“For me, the Euro is more complicated than the World Cup,” said Kylian Mbappé last year, referring to the higher difficulty level of the UEFA-hosted tournament. Naturally, his statement sparked widespread debate, with many sharing differing views and even supporters from other continents challenging European teams to face South American sides. Even players from other federations also weighed in—Brazil’s Raphinha, for instance, defended CONMEBOL by saying, “I would like to see the European nations play the qualifiers on the fields where we play.” While there’s no clear answer to the debate, it somehow made its way into the women’s game, prompting Lindsey Heaps to reflect on whether the USWNT could win the Euros—if they ever had the chance to compete.

Well, before we dive into her views, let’s understand how the conversation even started. On the latest episode of The Women’s Game podcast, former USA midfielder and show host Sam Mewis discussed the ongoing 2025 UEFA Women’s Euro. Many of the teams competing in that tournament are the ones Emma Hayes and Co. will probably face at the 2027 World Cup. That sparked a “crazy” question in Mewis’s mind, prompting her to ask her former teammate how the American squad would stack up against all the European sides.

Heaps’ answer? Not exactly a definitive yes, but an optimistic one. “It’s so hard [to say] because we’re obviously missing a lot of players, but we have a lot of new young players, inexperienced players that are doing so well,” began the OL Lyonnes midfielder. “It would be so hard to say. Also, Emma would fully prepare us for a tournament and tournament mode.”

Though Lindsey couldn’t give a direct yes or no, she was confident that Hayes was preparing everyone for the tournament. Sure, the 31-year-old did realize the certain challenges that may exist in this potential European face-off, but she insisted that it’s all about mentality. “I will always say we would be killing it and winning,” added the former Horan.

As for performance-wise, the former Portland Thorns star believes it depends on the nature of the tournament. Moreover, it would also depend on the team selection and style of play. After all, since their last World Cup appearance, the entire US Women’s National Team has had a major shakeup. Players like Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, and many other names have retired, forcing the 4x World Champions to welcome a full transition and experiment with the team with a new generation of players.

You heard that, Europe? Looks like the American ladies are ready for whatever may come up. And honestly, we also hope to see the Emma Hayes-led team play against the European camps. Then again, this also brings up a very interesting conversation, about what happened in the men’s game.

Lindsey Heaps’ optimism fuels an interesting debate!

Recalling Kylian Mbappé’s statement, 2022 World Cup winner Lionel Messi—who himself defeated the Frenchman’s nation to win his first-ever golden trophy—also weighed in on the debate. While acknowledging that everyone prioritizes their own tournament, the Argentinian superstar said, “Obviously, the Euros is very important and has the best teams, but he’s leaving out three-time champion Argentina, five-time champion Brazil, two-time champion Uruguay. There are a lot of world champions left off to say that it’s the most difficult tournament,” instead calling the World Cup the ultimate test.

Going by this theory, one can say that nations with more World Cup trophies are far superior. Sure, there are exceptions, but it stands to be the ultimate truth. Now let’s apply this theory to the women’s game. The USWNT is the only team that has won the maximum number of World Cups—four, to be precise. Behind them is Germany with two, followed by Norway, Japan, and Spain with one each.

Compare all the European sides’ wins with the USA alone, and they still don’t match what the American ladies have achieved over the decades. Hence, this may end the debate with a perfect response. Then again, the modern game is not just about history—it’s more about the current situation. Not to mention, the USA’s shocking 2023 upset came at the hands of a European team like Sweden in the Round of 16.

For now, the reality is that the Lindsey Horan-captained USWNT is indeed a superior side on paper. Whether that holds true is something only time will tell, like the 2027 World Cup. Let’s see what happens until then. In the meantime, share your thoughts in the comments.