With the retirements of Alex Morgan and other household names, the league is ready for the next generation of players to take the mantle and usher in a new era.
It was a cool spring day in Overland Park, Kan., on April 13, 2013. Almost 7,000 fans filled Shawnee Mission High School Stadium for the first-ever National Women’s Soccer League matchup between FC Kansas City and the visiting Portland Thorns, and Canadian midfielder Desiree Scott made sure to take it all in.
Through all the highs and lows Scott never lost the love for the game and for her unique journey in helping to lead this league to where it is today. But now that Scott and her fellow legends are moving on, it's up to a younger crop of stars to determine the next iteration of the NWSL.The 2024 season undoubtedly felt like a momentum shift in the league as household names leave behind their legacy in the capable hands of the current and rising stars.
“I was so lucky to grow up with the NWSL as a dream for me to play in, and I think that Alex and a lot of the players who are retiring this year didn’t have that opportunity to look forward to—they had to fight their way to have a league,” Smith says. “I can only imagine the work, patience, dedication, and everything that they had to put into building this league for players like me.
“It’s hard to put into words how much they’ve done, but just being such incredible players and having that quality in the league has been amazing to make this one of the most competitive leagues in the world, and a big part of it was how much they fought of the future of this league with the CBA,” Girma says.
“The cool thing about this sport, this league, is that it’s a collective,” Smith says. “Everyone plays such an important role regardless of name or position, if you play or don’t play. Everyone plays a part in making this league what it is, so I think it’s up to all of us to continue to push for what we deserve, fight for the things that we don’t have and should have, and I’m definitely feeling that responsibility for sure.
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