Alyssa Thompson

Alyssa Paola Thompson (born November 7, 2004) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for NWSL team Angel City FC and the United States women's national team. In 2021, she was named Gatorade Player of the Year. She signed professionally with Angel City as a senior in high school.

Alyssa Thompson
Thompson in 2023
Thompson in 2023
Personal information
Full name Alyssa Paola Thompson[1]
Date of birth (2004-11-07) November 7, 2004[2]
Place of birth Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Height 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m)[3]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Angel City FC
Number 21
Youth career
2013–2015 Total Futbol Academy
2015–2020 Real So Cal
2020–2023 Total Futbol Academy
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023– Angel City FC 14 (3)
International career‡
2022– United States U20 8 (4)
2022– United States 7 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of August 20, 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of September 21, 2023

Early life and education

Raised in Studio City, California in the Los Angeles area, Alyssa attended The Wesley School in North Hollywood. At age 8, she raced against the fastest boy at the school and won.[4] Thompson's parents Karen and Mario[5] signed Alyssa and her sister Gisele up to Total Futbol Academy (TFA) in 2013, when Alyssa Thompson was 9 years old, for them to compete on boys' teams. After two years, they transferred to Elite Clubs National League club Real So Cal, where they played until the COVID-19 pandemic.[6][7] By the age of 13, Thompson was playing with players four years older than her.[8] Thompson returned to TFA in 2020 and played for its under-19 team in the MLS Next league at the age of 17, and was the only female player in the league.[8][6][7][9]

Thompson attended and played for Harvard-Westlake School during her freshman and sophomore years of high school[10] and scored 48 goals in 18 games.[8][9] National team and club soccer prevented her from playing during her junior season. She was drafted to professional play as a high school senior.[9][11]

Thompson was named Gatorade Player of the Year in April 2021.[12]

Professional career

In 2020, at the age of 15, Thompson verbally committed to joining the Cardinal of Stanford University starting in the 2023 season.[8][6][7][13][14] However, she later decommitted to enter the 2023 NWSL Draft.[6][7][15]

On January 12, 2023, Angel City FC selected Thompson as the first overall pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft.[16][9][11] As part of a three-team trade, Angel City had sent a total of $450,000 to Portland Thorns and Gotham FC to secure the No. 1 pick.[17] At the time, this trade made Thompson "essentially the most expensive player in league history," which was a record previously set by Alex Morgan.[18] Thompson signed a three-year deal with the club.[18]

External video
video icon Alyssa Thompson's first professional goal with Angel City FC retrieved June 23, 2023

While still attending her senior year of high school at Westlake,[19][20] Thompson scored five minutes into her professional debut with Angel City FC, in a friendly match against Club América of Liga MX Femenil.[9] Thompson scored a goal 11 minutes into her NWSL regular-season debut on March 26, 2023, in a 1–2 loss against NJ/NY Gotham FC.[21] On April 11, she scored the game-opener against Portland Thorns FC.[22] She was named NWSL Rookie of the Month for her performance during March–April 2023.[23] Thompson's third regular season goal was the opening goal in the team's 3–2 win against Kansas City Current.[24][25] On June 5, she provided the assist for Sydney Leroux's first goal and game of the season (after returning from an ankle injury in the previous season).[26]

International career

Thompson has represented the United States on the United States senior national team as well as the under-20 national team.

In 2022, she helped lead the under-20 national team to win gold at the 2022 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship, playing in five matches and scoring three goals.[8][27] At the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Costa Rica, she played in three matches and scored one goal.[28][29]

External video
video icon Alyssa Thompson's national team debut at Wembley Stadium retrieved June 23, 2023

Thompson was called up to the senior national team in September 2022 and was the youngest player since Sophia Smith in 2017.[30][31][13] On October 7, 2022, she made her senior national team debut at Wembley Stadium during a friendly against England in front of 90,000 fans.[9][32]

Thompson with the U.S. national team and Second Gentleman, Doug Emhoff, July 2023
Thompson with the U.S. national team and Second Gentleman, Doug Emhoff, July 2023

