Over 180 matches over eight months finally led to this moment: 2025 nwsl The champion will be crowned on Saturday.
Finalist? On one hand, a NJ/NY Gotham FC The team that won the title two years ago but reached this season’s playoffs as the last seed. On the other end, washington spiritwho lost in the final last year orlando pride,
Ahead of Saturday’s championship, ESPN contributors Joseph Lowry and Megan Swanick explore the big stories — the underdogs, trinity rodman’s contract, and much more – before even guessing how this will all turn out.
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Underdog: Which team’s spot in the finals is the big surprise this season?
Lovi: listen, i hear you Jadyn Shaw –“Dalit dog, my donkey” and all that. After a full season, NJ/NY Gotham has been pushing the underdog narrative regarding the team’s run from the WNSL’s eighth and final playoff spot to Saturday’s final. And yet, here I am, calling NJ/NY Gotham deprived once again.
Despite their seeded differences, the difference between Gotham and Spirit isn’t huge. In fact, without a fully healthy Trinity Rodman, there might not be much of a difference. Still, the spirit has been playing better ball in the playoffs And look like a favorite.
Maybe that’s okay with Gotham. Just two years since his team turned the bottom playoff seed into a NWSL Final victory in 2023, coach Juan Carlos Amoros has been here before. NJ/NY will not be phased out by me or anyone else relying on their enemies.
Swanik: To me, Gotham is the obvious answer here because they had to play first in the playoffs.
Gotham is a strong team with some formidable names in their lineup, but despite making the top four in the final weeks they finished the season in the eighth and final playoff spot. With this, the ’23 champions had to play a record-setting game. kansas city current The team finished the season 21 points clear at the top of the table on their home ground, where they have not lost a game yet this season. I, and I believe many others, counted him out in the first round.
But he did what was unimaginable at CPKC Stadium. Toppled the reigning champion Orlando Pride, in the next round. This isn’t shocking given the talent of their team, but the odds point towards a different outcome.
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Spirit advance to NWSL final after win over Thorns
The Spirit advance to the NWSL Final after the win over the Thorns.
Players to watch: Which players do you think can decide the game?
Lullaby: Whereas Rosamonde Kouassi While not the biggest name to suit up for either side this weekend, he has been absolutely vital to the Spirit’s success in 2025. Apart from teammates and strikers gift mondayAccording to American Soccer Analysis, no Washington or NJ/NY player with at least 1,000 regular-season minutes has averaged more expected goals and expected assists per game than Kouassi.
A dynamic right-sider with quality service from the wing, the 23-year-old has assisted on a goal in each of Washington’s postseason matches so far this year. It’s not just Kouassi’s service that makes him a distinct threat – his ability to time off-ball runs brilliantly to break into the opposition backline and his breakneck pace leave opposition backlines in shambles.
Particularly if Jaidyn Shaw moves in from the left, Gotham could be handed the short hand when it comes time to deal with Kouassi’s mix of verticality and quality delivery.
Swanik: Ann-Katrin BergerThe 2024 Goalkeeper of the Year was a finalist again this season after another impressive year for Gotham, For club and country, the 35-year-old keeper has delivered big match-saving moments that take his team to the next round, whether he is watching Germany to overcome France A few weeks ago at the Euros or in Kansas City.
Goalscorers often grab the headlines, but Berger has been crucial in both of Gotham’s wins in the playoffs. He made seven saves against the Current and made some consequential saves against Orlando, including an incredible save in the final minutes to keep the clean sheet and avoid extra time. Washington has a formidable group of goalscorers, but a big performance from Berger could lead Gotham to their second championship.
Like a script: Which winner would make a better story?
Lullaby: Is this any better than a team making two Cinderella runs in three years?
NJ/NY Gotham turned their status as the lowest-seeded playoff team into trophy celebration in 2023, which was quite impressive. Doing the same thing two years later creates more than enough narrative fodder for me to declare Gotham’s victory a scripted outcome.
Plus, Gotham’s victory puts some additional narrative fuel into the Trinity Rodman contract. If the Spirit win on Saturday and Rodman loses to a higher bidder, they will at least claim another NWSL title for their efforts. If they lose on Saturday, they can’t afford to lose Rodman too, can they?
Swanik: Agree with Joe here. People crave underdog stories (even if Gotham disagrees that they are underdogs). Two in three years is almost too kind. Speaking of Gotham disagreeing that they are the underdogs, Jaedyn Shaw, who told reporters after defeating the Shield winners, “Underdogs, my ass”, has the opportunity to provide an incredible subplot within that underdog story.
The 20-year-old burst onto the scene as a teenager, performing extensively for club and country, but was disappointed on both occasions. But Shaw has made great progress since joining Gotham in September. She enters the championship match with stellar performances and goals in each of the team’s postseason games, and especially if she does the same in the finals, her journey will be an uplifting story in itself.
Versus: Which field battle are you most interested in?
Lullaby: While Washington manager Adrian Gonzalez isn’t as strict as Juan Carlos Amoros about his team’s situation, there is one bond between the coaches: They both want the ball. According to FBref, Amoros’s Gotham ranked second during the regular season with 53.4%, while the Spirit ranked fifth with 52.5%.
So then, which team will act as the hero of the game at a neutral venue?
If it’s Gotham, they’re likely to use possession as a means of limiting the Spirit’s chances – based on FBRef’s data, only the Current allowed fewer non-penalty xG than NJ/NY in the regular season. If it’s Washington, they’re likely to take risks in possession and put up the numbers – no team has generated more non-penalty xG in the regular season than the Spirit.
Both teams want the ball and want to do different things with it. Which team will really get what they want?
Swanik: Tara McCain versus esther gonzalezGotham’s Spanish striker finished 2025 with 13 goals and one assist in 23 games, just behind Kansas City, temwa chawinga In the race for the Golden Boot. She started Gotham’s last game, but is currently returning from injury and is going through a five-game drought with no goals for the ’23 champions.
But Esther can be devastating in big moments, and that’s no stranger to trophy-winning goals. The 32-year-old (who was the top scorer at this summer’s Euros) scored the decisive goal in Gotham’s 2023 Championship win as well as their CONCACAF W Champions Cup win.
It will be a team effort to limit her when she is roaming in front of the goal. But I’m looking forward to how McCann, the NWSL’s 2025 Defender of the Year, handles herself in Saturday’s final, as she’ll play a key role in dashing Astor’s chances.
OK, prediction time: pick the winner and final score
Lullaby: The Spirit must be at least a little worried about leaving themselves overexposed when they send numbers forward, but I can’t help but give them the edge as the more in-form and more dangerous attacking team. If Trinity Rodman is healthy enough to play a role off the bench again, he could see things happen. I’m going 2-1 in favor of the Washington Spirit.
Swanik: Neither team gives up easily, but I think we will see goals from both teams and the championship will be decided by penalties after a 1-1 tie after 120 minutes. Aubrey Kingsbury and Ann-Katrin Berger are both elite goalkeepers – exactly what you want when it comes to penalties – but I think Gotham pulls it off.
