Could Zećira Mušović’s display against the USWNT be a turning point in her Chelsea career?

Behind a stunning performance by Chelsea Women’s own Zecira Musovic, Sweden’s WNT upset the four-time world champion USWNT, but how does that effect her role next season with Chelsea Women?

Since the Swedish international put pen to paper on the contract with the West Londoners in January of 2021, Zecira Musovic has not been treated as the No. 1 option. With the entire world watching against the four-time world champions, the west Londoner pieced together a display of a lifetime. Musovic made 11 saves, frustrated an attack that had been putting consistent pressure on her backline all night. Whether it was her dive to her left on Lindsey Horan’s rocket, or coming off her line to prevent the shot in itself, the Chelsea goalkeeper was other worldly the entire match. Her performance without question effected the Americans stepping up to take a spot kick during the penalty shootout.

Even though Ann-Katrin Berger struggles in her distribution, the German’s shot stopping has always separated her from the rest of the goalkeeping pack at the club. Berger was not her country’s No. 1 heading into this competition. The Swede had a chance to be, fighting for the top spot with talented 30-year-old Jennifer Falk. That was a battle in which Musovic won. Not only did she win it, the Blues’ No. 1 made a statement.

With all the rest of her fellow goalkeepers in west London not appearing consistently in competitive international football this summer, this was Musovic’s chance. There is no forgetting this. Stepping up against Arsenal at the Emirates is one thing, but to do it at the World Cup against the USWNT is completely different. Many thought that the Blues would head into the Women’s Super League campaign with Berger as the no doubt No. 1. While she still may serve as that out of the gate, that World Cup performance will be ringing in the back of the coaching staff’s minds all pre-season. It seemed like a confusing extension in January, but as of this moment, she is a goalkeeper the world cannot stop talking about.

When she has been given the opportunity, the Swede has not been poor whatsoever. It is just the remarkable consistency and grit of Berger has left her out of more minutes at the club level. Currently, the German keeper is 32 years old. It has to be said if this one game could rush the Blues in to sliding Musovic into the role, and leaning Berger out in her final season under contract. As much as the German keeper has been influential in the success, and growth of this club, there is no excuse not to provide the Swedish international with the most minutes in a CFCW kit.

Zecira Musovic may have begun the passing of the torch at Chelsea Women in the goalkeeping position.

Hannah Hampton will rotate in at times, but due to her age, it seems like she is next in line following the Swede. Since 2021 when she signed, the former FC Rosengård shot stopper has never had more than eight starts in the WSL. That could very well change in 2023-2024. If Hayes did not think she was ready to take the keys for the west London outfit, her Player of the Match display against the No. 1 ranked team in the world sure did. The Swedish international goalkeeper is in west London until 2025 after signing that new contract. 11 saves against the USWNT has to jumpstart the process in which she controls the action between the posts for the majority of the next two campaigns.

Zecira Musovic, Johanna Rytting Kaneryd in addition to Chelsea Women legends Magdalena Eriksson, and Jonna Andersson are back in action for Sweden against Japan in the quarterfinals on Friday, August 11 at  8:30 a.m. BST, or 3:30 a.m. EST.