By OkayGoal 
The next generation has been making its way into the NWSL. Their journeys have been fascinating, and development has been visible to the viewers. Check out our list of eight of the youngest NWSL Players and where they played youth soccer.
Trinity Armstrong
Armstrong is a defender for San Diego Soccer as a 17-year-old. She also played one season as a defender for the University of North Carolina. Born in Kentucky, Armstrong traveled to play for IMG Academy, located in Florida. Along with that, Armstrong was also the team captain and named the most valuable player in her club years.
Zoe Matthews
Matthews is a midfielder for the Houston Dash who signed as a 17-year-old. Matthews was born in Southlake, Ohio, and was a star player at Solar SC. At this club, Matthews won an ECNL national championship and led them to a U-17 ECNL title game. She has been featured on the United States Youth National Team and has only just begun a promising NWSL career.
Olivia Moultrie
Moultrie is an attacking midfielder who has stayed loyal to the Portland Thorns since her revolutionary signing to the NWSL. At the age of thirteen, in 2019, Moultrie signed with the Portland Thorns and also filed a lawsuit to remove the league’s age limit for the NWSL. She grew up in Santa Clarita, California, and played for both girls’ and boys’ teams. She was the first girl to play for a boys’ team in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, and at 11, she accepted a scholarship to UNC.
Gisele Thompson
Thompson is a 19-year-old playing as a right back for Angel City. At just 17 years old, she joined the club with her older sister, Alyssa Thompson. Thompson grew up playing for the ECNL Real So Cal team in Los Angeles, where she later joined the Santa Clarita Blue Heat after the Pandemic, a part of the United Women’s Soccer League. Thompson has experience playing with the United States Youth National Team and has recently been called up to the Senior National Team after her consistent performances with Angel City and strong defensive abilities.
Melanie Barcenas
Barcenas is a 17-year-old forward who signed to San Diego Wave FC at just 15 years old. She was raised in San Diego, where she has played for San Diego Surf since she was under 8. She led them to success in multiple championship matches while also representing the United States Youth National Team. Not long after, Barcenas became one of the youngest to represent her hometown in the NWSL.
Claire Hutton
Hutton is a current midfielder for Kansas City Current who not only plays in the NWSL but has also been a part of the USWNT. She signed for the NWSL at 17 years old in 2023. Growing up in Bethlehem, New York, Hutton played for both girls ‘and boys’ teams. She started out with the Alleycats Soccer Club but then played for the ECNL club, World Class FC. As a high schooler, she dominated the field on both the varsity girls’ and boys’ soccer teams, leading them to success.
McKenna Whitham
Whitham is known as the NWSL’s youngest player, at just 14 years old. She signed with Gotham FC at the age of 13 and became a record-breaker as the youngest player to play in the NWSL. She grew up in Granite Bay, California, where she played ECNL soccer for MVLA. The team achieved great success, finishing as runners-up in the U-13 national finals. While she signed at 13, she also became the youngest player to sign with NIKE as a sponsor.
Savy King
Savannah (Savy) King is a defender for Angel City FC who played one season for UNC before signing to the NWSL. She is 20 year old and was born in Santa Monica, California. Along with soccer, King grew up as both a runner and a cyclist. Growing up as an elite soccer player, King played for both Real So Cal and Slammer FC, where she won an ECNL national title. During these club years, she consistently ranked as a TopDrawerSoccer top left back.
Image via Instagram
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