Vanessa DiBernardo Bio
Vanessa Sue DiBernardo (born May 15, 1992) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Kansas City Current of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). Standing 5 foot 4 inches tall, she wears the number 16 shirt and is known for her playmaking vision and attacking instincts in the middle of the pitch. A former captain of the Chicago Red Stars, DiBernardo is also a member of the United States youth setup that won the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
Early Life and Background
Vanessa DiBernardo was raised in Naperville, Illinois, where she grew up surrounded by soccer through her family. She attended Waubonsie Valley High School and quickly became one of the most decorated players in program history, helping lead the school’s soccer team to state championship wins in 2007, 2008, and 2010. In 2009, she earned ESPN Rise All-American Third Team honors and was named Beacon News Girls Soccer Player of the Year and Chicago Sun-Times All-Area.
During her senior year in 2010, DiBernardo was named Gatorade Illinois Player of the Year and IHSSCA Illinois Player of the Year. She was also ranked fifty-first in the country for high school seniors by Top Drawer Soccer. She began her youth club career with America’s Soccer Club from 2000 through 2010 and added a short stint with the Chicago Red Eleven in 2008, where she gained early exposure to high-level competition in the W-League.
Path to Soccer
DiBernardo’s path to professional soccer accelerated at the University of Illinois, where she played for the Fighting Illini from 2010 to 2013. As a freshman, she led the Big Ten Conference in goals and points and was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year. During her sophomore year, she led her team with 17 goals and earned a place on the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List.
Her junior season was interrupted by the 2012 U-20 World Cup, but she still led the Illini in points, goals, and shots. After missing time with a knee injury, she returned to score seven goals with a career-high seven assists. DiBernardo finished her college career as Illinois’ all-time leader in career assists and tied the school record for career shots. In 2014, she received the Big Ten Medal of Honor for combining athletic and academic excellence.
Vanessa DiBernardo Career
Early Career (2011-2013)
DiBernardo’s senior career began in 2011 with the Chicago Red Stars in the WPSL, the same club that later drafted her into the NWSL. She later suited up for the Chicago Eclipse Select in 2012 and 2013, working under Red Stars head coach Rory Dames. This developmental stretch sharpened her game and prepared her for the jump to a top professional league.
During this period, DiBernardo also represented the United States at the under-20 and under-23 levels. She was part of the U.S. team that won the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, scoring the opening goal against China in the semifinals before the Americans defeated Germany 1-0 in the final. In August 2013, she earned a senior national team training camp call-up ahead of a friendly against Mexico, though she did not feature in the match.
Chicago Red Stars Breakthrough (2014-2022)
DiBernardo was selected as the fourth overall pick in the 2014 NWSL College Draft by the Chicago Red Stars. Coach Rory Dames praised her alongside fellow draftee Julie Johnston as the best holding and attacking midfielders in the draft. As a rookie, she appeared in 23 of 24 matches and contributed one goal and three assists.
In 2015, DiBernardo played every match for Chicago, scoring two goals with five assists and earning the team’s Unsung Hero fan vote. The Red Stars finished second in the league and qualified for the playoffs for the first time, only to lose to FC Kansas City in the semifinals. She repeated the feat in 2016, leading the team with seven assists and earning NWSL Second XI honors, though Chicago again fell in extra time to the Washington Spirit in the semifinals.
Her 2017 season included three goals in 21 appearances, while Chicago was eliminated in the semifinals for a third straight year. After missing the start of 2018 with a stress fracture in her hip, she returned to score twice in 12 matches and was named to the NWSL Best XI for August. DiBernardo started 20 regular season matches in 2019 and every playoff match as Chicago reached the NWSL Championship final, where they fell 4-0 to the North Carolina Courage. She added Best XI honors in July and another monthly award in September 2022, the year she was named team captain.
Kansas City Current Era (2023-Present)
DiBernardo signed a two-year free-agent contract with the Kansas City Current on December 7, 2022. She made her debut on April 15, 2023, and scored a goal with an assist against her former Chicago Red Stars team in a 2023 NWSL Challenge Cup match. Her 2023 campaign was cut short by a concussion sustained against the Portland Thorns, which placed her on the Season Ending Injury list before the final regular-season match.
In 2024, DiBernardo scored the first-ever goal at CPKC Stadium on opening day, helping the Kansas City Current defeat the Portland Thorns 5-4. She continued to serve as a creative hub in midfield and a steady veteran presence for a club that has emerged as a contender in the NWSL. Her current deal runs through the 2025 season.
Driving Style and Strengths
DiBernardo is best known for her passing range, vision, and ability to break lines from central midfield. She combines creative distribution with set-piece quality and a knack for arriving late in the box to score key goals, traits that have made her a long-time NWSL assist leader and a respected veteran presence.
Notable Events and Milestones
Key milestones in DiBernardo’s career include scoring the opening goal in the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup semifinal, setting Illinois’ career assists record, leading the Red Stars to three consecutive NWSL Championship finals, and scoring the first-ever goal at CPKC Stadium. She has also been named to multiple NWSL monthly Best XI squads throughout her career.
Vanessa DiBernardo Career Wins
DiBernardo’s trophy case is highlighted by the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, won with the United States under-20 team. She has not yet won an NWSL Championship, having reached the final in 2019, 2020, and 2021 with the Chicago Red Stars, and finishing as a runner-up in 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup competition. Her career is also defined by individual awards, including multiple NWSL monthly Best XI selections and a 2016 NWSL Second XI nod.
Other Wins & Performances
In addition to her NWSL exploits, DiBernardo spent two loan spells with Perth Glory of the W-League, scoring six goals in 14 games during the 2016-17 season as Perth reached the 2017 Grand Final. She was also part of Waubonsie Valley High School’s three state title-winning sides and won Gatorade Illinois Player of the Year honors in 2010.
Vanessa DiBernardo Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Soccer runs deep in the DiBernardo family. Vanessa’s father, Angelo DiBernardo, competed at the 1984 Summer Olympics and other international matches as a member of the USA men’s national soccer team. Together, they are the only father-daughter pair to have represented the United States in soccer. Angelo was born in Argentina of Italian descent, which means Vanessa holds eligibility ties to both the United States and Argentina.
Personal Life
DiBernardo married Andy Miltonberger in December 2021. In July 2025, she announced that she was pregnant. She currently resides in the Kansas City area, where she continues her career with the Kansas City Current.
2025 Season Performance
DiBernardo enters 2025 in the final year of her two-year contract with the Kansas City Current. The club has established itself as a title contender after a record-setting 2024 campaign that ended with the first goal in CPKC Stadium history. DiBernardo is expected to remain a key piece in midfield, with a focus on linking defense to attack and contributing on set pieces.
Beyond her on-field role, she is balancing a milestone year in her personal life, having announced her pregnancy in July 2025. The Current’s depth gives the club room to manage her minutes carefully while keeping her involved as a leader and playmaker. If healthy, DiBernardo will be aiming to add an NWSL Championship to a resume that already includes a U-20 World Cup title and a long list of individual honors.