In the pursuit of greatness, we all have dreams of stepping onto the grand stage. For many of us, the childhood question of “What do you want to be when you grow up?” often elicited the definitive answer: “Professional Soccer Player.” Now, for the newly drafted and signed athletes of the NWSL, that dream has become a reality. As a testament to their achievement, Parkside Collectibles has commemorated them with their very own Rookie Signature card–soon to be released!

We reached out to a few of these rising stars to reflect on the experience of having their own trading card and to summarize their inaugural NWSL season in three words. Join us as we dive into the experiences of these up-and-coming players and discover just how much this recognition means to them.

#1 Ally Sentnor – Utah Royals FC (#9)

• Draft pick: #1 Overall
• College: UNC Chapel Hill
• Position: Forward
• Club: South Shore Select
• Hometown: Hanson, MA
• Position: Midfield/Forward

How it’s going:

The #1 overall draft pick is not disappointing, starting all four matches of her debut season and logging 90 minutes with the Royals. She then helped her team to their first win of the season with a solo effort that launched them past the NC Courage 2-1.

What it means to her: 

“I think it is a full circle…

LOS ANGELES, April 23, 2024 – Girls Soccer Network (GSN) is thrilled to announce the launch of the fourth iteration of Soccerista United, the highly anticipated mentorship program for girls’ soccer players, set to kick off in May 2024. Soccerista United aims to empower the next generation of female athletes (Socceristas) by pairing them with elite college soccer player mentors (Squad Captains) from across the nation. The program offers a unique opportunity for young players to receive support, inspiration, and advice not typically covered in soccer practice from top-tier athletes currently competing at the elite college level. Additionally, as a Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) program, Soccerista United ensures that Squad Captains are fairly compensated for guidance and mentorship.

This year’s 11 Squad Captains come from esteemed colleges and universities such as Florida State University, the reigning NCAA champions, University of North Carolina, Santa Clara University, and more. Notable former mentors include Jenna Nighswonger, defender for Gotham FC and the USWNT, Ally Sentnor, the No. 1 draft pick in the NWSL, and Sam Cary, an NWSL draftee and Big Ten champion currently playing professionally in Sweden. 

Sam Cary, who previously served as a mentor, now leads the…

Between the NWSL and Women’s Champions League Semifinals, we’ve been spoiled with some incredibly entertaining matches over the last week. Lyon and PSG battled for French supremacy, and recent European rivals Chelsea and Barcelona met once again to settle the score. The NWSL had 27 total goals scored across the league, which is great for attracting more fans to this game we love. It was tough to whittle it down to a few, but here are your Top 5 Goals from the NWSL Matchweek 5 and the Women’s Champions League Semifinals. 

5. Amel Majri – Lyon

Lyon came from behind in dramatic fashion to take a 3-2 lead on aggregate heading into the second leg of the Champions League Semifinal. Amel Majri scored the game-winner with this incredible finish in the midst of chaos. There are bodies on the ground; the ref clearly let Lyon play on, and Majri found herself in a bit of space. The craftiness and composure to hit this hesitation move with a stepover to get around the defender are brilliant. Majri still needed to provide the finish and did so while falling off balance to her left. The shot didn’t have a ton of power, but the accuracy was perfect, and clipped the post before going in. What an iconic Champions League moment, certainly one for the history books. 

4. Melchie…

The NWSL action this week was a joy to watch. There were a ton of stunning goals and plenty of trade and transfer chaos. Internationally, the UEFA Women’s Champions League completed Leg 1 of the semifinals. Keep reading for this week’s women’s soccer news recap. 

High of the Weekend 

The NWSL put goalkeeper jerseys on sale last week after years of fan demand. Alyssa Naeher’s and Kailen Sheridan’s sold out in hours, and Bay FC’s Lysianne Proulx’s are already in limited quantities. We love to see the support for the keepers!

Low of the Weekend

Alex Loera went down with an injury in Bay FC’s match against the Current, and she confirmed over the weekend that she suffered a torn ACL. There have already been more than a handful of season-ending injuries this season. 

News of the Weekend 

Last week, news came out that María Sánchez had requested a trade from the Houston Dash, the team with which she signed the highest-paying NWSL contract at the time. It came as a shock to many that she’d requested a trade. The trade and transfer window closed Friday night at midnight, and her request was honored. She’ll be headed to the San Diego Wave. 

Win of the Weekend 

With no wins, the Thorns had a very rough–and surprising–start to…

Alexia Putellas vs. Catarina Macario

Lindsey Horan vs Korbin Albert and Eva Gaetino.

Yes, these are two epic matchups that you don’t want to miss this Saturday, and what’s better: you can watch them for FREE with DAZN. 

FC Barcelona will take on Chelsea FC in the first leg of the UEFA Women’s Champions League, while Olympique Lyonnais will go up against the other French powerhouse, Paris Saint-Germain Feminine. With powerhouse stars like Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmatí, who recently won the 2023 Ballon d’Or, Barcelona could be seen as a favorite. Chelsea has been missing attacking stars Sam Kerr and Mia Fishel, but recently saw the return of Catarina Macario, who is already making an impact, scoring in her first game back from injury. OL has USWNT player Horan in the midfield and Norwegian national team player Ada Hegerberg as a crucial piece of their attack, but they will have to go up against USWNT midfielder Korbin Albert, defender Eva Gaetino, and Netherlands attacker Lieke Martens. 

The teams will meet again the following week to play each other once more to decide who advances to the final, which is set for May 25. 

How To Watch

DAZN, a leading sports streaming and entertainment platform, is streaming the games for FREE! Read on for more details on…

After a hiatus due to the international break, we’re back to bring the best of the best from the world of women’s club soccer. The NWSL continues to deliver amazing games week after week and the drama of the Women’s FA Cup only adds to excitement surrounding the sport. Without further ado, here are the Top 5 Goals from the NWSL Matchweek 4 and the Women’s FA Cup Semifinals. 

5. Rachel Williams – Manchester United

Manchester United made history thanks to Rachel Williams’ goal over Chelsea. Ella Toone put an enticing cross into the box that was waiting to be headed home. Williams beat her defender to the spot and attacked the ball in the air to give Manchester United a 2-0 lead. The Red Devils would go on to win 2-1 to go to the FA Cup Final for the first time in the club’s history. 

4. Temwa Chawinga – Kansas City Current

Two signings from the offseason that went completely under the radar were Temwa Chawinga and Bia Zaneratto. The two have wasted no time in developing chemistry. The Current team leads the league in goals scored, and Chawinga and Zaneratto are a big reason why.

Zaneratto won the ball back and found herself in space. As soon as she did, watch how Chawinga immediately took off. Chawinga was deep in her own half and at least 5-8 yards…