With the men’s World Cup over and the NWSL season back in full swing, it’s not too soon to start thinking about the Women’s World Cup in Brazil and we already have an American on the inside.
When Alyssa Thompson signed with Chelsea, she wasn't just changing clubs. She was getting a front-row seat to the rest of the soccer world.
At just 21, the U.S. Women's National Team forward spent last season immersed in England's Women's Super League, while also testing herself against Europe's elite in the UEFA Women's Champions League, where Chelsea finished third. Now she's back in London for another preseason, sharpening her game all over again.
That experience could become one of the USWNT's quiet advantages heading into next year's Women's World Cup in Brazil.
"What I mostly think about and what's so special about being able to play in the UK and the U.S. is being able to play against different types of opponents," Thompson said. "Especially in Champions League, we get to play against all of Europe, so different styles. I think that prepares me a lot for the World Cup and being on international duty."
The NWSL isn’t the unquestioned destination league in women's soccer. Europe's top clubs are investing heavily, attracting players like Thompson and creating an environment where the world's best are crossing paths every week. For Thompson, that means seeing firsthand how different countries think about the game.
"It kind of translates to what the Spanish team will play like or what the Italian team will play like," she said. "It's cool to just be able to play against different opponents, and tactically have to think about different things. I think that prepares you to play against any type of opponent."
She arrived back in London after a whirlwind stop in Las Vegas for SHE Weekend, where Dove brought together athletes from across women's sports. Thompson joined Olympian Ilona Maher and hockey legend Hilary Knight for a panel on issues like confidence and keeping girls in the game.
The landscape has shifted dramatically since Thompson was selected first overall by Angel City FC in the 2023 NWSL Draft. Between SHE Weekend, WNBA All-Star and the men's World Cup, women's sports aren’t a niche conversation this summer. They are part of the main event.
"I've seen it grow so much just since I started," Thompson said. "I think that all comes from the players before us doing the work they did. Now people are really starting to watch and see how exciting and fun it is to be at women's sports matches."
Thompson is quick to credit the generation that made this moment possible. "They deserve all the credit," she said. "We're just trying to keep pushing it forward."
The next chance to do that comes in Brazil.
"I hope people will continue to watch the women's team and see how much it means to us to play for our country," she said. "Every time I go into camp, I want to play my best."
In the meantime, she's doing something else that could prove just as valuable.
She's learning how the rest of the world plays - then bringing a little of that knowledge back every time she puts on a U.S.A. jersey.
