Ariadina Alves Borges Bio
Ariadina Alves Borges, known professionally as Ary Borges, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder and forward. Born on 28 December 1999 in São Luís, Maranhão, she currently represents Angel City FC of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and the Brazil women’s national team. A creative attacking player, she first gained international attention with a hat-trick on her Women’s World Cup debut in 2023.
Over the course of her career, Borges has played for Sport Recife, São Paulo, Palmeiras, and Racing Louisville FC, winning major titles at both club and international level. She is recognized for her technical quality, vision in the final third, and her willingness to speak openly on issues affecting the women’s game.
Early Life and Background
Ariadina Alves Borges was born on 28 December 1999 in São Luís, the capital of the northeastern Brazilian state of Maranhão. She moved to São Paulo with her family when she was ten years old, a relocation that played a decisive role in her football development. Standing 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) tall, she would later carve out her reputation as a compact, skillful midfielder capable of operating behind the forwards.
After arriving in São Paulo, Borges joined the youth ranks of Santos FC, where she was one of only three girls playing alongside boys in the club’s academy. Her father signed a waiver that protected the club from legal action in the event of injury, an arrangement that highlighted the unusual circumstances of her early football life. By the age of 11, she moved to Centro Olímpico, where she featured for the girls’ under-15 team because the club did not yet field an under-13 side.
Path to Professional Soccer
Borges returned to her native Northeast Region in 2017 to begin her senior career with Sport Recife, spending two seasons there. The move allowed her to establish herself as a first-team player in Brazilian women’s football while still in her late teens, sharpening her competitive edge against senior opposition.
In 2019, she joined the newly re-formed São Paulo women’s team and quickly became an important player in their promotion campaign to the Campeonato Brasileiro de Futebol Feminino Série A1. Despite her visible commitment to the club, including a São Paulo FC-themed birthday celebration shared on social media, Borges left after one year to take up a more lucrative contract with rivals Palmeiras. Her switch to Palmeiras in 2020 marked her arrival as one of the most promising young midfielders in the country.
Ariadina Alves Borges Career
Early Career (2017–2019)
Borges began her senior career with Sport Recife in 2017, playing two seasons in northeastern Brazil before making the jump to one of the country’s biggest clubs. Her time at Sport Recife gave her a foundation in senior football, preparing her for the pressure of playing at higher-profile clubs in the Southeast.
In 2019, she signed for São Paulo FC and was a key figure in the squad that earned promotion to the top flight of Brazilian women’s football. Although she departed after a single year, her performances underlined her quality and attracted the attention of rival clubs, leading to a move to Palmeiras at the start of 2020.
Palmeiras Breakthrough (2020–2022)
Borges joined Palmeiras in 2020 and quickly became an important attacking player for the club in the Campeonato Brasileiro de Futebol Feminino Série A1. She spent three seasons in green and white, contributing goals and creative play while helping the team compete at the top of the Brazilian women’s game.
In December 2022, Borges won the Campeonato Paulista de Futebol Feminino with Palmeiras. Her performances in São Paulo made her an attractive target for clubs abroad, and that same month she signed with American NWSL side Racing Louisville FC, ending her time in Brazil on a high note.
Racing Louisville Era (2023–2025)
Borges moved to the United States in December 2022 to join Racing Louisville FC ahead of the 2023 NWSL season. She became a regular contributor for the Kentucky-based club, spending three seasons in the league while also balancing her international commitments with Brazil.
Over the course of her time with Racing Louisville, Borges racked up 53 regular-season appearances and scored 3 goals. In December 2025, it was announced that she would no longer play for the club, bringing her NWSL chapter with Louisville to a close and opening the door for a new opportunity in the league.
Angel City FC (2026–Present)
On 6 January 2026, Angel City FC announced the signing of Borges on a three-year contract. The move kept her in the NWSL and paired her with a club known for its ambition on and off the pitch. She joined Angel City wearing the number 8 shirt, taking on a new role within a fresh squad as she entered the next stage of her American career.
Playing Style and Strengths
Borges is recognized as a creative midfielder who can also operate as a forward, combining close control, passing vision, and an eye for goal. Her comfort in tight spaces and willingness to take on defenders allow her to unlock defensive lines, while her movement off the ball helps link midfield and attack. At international level, her partnership with Brazil’s established attackers has allowed her to play as both a creator and a finisher.
Notable Events and Milestones
The defining moment of Borges’s career to date came on 24 July 2023, when she made her Women’s World Cup debut against Panama and scored a hat-trick, the first of the tournament, while also providing an assist in a 4–0 victory. She was named Player of the Match for her display. Earlier, in 2021, she had opened her senior international account with two goals against India, and in 2022 she won the Copa América Femenina with Brazil.
Ariadina Alves Borges Career Wins
Ary Borges has collected major honours at both club and international level. Her most significant titles include the Campeonato Paulista de Futebol Feminino with Palmeiras in 2022, the Copa América Femenina with Brazil in 2022, and a second Copa América Femenina title with Brazil in 2025 in Ecuador.
Club Highlights
At Palmeiras, Borges played a key role in the squad that won the Campeonato Paulista de Futebol Feminino in December 2022, lifting the trophy shortly before her move to the NWSL. With Racing Louisville FC, she made 53 regular-season appearances and scored 3 goals across three seasons, establishing herself as a consistent presence in the American league. Her January 2026 transfer to Angel City FC on a three-year deal marked the latest milestone in her club career.
International Highlights
Internationally, Borges won the Copa América Femenina in 2022 in Colombia, scoring twice during the campaign. She added a second continental title in 2025 in Ecuador, a tournament in which she also publicly criticized the organization of the event. Her hat-trick on her senior World Cup debut against Panama in 2023 remains the standout individual performance of her international career.
Ariadina Alves Borges Family
Family Background and Lineage
Borges grew up in a supportive family in São Luís, Maranhão, before relocating to São Paulo as a child. Her father played a notable role in her early football journey, signing a waiver that allowed her to play alongside boys in the Santos FC academy when she was around ten years old. That support laid the foundation for her progression through Centro Olímpico and into the professional game.
Personal Life
Public details about Borges’s personal life remain limited. She is widely known by the nickname Ary Borges and continues to represent Brazil at international level. There is no widely confirmed public information regarding a spouse or children.
2025 Season Performance
Borges entered 2025 coming off a knee surgery in 2024 that had limited her to only three games by June and cost her a place in Brazil’s squad for the 2024 Summer Olympics. She used the new year to rebuild her fitness and return to a consistent role with both Racing Louisville and the Brazil women’s national team.
Her standout achievement of the year came with Brazil at the 2025 Copa América Femenina in Ecuador, where she was part of the squad that won the tournament. She also used the platform to speak out about conditions at the competition, criticizing Conmebol’s organization and the lack of proper warm-up access on match pitches.
At club level, 2025 marked the end of her time with Racing Louisville, with the club confirming in December 2025 that she would not be staying on. With a three-year contract at Angel City FC announced in January 2026, Borges closed 2025 on a high note and set the stage for a fresh start in Los Angeles.