In the year 2019, I found myself in an Atlanta bar, surrounded by a vibrant sea of red, blue, and white. It was the semifinals of the prestigious Women’s World Cup, and the United States was pitted against England in a fierce battle. The U.S. women were determined to secure a spot in the final, but it was no easy task.
The game was a back-and-forth affair. The U.S. struck first, scoring a goal within the first 10 minutes. England responded with a goal of their own about 10 minutes later. Then, 31 minutes into the match, the U.S. captain, the talented Alex Morgan, skillfully maneuvered past an English defender and headed the ball into the net for the game-winning goal. She celebrated her triumph by playfully mimicking sipping tea. The atmosphere in the Atlanta bar erupted with jubilation, fueled by both the goal and the cheeky celebration. A friend of mine, more accustomed to watching NFL and NBA, turned to me and exclaimed, “This is the most exhilarating sports moment I’ve ever witnessed!”
Ultimately, the U.S. triumphed over the Netherlands in the final, clinching their fourth World Cup victory. However, the 2019 tournament was more than just a testament to their success on the field. It marked a significant turning point for women’s soccer in America. The emotional investment of countless American fans stemmed not only from the team’s accomplishments, but also from the broader national and sporting politics of the time. Megan Rapinoe, the star player of the World Cup and a vocal advocate against homophobia, racism, and sexism, became a symbol of resistance to the Trump administration. Seeing Rapinoe, the world’s best women’s soccer player (later officially crowned with the Best FIFA Women’s Player award), proudly representing the United States with her skills and values instilled a sense of pride among fans who had weathered years of political tumult. Moreover, the success of the women’s team coincided with their fight for equal pay, a cause that resonated with many who saw it as a symbol for closing the gender gap in other realms of American life.
While the 2019 women’s team represented a dynamic soccer culture in flux, this year’s squad embodies something different: the unprecedented stability of women’s soccer in the United States. At 38 years old, Rapinoe, who is playing in her fourth World Cup, has declared that this will be her final tournament and that she will retire from professional soccer after the end of her domestic season. She is the oldest player on the team and her journey has been long and arduous. After leaving the University of Portland, she made the decision to turn professional in 2009, becoming the second overall pick in the inaugural Women’s Professional Soccer league. At that time, professional women’s players in the U.S. earned an average salary of around $25,000. Unfortunately, her team folded just a year later, and the league suspended its operations two years after that. Rapinoe then pursued opportunities in Australia and France, even playing in an amateur league, before joining the newly established National Women’s Soccer League in the U.S. in 2013. She has been a part of the OL Reign (previously known as the Seattle Reign FC) ever since.
Let’s take a moment to consider another member of the team, Alyssa Thompson. At just 18 years old, she is currently in her debut season in the NWSL, and she has already made history as the second-youngest player to represent the country in a World Cup during the team’s 3-0 victory against Vietnam. The stark contrast between the experiences of the youngest and oldest members of the team encapsulates the journey of women’s soccer in the United States. The NWSL is now in its 11th season and has inked its first-ever collective bargaining agreement, which ensures higher player salaries, housing benefits, health insurance, 401(k)s, and parental leave. This agreement also addresses player safety, an issue that gained urgent attention following a 2022 report highlighting systemic emotional abuse and sexual misconduct within the league. Last season, over 1 million fans attended NWSL matches, and this year’s opening night set a new attendance record, surpassing the previous year’s figures by nearly 50%.
Thompson’s team, Angel City FC, based in Los Angeles, represents an unprecedented level of success and optimism for women’s professional soccer. Owned by a conglomerate of high-profile celebrities, including Natalie Portman, America Ferrera, Eva Longoria, Serena Williams, and former soccer greats like Mia Hamm, Abby Wambach, Julie Foudy, and Shannon Boxx, Angel City FC’s games have attracted Hollywood stars and boast an average home attendance of nearly 20,000 spectators per game this season. These numbers exceed the average attendance of more than a dozen men’s teams in Major League Soccer. In fact, HBO even produced a three-part documentary chronicling the team’s journey in May. Angel City FC reportedly holds a valuation of $100 million, twice the amount of any other team in the league.
Although Thompson is a rookie in her freshman professional season, she is quickly emerging as the face of the franchise. Michael Holzer, Thompson’s private coach for the past two and a half years, describes her as a natural talent who has challenged herself by competing against boys and older women since the age of 13. He also admires Thompson’s discipline and work ethic, revealing that their training sessions often began as early as 5:30 a.m. before school started. Thompson’s remarkable swiftness sets her apart from others on the field, a fact that becomes evident with her blazing speed. She ran the 100-meter dash in an impressive 11.69 seconds during her junior year of high school, ranking among the fastest in the state, even with sporadic track practice due to her commitment to soccer.
Initially, Thompson had intended to pursue a collegiate soccer career at Stanford, renowned for its strong women’s soccer program and history of nurturing future national team players. However, her plans changed after her national team debut last year, when she substituted in for Rapinoe. This pivotal experience in October 2022, while still in her senior year of high school, convinced Thompson and her family that she was ready for the next level. Thus, when the time came for the 2023 NWSL draft, Angel City FC spared no expense, spending nearly half a million dollars to secure Thompson as the first overall pick.
Thompson wasted no time in justifying Angel City’s faith in her abilities. Within a mere 11 minutes of her NWSL debut this past March, she received a pass on the left side of the field, skillfully maneuvered the ball past defenders, and unleashed a powerful shot from approximately 20 yards out, landing the ball in the top right corner of the net. This remarkable feat made Thompson the second-youngest player in the league to score on debut and the fourth-youngest player to score in any NWSL game. And to top it off, she achieved all of this just two months before her high school graduation. A couple of months later, she shattered more records by becoming the first teenager to be named in the USWNT roster since 1995.
It is impossible to understate the immense groundwork laid by the women who paved the way for players like Thompson. In the past, female professional soccer players often had to juggle multiple jobs, struggled to draw crowds of just a few thousand spectators to games, and endured a lack of safeguards against exploitation and abuse. While the NWSL is still evolving, there is still more work to be done to support its athletes. Nevertheless, the landscape of women’s soccer in the United States today has undergone a radical transformation from Rapinoe’s early days in the sport.
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