\n
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) \u2014 Sophia Wilson will return to the Portland Thorns for the 2026 season. <\/p>\n
The 25-year-old U.S. national team star has exercised the player option on her contract for another year, the National Women’s Soccer League team announced Wednesday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Sportico reported that the option is worth $1 million. <\/p>\n
Wilson did not play for the Thorns this season as she was on maternity leave following the birth of her daughter Gianna. The former Sophia Smith married Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson in January. <\/p>\n
“Portland is where I started my professional career and where I really grew in many ways, so bringing this new version of myself back to Portland is very special for me,” Wilson said in a statement released by the team. “I’m excited about this city. I love living there. I love the people there. I’m excited to be back with the guys and play at Providence Park and in front of the Riveters. There’s no place like this.”<\/p>\n
In five seasons with the Thorns, she scored 44 goals in all competitions. She helped Portland win the league title and was named the 2022 NWSL Most Valuable Player. <\/p>\n
She was also part of the Thorns team that won the 2021 NWSL Shield and the 2021 Challenge Cup. She won the Golden Boot award in 2023 with a league-leading 11 goals. <\/p>\n
Wilson, a Colorado native, was the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NWSL Draft out of Stanford University and helped the Cardinal win the 2019 College Cup. She scored three goals in the Cardinal’s semifinal win over UCLA and was named the College Cup Most Valuable Player.<\/p>\n
“She’s an extraordinary global star who can change a game in an instant,” Thorns general manager Jeff Agus said. \u201cSofia will strengthen our players\u2019 attack and build on her success in 2025, and we are delighted that she will represent our great soccer community next season.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wilson was also on the national team. won a gold medal at the Paris Olympics<\/span>. Fans dubbed the front line of Wilson, Trinity Rodman, and Mallory Swanson the “Triple Espresso.”<\/p>\nWilson, who was also included in the 2023 Women’s World Cup squad, played 58 games and scored 24 goals for the national team. She was named U.S. Soccer Women’s Player of the Year in 2022 and Young Player of the Year in 2017.<\/p>\n
___<\/p>\n
AP Soccer: https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/soccer<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) \u2014 Sophia Wilson will return to the Portland Thorns for the 2026 season. The 25-year-old U.S. national team star has exercised the player option on her contract for another year, the National Women’s Soccer League team announced Wednesday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Sportico reported that the option is<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17692,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-17691","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-soccer"},"yoast_head":"\n
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