paris Olympics. A trade to the North Carolina Courage left those who follow the NWSL shocked.
And the months since have been largely quiet. Newer young stars have risen for Emma Hayes' national team, claiming some of the attention that was so laser-focused on Shaw just one year ago.
Make no mistake - Shaw is still just 20, and far from a finished product. The Courage star is developing, and her ceiling remains just about as high as any player in the sport. Getting her there requires time, and time is still on Shaw's side - even if the last year, in full candor, hasn't quite gone to plan.
But it does beg the question: What happened? Why hasn't Shaw been a dominant player for USWNT, something she seemed so destined to be early in 2024? And as important, what's the realistic next step?
