The NWSL announced the finalists for the 2024 end-of-year awards on Tuesday, with lists showcasing heavy-hitters around the league.
The 2024 MVP award is an all-attacker affair, as the league's top scorers all earned nominations. The Orlando Pride's Barbra Banda and Marta both snagged nods, with Kansas City's Golden Boot-winner Temwa Chawinga, Washington's Trinity Rodman, and Portland's Sophia Smith rounding out the shortlist.
The Rookie of the Year category is similarly stacked, as injured Washington rookie Croix Bethune and her record-tying 10 assists goes up against Utah standout Ally Sentnor and KC Current star Claire Hutton for top honors.
Position players snag share of NWSL awards spotlight
The NWSL's top position players are also vying for solo hardware this season.
In the league's first-ever Midfielder of the Year category, Kansas City's Vanessa DiBernardo and celly queen Lo LaBonta earned nominations, as did Orlando's Marta and North Carolina's Ashley Sanchez. Washington rookie Croix Bethune's short but impressive season also scored her a nod.
Battling in the backline for Defender of the Year are North Carolina's Kaleigh Kurtz and Washington's forward-turned-center back Tara McKeown. Both Iron Women are in the running alongside San Diego’s Naomi Girma and Orlando’s Emily Sams and Kylie Strom.
As the new NWSL single-season shutout leader, Orlando's Anna Moorhouse headlines the Goalkeeper of the Year race, with Gotham's Ann-Katrin Berger and Utah's Mandy Haught in hot pursuit.
Top sideline leaders earn NWSL Coach of the Year nominations
After flipping Orlando from a non-playoff team into 2024’s Shield-winners with a record-setting 23-match undefeated streak, Pride boss Seb Hines is the frontrunner for Coach of the Year (COTY).
However, Hines faces tough competition from Gotham's Juan Carlos Amorós and Kansas City's Vlatko Andonovski.
Andonovski took the Current from a second-to-last 2023 finish to fourth-place on this season's table, while 2023 COTY winner Amorós is one of just two coaches to defeat Orlando this year.
How to vote for the 2024 NWSL individual awards
Fan ballots account for 10% of the final tally, so weigh in by voting online for this season's individual awards, as well as the Best XI First Team and Best XI Second Team. Ballots are due by 3 PM ET on Friday.
In today’s episode of The Late Sub, host Claire Watkins breaks down the ins and outs of every NWSL quarterfinal, including who to keep on upset watch and what to expect tactically between the lines.
Then, Watkins sits down with 2024 Olympic bronze medalist rugby player Sammy Sullivan to chat about the future of rugby in the US. Sullivan digs into how she balances the rugby's newfound spotlight with the day-to-day grind of being a pro athlete, plus how fans can keep up with Team USA Rugby all year-round.
The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes in women’s sports. This is the weekly rundown you’ve been missing, covering the USWNT, NWSL, WNBA, college hoops, and whatever else is popping off in women’s sports each week. Special guest appearances with the biggest names in women’s sports make The Late Sub a must-listen for every fan. Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women’s Sports newsletter for more.
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Taking the pitch for the first time as 2024 Olympic gold medalists, the world No. 1 USWNT kicked off their three-match international window with a strong showing against No. 13 Iceland on Thursday.
Forwards Alyssa Thompson, Jaedyn Shaw, and Sophia Smith all found the back of the net in the 3-1 victory.
The US has yet to lose under head coach Emma Hayes, who now boasts an 11-game unbeaten streak dating back to her June 1st debut.
19-year-old Thompson shines in USWNT return
After missing the Olympic cut in July, Alyssa Thompson announced her return to the USWNT in style by scoring her first-ever international goal on Thursday.
"I've really appreciated her living up to her own expectations for herself, and demonstrating the behaviors and the performances that she wanted to see," Hayes said of the 19-year-old ahead of last night's friendly.
At just 18 years old, Thompson was a late addition to the USWNT's 2023 World Cup roster. More recently, the Angel City forward's NWSL goalscoring surge thrust her back into the national team spotlight.
Thompson is now the fourth teenager to score for the US in 2024 — the most since 2000, when six players under 20 found the back of the net.
Second-half subs and debuts secure USWNT win
Hayes's Thursday starting XI drew heavily on her Olympic roster, but impact subs and a few fresh faces lifted the team over the Icelandic competition.
The second half saw Gotham FC attacker Yazmeen Ryan and Washington Spirit defensive midfielder Hal Hershfelt earn their first USWNT caps, while both Shaw and Smith scored off the bench to overcome Selma Sól Magnúsdóttir's 54th-minute equalizer.
