Alyssa Thompson Bio
Alyssa Paola Thompson (born November 7, 2004) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for Women’s Super League club Chelsea and the United States women’s national team. Recognized as one of the brightest young talents in American soccer, she was named the national Gatorade Player of the Year in 2021 and became the first overall pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft while still in high school. Thompson has represented the United States at youth and senior levels, helping the under-20 side win gold at the 2022 CONCACAF Women’s U-20 Championship and debuting for the senior team in 2022.
Standing 5 feet 4 inches tall, Thompson is known for her pace, movement off the ball, and finishing ability in front of goal. After two seasons with Angel City FC, where she set several league records, she transferred to Chelsea in September 2025 for a club-record fee, becoming one of the most talked-about American exports in the women’s game.
Early Life and Background
Alyssa Paola Thompson was born on November 7, 2004, in Los Angeles, California, and raised in the Studio City neighborhood of the city. Her parents, Mario and Karen Thompson, enrolled Alyssa and her younger sister Gisele at Total Futbol Academy in 2013, when Alyssa was nine years old. The decision allowed both sisters to compete on boys’ teams from an early age, shaping Alyssa’s competitive edge and technical foundation.
After two years at Total Futbol Academy, the Thompsons transferred to the Elite Clubs National League club Real So Cal, where the sisters played until the COVID-19 pandemic paused organized youth soccer. By the age of 13, Thompson was already training and competing with players several years older. She returned to Total Futbol Academy in 2020, joining its under-19 side in the MLS Next league, where she was the only female player competing at that level.
Thompson attended The Wesley School in North Hollywood and later Harvard-Westlake School, where she starred on the varsity team. During her freshman and sophomore seasons at Harvard-Westlake, she scored 48 goals in 18 matches before national team commitments kept her off the pitch during her junior year.
Path to Soccer
Thompson’s competitive resume expanded rapidly during her teenage years. She was named Gatorade Player of the Year in April 2021, becoming one of the youngest recipients of the prestigious award. Shortly afterward, at 15 years old, she verbally committed to play college soccer at Stanford University, only to later decommit and enter the professional draft pool.
Her international pathway accelerated in 2022, when she helped the United States under-20 team win gold at the 2022 CONCACAF Women’s U-20 Championship, scoring three goals across five matches. She later represented the U.S. at the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica. In September 2022, Thompson received her first senior national team call-up, becoming the youngest U.S. senior player since Sophia Smith in 2017, and made her senior debut on October 7, 2022, in a friendly against England at Wembley Stadium.
Alyssa Thompson Career
Early Career (2023)
On January 12, 2023, Angel City FC selected Alyssa Paola Thompson as the first overall pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft. To secure the top selection, Angel City traded a package totaling $450,000 to Portland Thorns and Gotham FC, making Thompson the most expensive player in league history at the time. She signed a three-year contract with the club while still completing her senior year of high school.
Thompson made an immediate impact, scoring five minutes into her professional debut in a friendly against Club América of Liga MX Femenil. Eleven minutes into her NWSL regular-season debut on March 26, 2023, she scored against NJ/NY Gotham FC. She was named NWSL Rookie of the Month for her March–April performances and finished her rookie campaign with four goals and two assists, helping Angel City reach the playoffs for the first time.
Angel City Breakthrough (2023–2025)
In her sophomore season with Angel City, Thompson established herself as one of the league’s most dangerous young attackers. On May 3, 2024, she became the youngest player in NWSL history to record assists in three consecutive matches and the first Angel City player to do so. On May 18, 2024, she started alongside her sister Gisele against the Washington Spirit, marking the first time two sisters were named to the same NWSL starting lineup.
Thompson scored her first career brace on August 24, 2024, against San Diego Wave FC, becoming the second teenager after Mallory Swanson to score multiple goals in a single NWSL regular-season match. She was named to the NWSL Team of the Month for August and again for September 2024, concluding the season with five goals and seven assists, the second-highest assist total in the league.
The 2025 season began with a January contract extension through 2028 alongside her sister Gisele. On April 12, 2025, Thompson recorded her 50th NWSL regular-season appearance, reaching 10 goals and 10 assists as the second-youngest player in league history to do so. On May 24, 2025, she scored the 100th regular-season goal in Angel City history against Racing Louisville FC, becoming the club’s all-time leading regular-season goal scorer and the youngest player to reach 25 regular-season goal contributions. She also recorded her first professional hat-trick on July 26, 2025, in a friendly against Carolina Ascent FC.
Chelsea Era (2025–Present)
In September 2025, Alyssa Paola Thompson entered negotiations with English Women’s Super League club Chelsea regarding a transfer. On September 5, 2025, Chelsea officially announced the signing for a club-record fee of just under £1 million from Angel City. She was unveiled to fans at Stamford Bridge before Chelsea’s opening WSL fixture against Manchester City the same day.
