Record breakers, Olympic medalists and style icons: these are the soccer stars you need on your radar.
The National Women’s Soccer League Playoffs are about to kick off, which means all the league’s biggest stars are going head-to-head every weekend for the rest of the month. It’s the most exciting time of the year to be a women’s soccer fan in America, but for those of you who aren’t well-versed in the beautiful game, treat this as your definitive guide to the league’s coolest players on and off the field.
The NWSL is not only one of the most competitive women’s leagues in the world, but it is by far the most culturally resonant. Fashion, beauty, TikTok gurus and cross-sport link-ups all have a place here. No other league has creative directors giving clubs their own signature merchandise. No other league gives its players a platform to express themselves through clothing, hair, makeup and nails the way the NWSL does. As a result, the Playoffs are just as much a source of inspiration for fashion enthusiasts as they are for aspiring players.
Some players have become influencers in their own right, with major followings on social media and brand deals propelling them into the limelight. With the Championship right around the corner and another monumental NWSL season coming to a close, here are the players to keep on your radar during Playoffs and beyond.
Trinity Rodman, Washington Spirit
Trinity Rodman is one of the most prominent names in women’s soccer, not to mention the NWSL. Still one of the younger players in the league, she’s been playing for the Washington Spirit since 2021, winning the Championship as a teenager in her first professional season and playing a pivotal role in the United States Women’s National Team and the Spirit’s success since. Off the field, she’s also one of the sport’s biggest personalities, using social media to share her humor, style, personal life and to soft-launch the multi-colored boho braids that have become a part of her personal brand.
Midge Purce, Gotham FC
Midge Purce is an NWSL stalwart. This is her eighth season in the league and her sixth time making it to the Playoffs. She was named Championship MVP two years ago, doing the heavy-lifting as Gotham won their first Championship title. You could write a book about her prowess on the field, but what she has been able to build off of it is worthy of praise, too. She’s a model, a spokesperson and a television mogul. She co-created The Offseason, a reality show that aired in 2024 following a group of NWSL players as they prepared for the new season. When Chaka Khan wrote I’m Every Woman, she didn’t know it yet, but she was definitely talking about Midge Purce.
Michelle Cooper, Kansas City Current
Kansas City Current has been one of the most difficult teams to play against in the last two years, and a lot of that is down to Michelle Cooper. She’s creative, bold and powerful on the ball, terrorizing defenders with her skill and speed. She holds the record for the fastest goal scored in the NWSL, and this year she’s ready to write her name in the history books. She has slowly become a mainstay in the USWNT, and with the Women’s World Cup in less than two years, keep an eye out for Cooper.
Jaedyn Shaw, Gotham FC
The NWSL has become a stepping stone for teen talent to break out, skipping the traditional college soccer route and going straight to the pros. Jaedyn Shaw is one of the best that’s come through the league, going from a bright-eyed kid in San Diego’s setup to one of the most prolific players in the country. Shaw’s style has also gained her as much attention as her skill as one of the league’s best-dressed players. Gotham FC turns every match day into NYFW, but she’s proven she can turn fits with the best of them. Tune into the Playoffs for her wardrobe, but stay for the masterclass in goalscoring.
Delphine Cascarino, San Diego Wave
Delphine Cascarino is a player who needs no introduction. She is one of the most decorated players in women’s soccer with 23 club trophies, and she’s only 28. The French international spent the entirety of her career at Lyon before moving to San Diego for a new challenge in 2024. This year, she lifted a young and inexperienced team that had lost a legend in Alex Morgan a few months before, guiding them to the second NWSL Playoffs in four years. She is an incredible playmaker and already one of the best to ever play in the league. San Diego Wave have the odds stacked against them, but Delphine’s talent can’t be quantified. Place your bets on her.
Croix Bethune, Washington Spirit
Many players have “burst onto the scene,” but no one in the league embodies that phrase quite like Croix Bethune. Her first season with the Washington Spirit last year was what dreams are made of, winning her Rookie of the Year, Midfielder of the Year, and an Olympic gold medal with the USWNT in the middle of the season. Her playing style is raw and filled with flair, making her one of the most exciting players to watch every week, as well as her ever-changing hairstyles that she keeps on heavy rotation. This is the queen of assists in D.C. If the Spirit has a chance in front of the goal this week, watch what Bethune can do.
Jordyn Huitema, Seattle Reign
Jordyn Huitema is a star on the field and online. The Canadian powerhouse is one of the most followed women’s players on social media, with 1.3 million followers on Instagram alone. At only 24, she’s an Olympic gold medalist with nearly 100 appearances for Canada, an NWSL Shield winner and a certified showstopper. She recently signed a deal with New Balance, making her one of the brand’s freshest faces of football in America and overseas. Despite being a household name in the game already, her career is only just beginning, and this is a player whose name you’ll want to remember in the future.
Ally Watt, Orlando Pride
Ally Watt just made history with Orlando Pride last season, winning the team’s first-ever Shield and Championship in a year that was filled with Disney-like highs and very few lows. She’s been at the club for three years, playing alongside some of the best to ever grace the game. Despite all the star power in the squad, Watt still manages to stand out amongst the rest. She’s a game changer, constantly making her presence known and creating chances for her team to take advantage of. The Colorado native is moving back home next year, as the first player to sign for the NWSL’s newest team, Denver Summit, but she still has one last mission before the year ends. The road to the Championship is never easy, but if anyone can get Orlando there for a second year, it’s Watt.
Emma Sears, Racing Louisville
Emma Sears, like Croix Bethune, has been a breath of fresh air in the NWSL. Another 2024 draft pick, Sears’ successful first season at Racing Louisville earned her multiple Goal of the Week awards and a regular spot in the USWNT starting XI: a feat that many have tried to achieve but only a few can. The Kentucky team has been trying to get a spot in the Playoffs for years now, falling short every time. This year, Sears and her squad broke the curse, and they’re not looking to leave the party early. She’s already got 10 goals to her name this season, but you can never have too many. The Playoffs are about to become her playground.
Reilyn Turner, Portland Thorns
Reilyn Turner is one of the Portland Thorns’ budding talents. Joined the NWSL’s most successful team halfway through last season and has already made her mark in Oregon. She’s a natural goalscorer: cool, calm, collected, always delivers when you need her to, and she does it every week with a set of perfect acrylics on her nails. Turner is the type of player that everyone wants on their team, but the Thorns are making sure this rose stays on the West Coast. The extent of her talent and ability is yet to be unlocked, but when this starlet reaches her full potential, there won’t be many players better.
After the failure of Sky Sports Halo and poor attempts to engage a younger audience, will brands learn what women are truly looking for in sports content this year?
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