Thursday's tilt also celebrated Emily Sonnett's 100th cap, as the USWNT stalwart started in central defense alongside Naomi Girma.
Haught replaces Campbell for remaining USWNT friendlies
During training for last night's match, USWNT backup goalkeeper Jane Campbell suffered a muscle injury, sidelining the Houston Dash net-minder for the rest of the October international window. In her stead, Hayes has called up Utah Royals keeper Mandy Haught to the senior national team for the first time.
The 25-year-old Haught, who won the 2023 NWSL Championship with Gotham FC, will join the USWNT roster for both Sunday's second match against Iceland and next week's game against No. 33 Argentina.
How to watch Sunday's USWNT vs. Iceland international friendly
The US will be back in action against Iceland in Nashville, Tennessee, on Sunday at 5:30 PM ET.
The friendly will include a ceremony honoring longtime USWNT defender Kelley O'Hara's retirement, as well as a recognition of forward Mal Swanson's 100 caps.
Live coverage will air on TNT.
The BBC dropped its 2024 Footballer of the Year shortlist on Tuesday, with three of the five nominees hailing from the NWSL.
Orlando striker Barbra Banda, Portland forward Sophia Smith, and San Diego center back Naomi Girma headline the 10th edition of the traditionally UK-heavy award. Barcelona FC standouts Aitana Bonmatí and Caroline Graham Hansen round out the five-player selection.
A panel that includes coaches, players, journalists, and administrators selects the award's shortlist, with the final winner determined by fan votes.
Footballer of the Year looks outside the UK
Seven of the nine previous winners of the London-based broadcaster's award played their soccer, whether club or country, in the UK.
Only two-time BBC Footballer of the Year Ada Hegerberg, a Norwegian national and striker for Lyon, has earned the honor without a connection to England.
Hegerberg's 2019 win also came during the only other year when all five of the BBC's Footballer of the Year nominees played outside the UK.
Stellar resumes back the 2024 Footballer of the Year nominees
After winning Olympic gold in Paris this summer, USWNT stars, NWSL game-changers, and longtime friends Smith and Girma have dominated on both international and domestic pitches this year.
Along with her three Olympic goals, Thorns forward Smith has already matched her 2023 NWSL Golden Boot-winning tally of 11 goals in her 2024 campaign — despite being recently hampered by an ankle injury.
Representing the back line, Girma was the only field player to feature in every minute of the 2024 Paris Games, with USWNT boss Emma Hayes calling her "the best defender I have ever seen."
Despite such praise, the 2023 US Soccer Player of the Year was notably snubbed last month from the 2024 Ballon d'Or shortlist. The other four BCC-nominated players feature on both lists.
Meanwhile, with 13 NWSL goals so far this season, Zambian national Banda is a frontrunner for the league's 2024 MVP award. With three hat tricks across the Tokyo and Paris Games, her 10 goals across those tournaments make her Africa's all-time leading Olympic scorer.
As for the Barça athletes, Norwegian national Hansen's injuries left her underrated for much of the 29-year-old's career, but her last two seasons with the Liga F side has seen her score an astounding 45 goals in 55 appearances.
Meanwhile, Bonmatí has secured every possible club-level trophy during her Barcelona career, including three UWCL titles. The 2023 World Cup champion with Spain is also the 2023 Ballon d'Or winner.
How to vote for the BBC 2024 Footballer of the Year
Fans worldwide can cast their votes online now through 5 AM ET on October 28th, with the winner announced on November 26th.
KC Current forward Temwa Chawinga notched her 17th regular-season goal in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Gotham, closing in on former Chicago Red Star Sam Kerr's single-season NWSL scoring record.
After scoring off a corner kick via a dynamic run and a touch around the keeper on Saturday, Chawinga needs just one more goal to tie Kerr's 2019 record.
Chawinga is already running away with the NWSL Golden Boot race. With four matches left in the 2024 regular season, the Malawi National Team captain has a four-goal lead over Orlando forward Barbra Banda.
Notably, Kansas City had a little help from the stands on Saturday, when a fan headed Current forward Michelle Cooper's overshot ball back inbounds with impeccable form.
Portland extends regular-season NWSL winless streak
The Thorns's struggles continued this weekend. Portland hasn't won a regular-season game since July 5th, and they extended that streak with Saturday's tepid 2-0 loss to the 10th-place San Diego Wave. The loss marked their second to San Diego in under two weeks, as the Thorns fell to the Wave in Concacaf W Champions Cup play earlier this month.
