Time has moved fast for Alyssa Thompson, almost as fast as she is on the soccer field.
In September, Thompson received her first call-up to the U.S. women’s national team. The following month, she made her debut.
In January, she was the NWSL No. 1 draft pick by hometown club Angel City FC. She made her NWSL debut in March and scored a goal in her first game. And she just graduated high school last month.
Now, the 18-year-old is headed to her first FIFA World Cup.
“I feel like I don’t think about it enough, because it’s like the next thing happens and I’m just focused on the next thing,” said Thompson, who decided to forgo a collegeiate career at Stanford in order to play professionally.
“But when I do think about it, it’s pretty crazy that’s all happened in such a short amount of time. It doesn’t feel long or short, it just feels weird.”
Along the way, she said she’s not only gained confidence, but she’s learning to lean on the advice of her veteran teammates. Thompson is the youngest on the roster and the second youngest to ever make the U.S. World Cup roster, joining current assistant coach Tiffany Sahaydak (nee Roberts), who was also 18 for the 1995 World Cup.
“I’ve learned to be confident in myself,” Thompson said. “They tell me that I made it (the team) for a reason, so just be confident.”
Thompson had to balance work and school at Harvard-Westlake High during this first season. That’s meant missing her senior prom and graduation due to games.
Her impact and presence have been felt, however, throughout the soccer world. Thompson has appeared in 13 games for Angel City FC and scored three goals.
“Her creativity on the field and the things that she does on the field is so hard to track because you never know what she’s going to do,” USWNT coach Vlatko Andonovski said. “Whether it is going to be a 1-on-1, 1-on-2 or give and go or shot left foot, right foot … she’s very hard to track or prepare for.
“I think that her creativity is very good and something that will fit well with the group of forwards that she’s going to have around her.”
Thompson isn’t the only Angel City player on the U.S. World Cup roster. Julie Ertz, who joined Angel City in April, is headed to her third World Cup.
Ertz, who sat out nearly two years after giving birth to her son, remembered what it was like when he received the call for her first World Cup.
“You’re very nervous on your first time in,” the 31-year-old midfielder said. “I think in the time you have to lean on your teammates. There’s a lot of experience when I was a rookie as well, and on top of that, I think it is our part as veterans to make sure she feels at her best because it takes 23 players to completely perform the way you want to as a team at the tournament.”
Another Angel City veteran headed to the World Cup is captain and defender Ali Riley, who at 35 will be in her fourth tournament with New Zealand, one of the host countries. Angel City forward Jun Endo, 23, is also headed to the World Cup with Japan.
One of Thompson’s initial goals was to make the World Cup roster, and with that accomplished, the next was learning what to pack for the extended time away from home.
Fortunately, she’s been able to lean on some veterans.
“I’ve asked (teammate) Julie (Ertz) of what I needed to pack. What’s essential? Give me tips and tricks about camp because it’s a long time and I’ve never done it and she’s experienced,” Thompson said.
Thompson also asked midfielder Lindsey Horan: “She wanted to know essentials for packing for the World Cup and I had no idea what to tell her.”
Two-time World Cup champion Megan Rapinoe, who announced she would be retiring at the end of this NWSL season, probably had the best advice for a first-timer when she said: “Bring it all.”
Now Thompson hopes to show that she belongs.
“It’s a chance for Alyssa to play on the biggest stage, and she deserves it,” Angel City FC interim coach Becki Tweed said. “She went straight from high school into the (national team) program and you never know what that’s going to look like, but she grabbed it with two hands and embraced it.”