Thompson made her Chelsea debut on September 14, 2025, in a 3–1 WSL win over Aston Villa, and netted her first goal for the club on October 15 in the UEFA Women’s Champions League. On March 15, 2026, she started in the 2025–26 FA Women’s League Cup final at Ashton Gate, helping Chelsea defeat Manchester United 2–0 to claim her first major trophy in England.
Driving Style and Strengths
Although she is a soccer player rather than a driver, Thompson’s on-field strengths mirror the focus of a top forward. A 2023 BBC profile described her pace and tenacity as stand-out features, and she has consistently used her speed to stretch defenses, time runs behind the back line, and combine with creative teammates. Her finishing, work rate off the ball, and comfort taking players on in 1-v-1 situations have made her a reliable contributor at both club and international levels.
Notable Events and Milestones
Thompson’s career is studded with milestones, including becoming the first overall pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft, the youngest player to record assists in three consecutive NWSL matches, Angel City’s all-time leading regular-season goal scorer, and the second-youngest player in NWSL history to reach 10 goals and 10 assists. Internationally, she debuted at Wembley Stadium in 2022, scored her first senior goal against Iceland in 2024, and helped the U.S. win the 2025 SheBelieves Cup while earning Most Valuable Player honors in March 2026.
Alyssa Thompson Career Wins
Across club and international competition, Alyssa Paola Thompson has steadily assembled a trophy-winning résumé. After leading Angel City to its first NWSL playoff appearance in 2023 and earning individual recognition as a Rookie of the Year nominee, she claimed her first major senior honor with Chelsea in the 2025–26 FA Women’s League Cup. She also contributed to the United States women’s national team’s 2025 SheBelieves Cup title and previously helped the U.S. under-20 team win gold at the 2022 CONCACAF Women’s U-20 Championship.
Club Highlights
Thompson’s two full NWSL regular seasons with Angel City FC produced 9 goals and 9 assists across 50 appearances. She also lifted her first piece of senior silverware with Chelsea, starting in the 2025–26 FA Women’s League Cup final victory over Manchester United.
Other Wins and Performances
On the international stage, Thompson helped the U.S. under-20 team win the 2022 CONCACAF Women’s U-20 Championship, played in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, and scored the winning goal against Colombia on March 7, 2026, to clinch the 2025 SheBelieves Cup for the United States, earning tournament MVP honors.
Alyssa Thompson Family
Family Background and Soccer Lineage
Thompson comes from a close-knit athletic family of African-American, Filipino, and Peruvian descent. Her parents, Mario and Karen Thompson, raised Alyssa and her younger sisters Gisele and Zoe in Studio City, California. Mario and Karen have been central to Alyssa’s development, enrolling their daughters at Total Futbol Academy at a young age and supporting their decision to compete on boys’ teams. The family’s encouragement laid the foundation for what became one of American soccer’s most talked-about sibling stories.
Personal Life
Alyssa Paola Thompson is unmarried and remains focused on her professional career in England. Her younger sister Gisele Thompson, who has played alongside her at Angel City FC and with the U.S. national team, made NWSL history with Alyssa as the first sisters to start together for the same club and to combine for a goal in the league. Thompson is also a talented sprinter, recording a 100-meter time of 11.74 seconds in April 2022, the second-fastest in California at that point in the year. She holds a name, image, and likeness deal with Nike and has appeared in a Volkswagen commercial.
2025 Season Performance
Thompson’s 2025 campaign was split between her final months with Angel City and her first months with Chelsea. With Angel City, she opened the year by signing a contract extension through 2028 before scoring the club’s historic 100th regular-season goal against Racing Louisville FC and recording her first professional hat-trick in a July friendly against Carolina Ascent FC. She also helped Angel City set new milestones alongside her sister Gisele, including the first sister goal combination in NWSL history on May 2, 2025.
Her move to Chelsea in early September 2025 ushered in a new chapter. Thompson debuted against Aston Villa on September 14, 2025, and scored her first Chelsea goal in the UEFA Women’s Champions League on October 15, 2025. By the spring of 2026, she had firmly established herself in the WSL, helping Chelsea lift the 2025–26 FA Women’s League Cup after a 2–0 win over Manchester United.
For the 2025 calendar year, Thompson’s outlook remains bright. Her contract runs through 2028, her speed and finishing continue to translate to the English game, and her partnership with the U.S. national team remains strong heading into upcoming FIFA competitions. With Chelsea competing on multiple fronts and the U.S. building toward major tournaments, Thompson is positioned to remain a central figure in both club and country.
