Sophia Smith of Windsor is scheduled to return from a knee injury and will be part of the United States Women’s National Team training camp roster for two October friendlies against Colombia.
Twila Kilgore, the interim head coach, made the announcement on Wednesday. Smith, who scored two goals in this summer’s World Cup, missed September friendly due to a knee injury she sustained while playing in the NWSL for the Portland Thorns. The games will be held on October 26 at America First Field in Sandy, Utah, and on October 29 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego.
About Sophia Smith
Sophia Olivia Smith (born August 10, 2000) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for Portland Thorns FC in the NWSL and for the US national team. She was a Stanford University collegiate soccer player who helped the Cardinal win the national championship in 2019. Smith was selected first overall in the 2020 NWSL College Draft.
Smith was voted the NWSL Most Valuable Player (MVP) and US Soccer Female Player of the Year in 2022. She was chosen to the NWSL Best XI and was voted MVP of the 2022 NWSL Championship (after assisting the Thorns to victory).
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Early life of Sophia Smith
Sophia was reared in Windsor, Colorado, with her two elder sisters, Gabrielle and Savannah, by her parents, Mollie and Kenny Smith. Smith’s father played basketball at the University of Wyoming, and her older sister Savannah was the all-time leading scorer at the University of Northern Colorado.
Sophia’s father said he knew she’d be a soccer star when she was six years old after watching her dominate a 3-on-3 league. She told her father on the way to the game that she was going to score ten goals, which she accomplished. Smith started playing co-ed soccer as a child. She played with the Timnath Twisters from U-6 to U-10, then Arsenal Colorado from U-11 to U-13. She won two state cups with Arsenal Colorado in 2012 and 2013.
Smith attended Fossil Ridge High School in Fort Collins, where she was a freshman on the varsity soccer and basketball teams. She had ten goals and four assists in only eight games and was selected First-Team All-Conference. Smith was also a member of the varsity basketball squad. She played club soccer for Real Colorado and was called up to the U-14 national team for the first time in 2013.
Smith and the Real Colorado squad finished runners-up at the ECNL National Championship in 2014 and 2016, and fourth in 2015. Smith and her family would routinely drive 3-4 hours from Fort Collins to Denver and back for soccer practice with youth national teams while she was in high school. She was selected for the senior national team.
Club career of Sophia Smith
Smith was selected by Portland Thorns FC as the first overall pick in the 2020 NWSL College Draft. A foot injury and the COVID-19 outbreak derailed Smith’s debut season with the Thorns. She appeared in four games during the NWSL Fall Series, scoring one goal in a 3-0 win over the Utah Royals FC. With a 3-0-1 record, the Thorns finished first.
Smith started 17 of her 22 games as a forward in the 2021 season, scoring seven goals. Smith scored a brace in a 5-0 win over the Chicago Red Stars in her league debut on May 16, 2021. Portland finished first in the NWSL Shield and advanced to the NWSL Playoffs, where they were eliminated in the semi-finals by the Chicago Red Stars.
Smith scored three goals in five 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup games. She was named league MVP for the 2022 NWSL season. Smith scored the game-winning goal for the Thorns, and she was voted Championship MVP. Smith earned her first professional hat-trick in a 4-1 victory over Kansas City Current on April 1, 2023. She was selected NWSL Player of the Month for March/April, as well as a member of the month’s NWSL Best XI. She was named NWSL Player of the Month for the second time during the 2023 season two months later, in June, after scoring six goals in four matches.
International career of Sophia Smith
Sophia Smith has represented the United States at the under-17, under-20, and senior levels. Sophia Smith competed in the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2016. She scored nine goals in six games in early 2017, which is thought to be a youth national team record for goals in six straight games. Smith was called up to the senior national squad for the first time on March 31, 2017, for two international friendlies against Russia.
Sophia Smith was nominated to the USA U-20 team for the 2018 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after being a member of the under-20 squad that finished runner-up at the 2018 CONCACAF U-20 Championship. Smith was called up to the senior national team for the first training camp of 2020, which will take place from January 5 to 15, after attending a talent identification camp in December 2019. She won her maiden national team cap against the Netherlands on November 27, 2020, becoming the first player born in the 2000s to appear for the senior national team.
Sophia Smith in 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup
Sophia Smith has been nominated to the United States roster for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in 2023. She scored a brace and assisted on the third goal in the team’s 3-0 triumph over Vietnam in the team’s opening group stage encounter. Smith was selected Player of the Match despite being involved in every goal scored.
Smith played all 90 minutes of normal time and all 30 minutes of extra time in the United States’ knockout round encounter against Sweden. With a score of 0-0 at the end of extra time, the match was decided by a penalty shootout. Smith was the second of three US players to fail penalty shots, culminating in the US’s elimination from the World Cup.
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