Sophia Wilson

Sophia Olivia Wilson (; born August 10, 2000) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for Portland Thorns FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States national team.

Wilson played college soccer for the Stanford Cardinal, which she helped lead to the 2019 national championship. She was picked first overall by the Thorns in the 2020 NWSL College Draft. In 2021, she led the Thorns in scoring on their way to winning the NWSL Shield. In 2022, she led the Thorns to the NWSL Championship and was named the NWSL Most Valuable Player and Championship MVP. She received the NWSL Golden Boot as the league's top scorer in 2023.

Wilson played for the under-17 and under-20 teams before making her senior debut for the United States in 2020. She was named the U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year in 2022. She scored three goals at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where the United States women's national team (USWNT) won gold. She is regarded as one of the best forwards in the world.

Early life Born to parents Mollie and Kenny Smith, Wilson was raised in Windsor near Fort Collins, Colorado, with her two older sisters Gabrielle and Savannah.

Wilson's father said he knew when she was 6 years old that she would be a soccer star after watching her dominate a 3-on-3 league. On a car ride to one of her games, she told her father she was going to score ten goals, which she did accomplish. Wilson also played for the varsity basketball team.

College career Wilson attended Stanford University where she played for the Cardinal. She finished her abbreviated collegiate career as a two-time Pac-12 Champion and NCAA Champion after just two seasons. Stanford went on to win the national title via a penalty shootout in the final, with Wilson making her shot in the shootout. Wilson was named the College Cup's Most Outstanding Offensive Player and earned All-Tournament team honors. She was named to the All-Pac-12 second team and tied for the seventh-most goals in Cardinal history despite playing just two seasons. Wilson's first season with the Thorns was sidetracked by a foot injury and the COVID-19 pandemic. The Thorns finished in first place with a (W-L-D) record.

Wilson was a starting forward in 17 of her 22 appearances in the 2021 season and scored seven goals. Portland finished in first place, winning the NWSL Shield and earning a berth to the NWSL Playoffs, where they were defeated by the Chicago Red Stars in the semi-final.

Wilson scored three goals in five matches in the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup. She earned league MVP honors for the 2022 NWSL season. The Thorns won the NWSL Championship, with Wilson scoring the first goal in the final, and she was named Championship MVP. She was named NWSL Player of the Month for March/April and to the NWSL Best XI of the month. Two months later in June, she was named NWSL Player of the Month for the second time during the 2023 season after scoring six goals in four matches. Despite a knee injury that kept her out for three games after returning from the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, Wilson went on to finish the 2023 season as the league's top scorer. She secured the NWSL Golden Boot after scoring 11 goals in 17 matches and she was named to the NWSL Best XI for the second time in her career at the conclusion of the season. In 2024 she was signed by the Thorns to a two-year contract extension that made her the highest paid player in the NWSL.

Having taken maternity leave during the 2025 season, Wilson made her return to play on March 6, 2026, featuring in a 5–1 win over Monterrey. on April 26, she scored her first goal since November 2024, netting the game-winner in a victory over Angel City FC.

International career Wilson has competed for the United States on the under-17, under-20, and senior national teams.

Wilson competed at the 2016 FIFA U-17 World Cup. In early 2017, she scored nine goals in six games, which is believed to be a youth national team record for goals in six consecutive games.

After being a part of the under-20 squad that finished runner-up at the 2018 CONCACAF U-20 Championship, Wilson was named to the USA U-20 roster for the 2018 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.

Wilson was called up to the senior national team for the first training camp of 2020 from January 5 to 15 after having been called into a talent identification camp in December 2019.

On November 27, 2020, Wilson earned her first national team cap in a game against the Netherlands, becoming the first player born in the 2000s to compete for the senior national team.

2023 FIFA Women's World Cup

Wilson was named to the U.S. squad for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. During the team's first group stage match against Vietnam, she scored a brace and provided the assist for the third goal in the team's 3–0 win. Involved in every goal scored, Wilson was named Player of the Match.

In the United States' knockout stage match against Sweden, Wilson played all 90 minutes of regulation time as well as all 30 minutes of extra time. At the end of extra time, with a score of 0–0, the match moved to a penalty shootout. Wilson was the second of three U.S. players who missed penalty shots, ultimately resulting in the U.S. being eliminated from the World Cup.

2024 Wilson was included in the USWNT squad for the 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup, which the US won. She scored one goal, against Canada, at the tournament. She was then included in the squad for the 2024 SheBelieves Cup; she scored two goals in the final, which the US also won (in a penalty shootout, with Wilson scoring her shot), and she was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament.

2024 Olympics Wilson was selected to the 18-player roster for the 2024 Summer Olympics in France. She scored a brace in the 4–1 win against Germany in the group stage and scored again on Germany in extra time to win 1–0 in the semifinals. The United States defeated Brazil 1–0 in the final on a goal from Mallory Swanson, securing the gold medal.

Personal life Wilson met her husband Michael Wilson, an NFL player, while they were both at Stanford. She changed her name, including professionally, after they married in January 2025. On March 5, 2025, the couple announced that they were expecting their first child. Their daughter was born in September 2025.

Wilson, along with USWNT stars Mallory Swanson and Trinity Rodman, are known as "Triple Espresso." They gave themselves the name during the 2024 Olympic tournament, where the trio scored 10 of the team's 12 goals en route to winning the gold medal.

In popular culture Print media Wilson was featured on the June 2023 cover of Sports Illustrated along with national teammates Rose Lavelle, Alex Morgan, and Trinity Rodman. She has been featured in Elle, and Time magazines. Starting in July 2023, she starred in a Nike, Inc. commercial entitled, "Nice to Beat You". She starred in a Wells Fargo Visa commercial called "Lucky Soccer Socks" and a Chipotle commercial called "Starting Wing" the same month. Ahead of the 2024 Olympics, Wilson appeared alongside Alex Morgan in a commercial for Reese's.

Endorsements Wilson has endorsement deals with Nike, Inc., BioSteel Sports Nutrition, Ally Financial, Chipotle, Clif Bar, Hyperice, and Gatorade.

Career statistics Club

International

Scores and results list the United States's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Wilson goal.

Honors and awards Stanford Cardinal NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship: 2019 NWSL Shield: 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup: 2021 NWSL Community Shield: 2020 Women's International Champions Cup: 2021 United States U20 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship: 2020

United States

Summer Olympic Games Gold Medal: 2024 SheBelieves Cup: 2021, 2022, 2024 CONCACAF Women's Championship: 2022 CONCACAF W Gold Cup: 2024

Individual US Soccer Female Player of the Year: 2022 NWSL Most Valuable Player: 2022 NWSL Championship Most Valuable Player: 2022 2023, 2024 NWSL Player of the Month: June 2022, March/April 2023, June 2023 SheBelieves Cup Most Valuable Player: 2024 Sud Ladies Cup Best Player: 2018 Sud Ladies Cup Top Scorer: 2018 IFFHS Women's World Team: 2024