On April 9, 2023, Thompson was called up to the senior team to replace an injured Mallory Swanson in a friendly scheduled for April 11 against Ireland.[33] In June of the same year, she was named to the U.S. squad for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.[34] She made her debut during the team's first group stage match against Vietnam: a 3–0 win.[35]

Playing style

In July 2023 the BBC said that her "pace and tenacity are stand-out features".[36]

Personal life

Thompson is of African-American, Filipino and Peruvian descent.[37][38][39][40] Her parents are Karen and Mario[5] and she has two younger sisters, Gisele and Zoe; Gisele is also a soccer player who has played for the under-17 United States national team.[14][8]

Thompson also runs track, and in April 2022, ran 100m in 11.74 seconds, which was the second fastest 100m sprint in 2022 up to that date in California.[9][41]

Endorsements

In May 2022, Thompson and her sister Gisele signed a name, image, and likeness deal with Nike at ages 17 and 16 respectively, becoming the first high school athletes to do so.[42] In July 2023, she appeared in a commercial for Volkswagen.[43]

Television and film

Thompson was featured in episode 3 of the documentary series Angel City in 2023.[44]

Thompson will appear in an upcoming Netflix documentary series, which will follow the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team as they compete in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The docuseries is slated to premiere in fall 2023.[45]

Career statistics

Club
As of June 25, 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup[lower-alpha 1] Playoffs[lower-alpha 2] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Angel City FC 2023 NWSL 13320—153
Career total 1332000153
  1. Includes the NWSL Challenge Cup
  2. Includes NWSL Playoffs

International
As of match played September 21, 2023[3]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
United States 202220
202350
Total70

