Who is Alyssa Thompson? Player history, position & USWNT stats

Among the next wave of USWNT stars, Alyssa Thompson is one of the top players to watch. Before she even turned 21, Thompson established herself as an NWSL star and a regular with the national team. She’s now set her sights on becoming a star with one of Europe’s biggest clubs, while also helping lead the USWNT to the 2027 World Cup crown. 

Who is Alyssa Thompson?

Alyssa Thompson was born in Los Angeles and looked destined for soccer success from a young age. By age nine, she was playing against boys, as well as girls up to four years older than her. Thompson’s sister Gisele, who is just 13 months younger, was also a soccer prodigy and played alongside Alyssa when the two were growing up.

By age 15, Alyssa Thompson earned a scholarship offer from Stanford and committed to play for the Cardinal amidst a prolific high school career at Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles. However, she ultimately decided to turn pro instead of going to college. After paying $450,000 to move to the top of the draft, Angel City selected Thompson with the first-overall pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft.

Player history

Thompson was still in high school when she made her pro debut with Angel City in 2023. She also scored just 11 minutes into her NWSL debut, immediately living up to the hype. Thompson finished her rookie season with four goals in 20 games for Angel City. She followed that up with five goals in 26 games during the 2024 season and six goals in just 16 games in 2025. Thompson also contributed 11 assists over her three seasons with Angel City.

Late in the 2025 NWSL season, Thompson left Angel City for English club Chelsea, moving for a reported transfer fee of around $1.3 million. During the 2025-26 season, Thompson played in 32 matches for Chelsea across all competitions, contributing nine goals. She helped the Blues finish third in the WSL and win the League Cup, starting in the final, a 2-0 win over Manchester United. Thompson also featured in seven of Chelsea’s eight Champions League matches, scoring in a group stage match against Paris FC.

Position and style

Thompson is a forward who typically plays on the wing. She has exceptional speed and a quick change of pace, making her difficult for defenders in one-on-one situations. Even with the ball at her feet, Thompson doesn’t lose much speed as she dribbles. This allows her to beat defenders to the end line and send crosses into the box or cut inside and hunt her own shot.

Despite not being the most physically imposing player, Thompson is scrappy defensively and works hard to win the ball back. Her speed is also an asset when her team tries to press opponents high and create turnovers.

USWNT stats

Thompson made her USWNT debut in October 2022, a month before her 18th birthday and prior to her NWSL debut. The following summer, she made the roster for the 2023 World Cup, coming off the bench in a 3-0 win over Vietnam during the group stage. However, a back injury kept her from participating in the 2024 W Gold Cup, which also played a role in her absence from the 2024 Olympic roster.

Following the 2024 Olympics, Thompson started to assert herself as a regular with the national team. She scored her first international goal in a friendly against Iceland in October 2024. Her playing time with the USWNT continued to increase, in part because of the absences of Sophia Wilson and Mallory Swanson. 

In the summer of 2025, Thompson scored goals in back-to-back victories over Ireland. By the end of the year, she was arguably the USWNT’s most dangerous attacking player alongside Trinity Rodman. During the 2026 SheBelieves Cup, Thompson scored the only goal in a 1-0 win over Colombia to secure the trophy for the U.S. and early tournament MVP honors. Given her success for both club and country over the past couple of years, Thompson is poised to be a key figure for the USWNT at the 2027 World Cup and the 2028 Olympics, which is being played in her hometown of Los Angeles. 

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