A New NWSL Season, a New Sophia Wilson
- March 10, 2026
There’s a season for everything. For Sophia Wilson, the all-league forward on the NWSL’s Portland Thorns, her journey to the pitch also included basketball. She started on her varsity team as a freshman at Fossil Ridge High School in Colorado, enjoying a sport that has deep ties to her family; her dad played at the University of Wyoming, and her older sister Savannah remains the all-time leading scorer at the University of Northern Colorado. Still, as much as Sophia enjoyed the court, soccer felt different to her: She felt freer and more creative when she played on the pitch. She turned the page on basketball in high school.
Since then, she’s channeled her relentless competitive drive toward becoming one of the world’s most elite soccer forwards. You’d need a pushpin map to keep track of the places she’s brought her winning ways to, places like Denver, Palo Alto and Portland. How has she taken the unfolding of her career? One season at a time.
Below, in her own words, Sophia shares more about her formative years as a young athlete, the concept of seasonality as a pro player, and her new season of life as a parent.
As a kid, I don’t know of a specific moment when I knew I had a talent for soccer, but I do remember right when I started that I felt more comfortable doing it than the people around me. I ran track. I did gymnastics when I was little. I played basketball and volleyball. I honestly really loved every sport I played. But I think it goes back to feeling the most comfortable in myself playing soccer.
Watching family play can be the best introduction to sport. I have two older sisters who played soccer growing up, so I was always going to their games, watching them play. I tried out for a team as soon as I was old enough and fell in love with it right away. I felt good about challenging myself at a really early age when I would play up in age groups. It was then when I realized I was a few steps ahead of other people, and I felt like soccer could be special for me.
Parents have just as much influence on your development as coaches do. My parents were always confident in me, supporting me in anything I wanted to do, like when I wanted to play up in age groups or play with the boys. My dad would always tell me, “Never let anyone or anything take your confidence away.” I feel like that applies to not just athletes but everyone. There will always be times where people question you, question what you bring to the table. If you remain confident in who you are, you can do anything.
In 2022, Wilson was named U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year.
“There will always be times where people question you, question what you bring to the table. If you remain confident in who you are, you can do anything.”
Sophia Wilson
As a club player, sometimes success isn’t just about talent. Sometimes it’s about being seen. I started playing for Real Colorado when I was 14. I made that move because Real is one of the best clubs in Colorado, and they’re in a league that goes to showcases, and that’s where college coaches go to scout players. I knew that if I wanted to keep getting to the next level, I would need to play in a league where you’re seen. Moving to Real is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I learned so much about the game and about myself.
A pro career is a 12-month-long season in the sense that every part of the year amounts to a specific goal. The year is long, going from March to November. We have a very short off season from end of November through December, and then we start back again in January. Mixed within that is national team camps once a month. And then, during specific years, you’ll have a global tournament It’s go, go, go nonstop.
There’s nothing like your home crowd. I’ve played in a lot of stadiums and in front of a lot of fan bases, and there’s really no place like Portland. What separates this fan base from the rest is that you hear the support of every single fan during every single game, even if it’s pouring rain, The atmosphere is contagious. You don’t want the matches to end. Representing Portland is special, trying to give back in any way I can to the fan base that has given me so much.
Parenthood and being a pro aren’t mutually exclusive. This season, I get to return to doing a sport I love while also having a little best friend in my daughter. Parenthood is challenging in its own ways. Obviously, you’re coming off a year being away from the game. Your body went through so many changes. Physically, you’re trying to get back to playing at a high level. It’s been hard work, but I love the process of it, honestly, and I'm excited to see it pay off when I get to play in my first game back.
I’m in a season of my career where I understand how every little interaction I have with fans is significant. I have so many interactions with young fans, little girls and boys, and I see how much we inspire them to work hard for their goals. One of the best parts about my job is that you get to inspire all these fans in different ways, encouraging them that they can reach their goals too.