The 2022 NWSL champs, who've struggled to create and capitalize on offense, have been without USWNT star Sophia Smith for the last two matches as the forward deals with an ankle injury.
Following the permanent hiring of manager Rob Gale, Portland sits seventh in the NWSL standings and are currently tied for points with eighth-place Bay FC. With just four regular-season games left, the continuation of the Thorns's winless streak could mean a 2024 postseason without the usually dominant club.
With 13th-place Utah next on their NWSL schedule, Portland will take aim at their first three-point finish in three months on Saturday.
San Diego attacker María Sánchez lit up Snapdragon Stadium last night, leading the Wave to a 3-2 home victory over Portland in Concacaf W Champions Cup play.
Goals from Sophia Smith and rookie Reilyn Turner gave Portland a 2-0 lead entering the 67th minute, but Sánchez’s hat trick — which included two converted penalty kicks — secured San Diego's dramatic comeback win.
Calling Sánchez "an incredible human being...[who's] a pleasure to coach," Wave boss Landon Donovan told the post-match press corps that his entire team was "awesome" last night. "To go down two goals and just continue to believe and keep playing and putting them under pressure was awesome. I'm just really proud of them."
Portland Thorns' team woes continue
Last night's result — though not counted toward the NWSL season — marked Portland's fifth straight loss against league opponents. The sixth-place Thorns have yet to earn a point on the NWSL table since returning from the Olympic break.
When asked about the usually dominant Thorns’ recent downfall, Portland's new permanent head coach Rob Gale said "We need to get healthy bodies available for 90 minutes."
With forward Morgan Weaver on limited minutes as she works back to full form following a May knee surgery, and Smith joining her in being pulled at halftime last night with what Gale called "some lower body problems," Portland's attack suffered in the tilt.
That said, the lopsided affair also saw mental errors, with the Thorns scrambling for possession and excessively fouling — mistakes Portland hopes to eliminate before hosting San Diego in NWSL play in nine days.
Where to watch Concacaf W Champions Cup group play tonight
Halfway through the international club tournament’s four-match group stage, the Wave now leads Group B while Portland sits in third. The top two teams in each group will advance to May’s semifinals.
As for the third NWSL team competing for the inaugural Cup, Group A's Gotham FC will host Liga MX club Monterrey in their second group match at 7 PM ET tonight, with live coverage on the CBS Golazo Network.
With just six games to play, the currently unbeaten Orlando Pride could become the first club in NWSL history to finish regular-season play without a single loss.
Having already clinched an NWSL playoff spot — the Pride's first since 2017 — Orlando extended their record-breaking unbeaten run to 21 with Friday's 0-0 draw with third-place Kansas City. The weekend's result was also the club's fourth-straight clean sheet, setting a new club record.
However, the path to NWSL glory won't be easy: Orlando will face four top teams before the regular season's early November finale.
Portland Thorns continue late-season NWSL losing streak
Elsewhere on Friday, USWNT stars Sophia Smith and Sam Coffey's Portland Thorns dropped their fourth-straight match — the longest regular-season losing streak in club history.
After a historically slow start to 2024, Portland reassigned head coach Mike Norris and promoted assistant coach Rob Gale. The team quickly responded, rattling off result after result to climb the NWSL table and insert themselves into Shield contention. Momentum, however, has waned since the Olympic break.
With Friday's 1-0 loss to Chicago on Friday, Portland is still sixth in the standings, but a slim two points over Bay FC is all that separates them from the eighth and final playoff spot.
With the playoff race heating up, the four-time league champs must rally around standouts like Smith. Otherwise, the Thorns are in danger of putting up the worst regular-season finish in club history.
Washington Spirit win books ticket to NWSL postseason
In other postseason news, the Spirit became the second club to clinch a playoff berth this weekend, downing Houston 3-0 on Sunday.
Striker Ashley Hatch led Washington's scoring with a first-half brace, while forward Trinity Rodman notched an assist before netting the team's third goal.
Much like the league's top teams, individual NWSL MVP contenders continue to make their mark coming out of the Olympic break.
KC Current forward Temwa Chawinga now tops the 2024 Golden Boot race, having scored her season's 13th goal last weekend against the Spirit. In that same game, Washington midfielder Croix Bethune tied Tobin Heath's single-season assist record with her 10th of the year.
