Sophia Smith Signs Contract Extension With Portland For Highest Annual NWSL Salary

PORTLAND, Ore.: Sophia Smith had choices however in the long run felt like she “wasn’t done” in Portland.

The Thorns introduced Wednesday that they signed Smith to a contract extension by way of 2025, with a participant choice for 2026. Portland says the deal offers the 23-year-old ahead the best annual wage within the National Women’s Soccer League however wouldn’t disclose phrases.

“I’ve felt so welcomed and so loved and so believed in and I just felt like I wasn’t done here. And there’s still things that I want to do with this team and this club and trophies I want to win,” she stated. “And just with new ownership coming in, I have already felt that this club is just going in the right direction.”

The Thorns have been offered in January to the Bhathal household, which can be a part of the possession group of the NBA’s Sacramento Kings.

Smith is embarking on her fifth season with the Thorns. She was the NWSL’s most useful participant and the U.S. Soccer participant of the 12 months in 2022. She was additionally the NWSL championship recreation MVP that 12 months. She was set to turn out to be a free agent after this season and had some curiosity from European golf equipment.

“It’s a new era for us and the Bhathal family have been very clear of the vision that they have for this club. And we’re all aligned in that vision. And one of the key ingredients was to make sure that Sophia Smith was here,” common supervisor Karina LeBlanc stated. “For her, this is a place she always wanted to be. For her to sign this contract, I think we’re eight months ahead of when she actually could have made it play out. She’s like, ‘I just wanted to get the season going and I just wanted this to be done.’”

Smith was the highest choose within the NWSL draft in 2020 after serving to Stanford to a victory over North Carolina within the 2019 NCAA College Cup championship. She scored three targets within the Cardinal’s semifinal victory over UCLA and was named the College Cup’s most useful participant.

She has scored 40 targets throughout all competitions with the Thorns, and her 11 targets final season — in 17 matches — earned her the league’s Golden Boot award.

A daily on the U.S. nationwide staff, Smith performed in final summer season’s Women’s World Cup. She has scored 16 targets in 44 appearances since her U.S. debut in 2020.

Smith stated she needs to take a better management position on the Thorns.

“I don’t believe anyone is perfect or any player has hit their full potential ever. So I think for me, I want to grow into more of a leadership role on this team. I want to be a player that kind of brings everyone around me into games,” she stated. “I think that’s a big thing for me, is being less individual and bringing my teammates into games, whatever that looks like, and just kind of making this team something really special and contributing to that in any way that I can.”

Smith credited the brand new possession with making her extra comfy. The staff had been put up on the market in late 2022 after a misconduct scandal involving a former Thorns coach shook the league.

“I have just been waiting for some stability and some reassurance that this club is headed in the right direction and the Bhathal family coming in is doing exactly that, if not more,” she stated. “Their vision for this club is so exciting. You can just tell how passionate they are about making this what it should be, and continuing to push the standard in women’s soccer globally, and making the Portland Thorns a center of that and in any way that they can.”

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(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is printed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)