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Jenny Chuang/ISI Photos/Getty Images; Jeff Halstead/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images; Meg Oliphant/Getty Images; Roy K. Miller/ISI Photos/Getty Images1- Christen Press; Quinn; Megan Rapinoe; Marta
Are you ready for some sapphic soccer?
The National Women's Soccer League is about to start a new season, with 14 teams from across the country and many of the world's best players competing for the championship cup starting this weekend.
Last year, Orlando Pride, with stars Marta and Barbra Banda, won both the NWSL Shield for best regular season record, and the championship, leaving many to wonder if they'll repeat again this year.
The NWSL was founded twelve years ago, and has steadily risen to be counted among the most elite leagues in the world, and queer players have had a huge impact on the league and its success.
Former players like Tobin Heath, Megan Rapinoe, and Sam Kerr, as well as current stars like Christen Press, Tierna Davidson, Marta, and Debinha, have helped to make the league one of the most fun sports leagues to watch, in the world.
Many of the league's all-time leaders in goals, assists, and goalkeeping are queer, let's take a look at some of them.
Christen Press
Christen Press is one of the great goal-scorers in league history. Despite missing recent seasons with injury, she has 48 career goals, placing her at number 8 on the all-time list. She's played for Chicago Red Stars, Utah Royals, and currently plays for Angel City Football Club, located in Los Angeles. She is dating former USWNT teammate Tobin Heath, and together they host the podcast The RE–CAP Show.
Tierna Davidson
Davidson, who currently plays for NJ/NY Gotham FC, after formerly playing for Chicago Red Stars, is a starting defender on the US Women's National Team. She is married to her former Stanford teammate Alison Jahansouz.
Marta
Brazil's Marta is one of the greatest women's soccer players of all-time, playing in six consecutive Olympics and being the leading goal scorer in the history of both men's and women's World Cups, with 17. In the NWSL, she has 40 goals and 18 assists. She currently plays for the Orlando Pride, where she is engaged to teammate Carrie Lawrence.
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Debinha
Another Brazilian star is Debinha, who plays midfield and forward for Kansas City Current and used to play for North Carolina Courage. In her career, she has 47 goals and 25 assists.
Carson Pickett
Pickett has played defence in the NWSL for eight seasons, with Orlando Pride, Seattle Reign, North Carolina Courage, and Racing Louisville and played for the U.S. national team in 2022. She was born without a left forearm and hand, and was the first player with a limb disability to make the U.S. national team.
A.D. Franch
A goalkeeper, Franch has played for the US National Team for years and played for the Portland Thorns before joining her current team the Kansas City Current. She has 42 shutouts in 127 appearances in the league. She has a child with her wife Emily Boscacci.
Jess Fishlock
Welsh midfielder Jess Fishlock has played 11 seasons in the NWSL for Seattle Reign FC and is also the Wales national team's all-time leading scorer. Her 42 career goals are 11th most in league history, and her 25 assists are 7th most. She married her wife and Seattle teammate Tziarra King in 2023.
Megan Rapinoe
Rapinoe is equally known for her activism and advocacy and her soccer playing. She spent most of her career playing for OL Reign, and also won two World Cups with the US National Team. Rapinoe's 51 goals in the NWSL make her the 6th highest scorer in league history. She's married to WNBA legend Sue Bird.
Ali Krieger
Krieger has played for the Washington Spirit, Orlando Pride, and Gotham FC in the NWSL, as well as winning two World Cups with the U.S. national team. She's considered one of the greatest defenders in Women's soccer. She was formerly married to Ashlyn Harris, whom she divorced in 2023.
Ashlyn Harris
Harris served as a goalkeeper for the US National Team, as well as playing for Washington Spirit, Orlando Pride, and Gotham FC, earning 22 shutouts in 135 appearances. She was formerly married to Ali Krieger, and has two children with her. They divorced in 2023, and she is now in a relationship with actress and Angel City FC co-owner, Sophia Bush.
Tobin Heath
Heath played in the NWSL for eight seasons, playing for the Portland Thorns for seven seasons and Sky Blue FC for one. Both a forward and midfielder, she also won two World Cups and two Olympic Gold Medals with the U.S. national team. She has 24 career assists, and 13 goals. She is dating Christen Press.
Sam Kerr
Until Temwa Chawinga broke it last year, Australian striker Sam Kerr had the record for most goals in an NWSL regular season with 18 in 2019. Her 77 career goals are good enough for second all-time in the league. She played seven seasons in the league, for Western New York Flash, Sky Blue FC, and Chicago Red Stars. She's played for Chelsea of FA WSL in England since 2019. Kerr is in a relationship with American soccer player Kristie Mewis and together, they have a child.
Quinn
Canadian midfielder Quinn made history as the first out nonbinary and trans player in the league and has fought hard to make the league more welcoming to gender diverse players and fans. They played six NWSL seasons for Washington Spirit and Seattle Reign. Playing with team Canada, they were the first out trans Olympian to win a medal in 2021.
Kelley O'Hara
O'Hara has played in 160 caps for the U.S. national team, and played for Sky Blue FC, Washington Spirit, Utah Royals, and Gotham FC over 11 seasons in the NWSL, scoring 16 goals and assisting on 21.She got engaged to Kameryn Stanhouse in 2022.
Merritt Mathias
Mathias was a long-time player in the league, playing for twelve seasons with Kansas City, Seattle Reign, North Carolina Courage, and most recently, Angel City. She co-hosts the podcast Sports Are Fun! With Kelley O'Hara, sports journalist Greydy Diaz, and Just Women's Sports intern BJ.