Stacked field means big choice for award voters
With so many deserving candidates, 2024's MVP award-winner could come down to whichever factors voters value the most.
Chawinga sits first in the league in goals scored and second in assists this season, finding the back of the net against nine different teams along the way. But Orlando forward Barbra Banda isn't far behind. Banda scored one less goal in four fewer games played than Chawinga, all while guiding the Pride to an unprecedented unbeaten streak.
Bethune likely has Rookie of the Year on lock, but she's also on the MVP watchlist with five goals and 10 assists in her debut season.
USWNT attackers also in the NWSL award hunt
Another steady presence on the leaderboard, 2022 MVP Sophia Smith has racked up 10 goals and six assists for the Thorns so far this season, while USWNT teammate Trinity Rodman has also kept herself award-relevant, registering her season's sixth goal last weekend.
This season's attacking firepower has truly set a new standard, leaving many worthy award candidates likely to garner votes by the time NWSL Championship weekend rolls around.
With just 10 regular season matchdays left, the NWSL retakes the pitch tonight complete with returning Olympians, refreshed rosters, and a new CBA. The league has a lot to celebrate after a busy Olympic break — and a new club record might just join that list.
Orlando winning streak could make NWSL history
League-leaders Orlando haven’t dropped a single one of their last 17 games, setting themselves up to book the longest regular-season undefeated streak in NWSL history. A win or a draw tonight against 12th-place Houston will break Orlando's 17-game tie with second-place Kansas City, whose own record unbeaten streak was snapped by the Pride in July.
Should Orlando’s run extend even longer, they could overtake the Washington Spirit’s overall 20-game record set across 2021-22 — though they’ll have to defeat the Current again in September to do it.
NWSL Golden Boot goal-scoring race heats up
With 12 goals each, KC's Temwa Chawinga and Orlando’s Barbra Banda are inching closer to ex-NWSL striker Sam Kerr’s single-season record of 19 goals as they both lead this season's Golden Boot race.
Fifth-place Portland's Sophia Smith isn't far behind the pair with 10 goals on the season, and she'll have the chance to tack on a few more when the Thorns play fourth-place Gotham on Saturday.
Other NWSL games to watch this weekend
On Saturday, 10th-place San Diego and 11th-place Angel City will battle to keep their playoff dreams alive, before ninth-place Louisville introduces seventh-place Chicago to their recently revamped roster.
Then on Sunday, the third-place Spirit will take aim at the Current — who top Washington in the standings by a single point — before WSL rivals Arsenal and Chelsea meet for a friendly in the second half of the Audi Field doubleheader.
It once again required extra time to break the deadlock, but the USWNT defeated Germany on Tuesday thanks to a Sophia Smith strike in the 95th minute.
The 1-0 win ensured them a spot in their first Olympic gold medal match since 2012.
With little rotation to the starting XI, the US and Germany played to a 0-0 stalemate in regulation despite positive early opportunities for the USWNT to pull ahead. After more than 90 minutes of frustration, linkup play generated by Naomi Girma, progressed by Sam Coffey, and then sent through the back line by Mallory Swanson finally reached the target.
Alyssa Naeher provided one final — and exceptional — kick-save to see the result out, as the USWNT survived a much narrower rematch of their 4-1 group stage win.
USWNT win ends five-year title game drought
Saturday's gold medal match will be the USWNT's first title game since the 2019 World Cup, and the 2024 Olympic tournament has other parallels to past successes as well. The US hasn't trailed in France thus far, and they've only seen one other Olympic Games (2004) through without falling behind. They've also won three World Cups without trailing.
Plus, they've now defeated Germany five times in major tournament knockout rounds, most recently in the 2015 World Cup.
Marta-less Brazil upsets World Cup champs Spain
Now guaranteed to improve on their Tokyo Olympics bronze medal finish, the USWNT will turn to another familiar opponent: Brazil.
Brazil produced the upset of the tournament in Tuesday's second semifinal, dominating Spain to win 4-2 in regulation. An own goal had the reigning World Champions reeling early, followed by goals from Gabi Portilho, Adriana, and Kerolin.
Salma Paralluelo scored a late brace to get Spain back into the contest, but Brazil held tight in a successful effort to give footballing legend Marta a shot at her first gold medal in her last international tournament.
Ultimately, one year after Europe ruled the 2023 World Cup, the 2024 Olympic Final will instead see this year's Concacaf W Gold Cup finalists face off again. And with both the US and Brazil overachieving throughout this tournament, the gold is truly anyone's to grab.