Honors and awards

Individual

United States U20

References
  1. "Squad List, FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Costa Rica 2022: USA" (PDF). FIFA. August 3, 2022. p. 16. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  2. "USA – A. Thompson". Soccerway. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  3. "Alyssa Thompson | USWNT | U.S. Soccer Official Site". www.ussoccer.com.
  4. "How family and determination forged teenager Alyssa Thompson's World Cup talent". Los Angeles Times. July 18, 2023. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  5. "Alyssa Thompson | USWNT | U.S. Soccer Official Site". www.ussoccer.com. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  6. Oxenham, Gwendolyn (March 22, 2023). "Angel City FC's Alyssa Thompson Set a New Standard for Girls in Soccer". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  7. Clark, Travis (November 10, 2022). "Alyssa and Gisele Thompson's unusual path to USWNT success via MLS NEXT". Major League Soccer. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  8. "Alyssa Thompson: USWNT prospect playing alongside the boys to fuel Olympic dream | Goal.com". www.goal.com.
  9. Gibson, Charlotte (March 24, 2023). "Why Alyssa Thompson's path to stardom shifted into hyperspeed". ESPN. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  10. "Roundup: Harvard-Westlake's Alyssa Thompson scores six goals in 6–3 Division 1 playoff win". Los Angeles Times. May 19, 2021. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  11. Sawyer, Haley (February 22, 2023). "No Alyssa Thompson, no problem: Harvard-Westlake girls soccer back in CIF-SS final". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  12. "Harvard-Westlake's Alyssa Thompson named Gatorade girls' soccer national player of the year". Los Angeles Times. June 17, 2021.
  13. Ingemi, Marisa (September 29, 2022). "Stanford commit Alyssa Thompson is USWNT's youngest call-up in 5 years". San Francisco Chronicle.
  14. "Column: Thompson sisters are rising soccer stars with an eye on Stanford". Los Angeles Times. September 11, 2020.
  15. Ingemi, Marisa (January 6, 2023). "Stanford recruit Alyssa Thompson decommits, will go No. 1 in NWSL draft". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
  16. Yang, Steph (January 12, 2023). "NWSL draft live: Alyssa Thompson goes No. 1; Three FSU players taken in first round". The Athletic. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
  17. Watkins, Claire (January 13, 2013). "Angel City banking on culture to help Alyssa Thompson thrive". Just Women's Sports. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  18. "NWSL Draft: Angel City makes Alyssa Thompson the 1st HS player taken No. 1 overall". Yahoo! Sports. January 12, 2013. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  19. Calhoun, Damian (May 12, 2023). "Alyssa Thompson balancing school and soccer as rookie for Angel City FC". Orange County Register. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  20. "Angel City's Alyssa Thompson at the forefront of change in U.S. women's soccer". Los Angeles Times. April 22, 2023. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  21. Bushnell, Henry (March 26, 2023). "Alyssa Thompson, the future of USWNT, explodes onto NWSL scene with golazo in debut". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
  22. "Goalkeeper Bella Bixby's goal rescues 3–3 draw for Portland Thorns in wild finish". The Oregonian. April 29, 2023. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  23. "Teenage USWNT prospect Alyssa Thompson dazzles in rookie NWSL campaign". SoccerWire. May 9, 2023. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  24. Vertelney, Seth (May 8, 2023). "Angel City's wonderteen Alyssa Thompson only scores bangers". USA Today. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  25. Hruby, Emma (May 6, 2023). "Watch: Alyssa Thompson scores golazo for Angel City FC". Just Women's Sports. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  26. "Sydney Leroux scores in season debut, but Angel City comes up short against Red Stars". Los Angeles Times. June 5, 2023. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  27. "Stats". Concacaf. March 11, 2021.
  28. "Unity is strength for ambitious USA". FIFA. August 12, 2022. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
  29. "Sondheimer: Harvard-Westlake's Alyssa Thompson speeds back to class and track team". Los Angeles Times. March 27, 2022.
  30. Laase, Eden (September 29, 2022). "Teen star Alyssa Thompson earns her first USWNT call-up". Just Women's Sports.
  31. "Andonovski on Alyssa Thompson's first USWNT call-up: "She will fit in our system" – SBI Soccer". sbisoccer.com. October 1, 2022.
  32. Herrera, Sandra (January 20, 2023). "Alyssa Thompson is already breaking barriers before her first NWSL pro game with Angel City FC". CBS Sports. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  33. Calhoun, Damian (April 9, 2023). "Angel City FC's Alyssa Thompson to join USWNT for Ireland game". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  34. "Morgan and Rapinoe named in USA World Cup squad". BBC Sport.
  35. "Women's World Cup 2023 highlights: USWNT tops Vietnam, 3-0". Fox Sports. July 21, 2023. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  36. "'It's crazy' - the USA teen living the World Cup dream". BBC Sport.
  37. "Madre de mundialista Alyssa Thompson, recalca las raíces peruanas y sacrificios de su hija". Los Angeles Times (in Spanish). July 17, 2023.
  38. Davies, Amanda; Howorth, Alasdair (February 25, 2023). "High schooler by day, professional soccer player by night: Alyssa Thompson is doing it all". CNN. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  39. "Alyssa Thompson: Futbolista de madre peruana debutó con la selección de Estados Unidos". americadeportes. October 8, 2022.
  40. Líbero, Redacción (October 10, 2022). "Pudo defender a Perú pero acaba de debutar en la selección absoluta de Estados Unidos". libero.pe.
  41. "Soccer star Alyssa Thompson runs second fastest 100 meters in California". Los Angeles Times. April 29, 2022. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  42. VanHaaren, Tom (May 17, 2022). "Nike signs sister soccer players to company's first high school name, image and likeness deal". ESPN. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  43. "Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport TV Spot, 'The Juggle' Ft. Alyssa Thompson, Emily Fox, Andi Sullivan". ispot.tv. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  44. "Alyssa Paola Thompson". IMDB. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  45. "Netflix Will Shoot the US Women's Soccer Team's Upcoming World Cup Journey". Netflix Tudum. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
  46. "2020–2021 Gatorade National Girls Soccer Player of the Year". Gatorade. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  47. "Angel City FC Forward Alyssa Thompson Named March/April Rookie of the Month, Presented by Ally" (Press release). National Women's Soccer League. May 4, 2023. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  48. "USA Wins Concacaf Women's U-20 Championship With 2–0 Victory Over Mexico". US Soccer (Press release). March 12, 2022. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
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