After a triumphant Olympics in France, the United States women's national team is back at the top of the international game.

With the team now being coached by the astute Emma Hayes, the USWNT looked like the best team at this summer's Games and was rewarded with a gold medal to prove it.

Celebrations will continue over the coming days and weeks, but the soccer world never stops spinning. Before we know it, the U.S. will be competing for the Women's World Cup in 2027.

As we look ahead to the next major tournament for the USWNT, who might be starting for Hayes in Brazil in three years' time?

Well, here's our way-too-early prediction.

Goalkeeper

Will Alyssa Naeher be 39 by the time the 2027 World Cup kicks off? You bet. But can I bring myself to remove the veteran from her starting role after the Olympics she just had? No, I can't.

The Chicago Red Stars 'keeper has struggled with consistency at times for both club and country, but she made a couple of major saves during the gold-medal match against Brazil on Saturday:

She's still one of the best in the United States' player pool when it comes to her quick reactions between the posts.

Naeher's age will be a legitimate concern come 2027: Will she still have the same spring in her step? In the end, Hayes may well opt to go in a different, younger direction.

Casey Murphy, Naeher's backup this summer, will be 32.

But it's going to be hard to imagine a world without Naeher starting for the USWNT until that world appears.

Defenders

Naomi Girma is an etched-in-pen starter for the United States.

After being the USWNT's only real bright spot at the 2023 World Cup, she was nearly flawless in France. She had a hiccup or two against Brazil, but more than made up for her brief lapses with *gestures at everything else she did this summer.*

Girma is the first name on the U.S. team sheet and will be a starter at center back come 2027.

Next to Girma, Tierna Davidson is still the safe bet to win the other starting center back job. She started next to Girma at the Olympics, will be 28 when the World Cup begins and has been favored by Hayes over Sam Staab and Emily Sams.

She has a solid blend of one-on-one defending and clever passing. Davidson is my pick for now, but I wouldn't be surprised if someone sneaks in to snag her spot over the next few years.

Looking to the right back spot, Emily Fox isn't a perfectly well-rounded player given some of her struggles in possession. But she was an asset throughout the Olympics and there aren't any younger challengers really pushing her on the depth chart.

Like the other members of the U.S. backline, it's entirely possible Crystal Dunn retains her spot at left back after winning the job in the team's pre-Olympic friendlies.

However, a shakeup that leads to Jenna Nighswonger starting over Dunn, who will be 34 when the World Cup starts, is my bet here.

Nighswonger is more of a true width-provider on the left than Dunn, which seems to align with Hayes' preferences for her left back. With more time to plan ahead of 2027, Dunn could be shifted inside and her Gotham teammate could move into the starting left back role.

Midfielders

Buckle up, people, because it's Lily Yohannes time.

The 17-year-old seems to be working out the finer details of her international allegiance: She's eligible for both the USWNT and the Netherlands.

But try telling me this doesn't look like the silky smooth central midfielder is ready to jump into the deep end with the United States:

With her close control, vision, and passing range, the Ajax youngster is one of the top central midfield prospects in the women's game. She's already made her USWNT debut and could soon be back for more.

While Lindsey Horan captained the U.S. in France, it seems clear that the veteran (who will be 33 when the 2027 World Cup begins) is losing some of her sharpness on and off the ball. Hayes should transition the captaincy to Girma, allowing others like Yohannes to step into the fray.

Sam Coffey seems a safe bet to retain her starting role during the rest of this tournament cycle, and I'm adding Catarina Macario into this group as the attack-minded midfielder.

It could easily be Jaedyn Shaw or Croix Bethune starting over Macario, who missed the Olympics with a knee injury. But the Chelsea star has the inside track to minutes based on her longer career and crossover with Hayes in England.

Forwards

No one will start over Triple Espresso. It's just not going to happen.

Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson form one of the most electric front threes the game has ever seen.

With Rodman's dribbling ability out wide on the right, Smith bulldozing through the center and Swanson's delightful mix of off- and on-ball skills, the trio combined at an elite level during their time in France.

It seems impossible that a frontline could be so artful and so blazing fast at the exact same time, but that's exactly what you get with the trio.

All three players will still be in their primes come 2027, with Swanson as the willy veteran of the group. She'll be 29.

Is it possible for someone like Mia Fishel to claim a starting spot up top for the United States? Of course, but it's about the furthest thing from likely.

If there's one group you can lock in for the next Women's World Cup, it's the U.S. forward line.