Croix Bethune Bio
Croix Collette Bethune is an American professional soccer player who plays as an attacking midfielder for the Kansas City Current of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States national team. Bethune played college soccer for the USC Trojans and the Georgia Bulldogs, earning first-team All-American honors twice before being selected third overall by the Washington Spirit in the 2024 NWSL Draft. As a rookie, she tied the league’s single-season assist record and was named the NWSL Rookie of the Year and Midfielder of the Year.
Born on March 14, 2001, in Alpharetta, Georgia, Bethune developed into one of the most creative midfielders in the United States. She also won a gold medal with the U.S. national team at the 2024 Paris Olympics, cementing her place among the top young players in the sport.
Early Life and Background
Croix Collette Bethune was raised in Alpharetta, Georgia, the daughter of United States Air Force members Richard and Jean Bethune. She has a brother and began playing soccer at the age of three or four. When she was four, her parents were stationed in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, for three and a half years, where she played on boys’ teams because there was no girls’ team available.
After returning to the United States, Bethune played club soccer for the ECNL’s Concorde Fire Soccer Club in Atlanta and was named to the national Best XI in both 2017 and 2018. She played one season of high school soccer at Alpharetta High School and also competed in basketball before choosing to focus on soccer after recovering from an ACL tear sustained while training with the national under-17 team. She went on to commit to the University of Southern California over several other top programs, including Florida State, Duke, and UCLA.
Path to Professional Soccer
Bethune was first called up to a youth national team training camp with the United States under-15 team at age 13 in March 2015. She helped win the 2016 CONCACAF Girls’ U-15 Championship, where she was named to the tournament’s Best XI team. The following year, she became the youngest player on the under-17 team in November 2016.
She played for the winning team at the 2018 CONCACAF Women’s U-17 Championship and represented the United States at the 2018 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. She also appeared in friendlies for the under-23 team in 2022, building a steady résumé of international experience before turning professional.
Croix Bethune Career
College Career (2021–2023)
Bethune played three seasons for the USC Trojans after missing her freshman 2019 season due to a second ACL tear. On her debut for the Trojans, she provided two assists in a 4–3 overtime win over BYU in spring 2021. She went on to score 16 goals in the fall 2021 season, the third most in a season in program history, including a nine-minute hat trick in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
In both 2021 and 2022, Bethune served as captain of the Trojans and was named first-team All-Pac-12, first-team All-American, and Pac-12 Midfielder of the Year. She transferred to the Georgia Bulldogs for the 2023 season, reuniting with former USC coach Keidane McAlpine, and led Georgia to its first postseason title at the SEC tournament, where she was named the tournament’s most valuable player. She finished her college career as a second-team All-SEC and second-team All-American selection.
Washington Spirit (2024–2025)
The Washington Spirit selected Bethune third overall in the 2024 NWSL Draft after acquiring the pick by trading Sam Staab to the Chicago Red Stars. She signed a three-year contract with an option to extend and made her professional debut in the season opener against the Seattle Reign on March 17. The following week, she scored her first professional goal in late stoppage time to secure a 2–1 win over Bay FC.
On May 2, Bethune assisted on three goals in a 4–2 win over the Chicago Red Stars, becoming the youngest NWSL player to record three assists in one match. On May 24, she scored a goal and broke the rookie assist record with her seventh assist of the season during a 3–2 win over the Seattle Reign. She provided her tenth assist of the season in a 4–1 win over the Kansas City Current on August 25, tying the league record for assists in a season set by Tobin Heath in 2016. Four days later, she tore her meniscus while throwing the first pitch at a Washington Nationals baseball game, ending her rookie season after 17 appearances with five goals. Despite the injury, she was voted NWSL Rookie of the Year and Midfielder of the Year and selected to the NWSL Best XI First Team, while also earning NWSL Rookie of the Month honors a record four times.
After eight months out of action, Bethune returned to action against Gotham FC on April 26, 2025. She scored her first goal since the injury on August 23, striking into the net after a crafty dribble in a 3–2 win over Bay FC before an NWSL record crowd at Oracle Park. She finished the season with two goals and two assists in 20 regular-season games as the Spirit again placed second in the league. In the playoffs, she scored a late insurance goal to secure a 2–0 win over the Portland Thorns in the semifinals, before losing 1–0 to Gotham FC in the 2025 NWSL Championship. She was named to the NWSL Best XI Second Team at season’s end.
Kansas City Current Era (2026–Present)
On February 11, 2026, Bethune was transferred to the Kansas City Current in exchange for US$900,000 in intraleague transfer funds and US$100,000 in allocation money, having requested a trade in the offseason. This move, along with Claire Hutton’s concurrent transfer from the Current to Bay FC, ranked among the largest transfers in NWSL history. She made a goalscoring debut on her 25th birthday, equalizing in a season-opening 2–1 win over the Utah Royals.
Driving Style and Strengths
An attacking midfielder, Bethune possesses excellent vision and technical skill that make her a standout passer. Her ability to thread the ball into dangerous areas and connect with teammates has been a defining feature of her game since her college years.
Notable Events and Milestones
Bethune’s most memorable moments include tying the NWSL single-season assist record as a rookie in 2024, scoring a nine-minute hat trick in the NCAA tournament in 2021, and winning a gold medal with the United States at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She also produced a goalscoring debut with the Kansas City Current on her 25th birthday in 2026.
Croix Bethune International Career
Bethune was called into her first senior national team camp as a training player in June 2024 and was later named as an alternate to the national team for the 2024 Summer Olympics. She made her first USWNT appearance on July 13, 2024, in the 81st minute of a friendly Olympic sendoff against Mexico. She was elevated to the main roster at the Olympics because of an injury to Jaedyn Shaw and made her Olympic debut in the 79th minute of the third group stage game against Australia on July 31. The United States went on to win the gold medal, defeating Brazil 1–0 in the final on a goal from Mallory Swanson. On January 27, 2026, Bethune scored her first USWNT goal in a 5–0 friendly win over Chile.
Croix Bethune Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Croix Collette Bethune is the daughter of United States Air Force members Richard and Jean Bethune and has a brother. Her time in England as a child, where her parents were stationed, played an important role in her early soccer development. She remains connected to her hometown of Alpharetta, Georgia, where she first rose to prominence as a youth player.
Croix Bethune Honors and Awards
Major Accolades
Bethune has earned individual recognition throughout her career, including Pac-12 Midfielder of the Year honors in 2021 and 2022, NWSL Rookie of the Year and NWSL Midfielder of the Year in 2024, and a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics with the United States. She has also been selected to the NWSL Best XI in both of her professional seasons.
