Gisele Thompson Explained
Gisele Olivia Thompson (born December 2, 2005) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Angel City FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She has represented the United States on the under-20 and under-17 national teams.
Thompson is one of the first high school athletes to have a name, image, and likeness deal with Nike, as is her older sister, Alyssa Thompson. Although she committed to play for Stanford after high school, Thompson instead announced in December 2023 that she had signed with Angel City FC four days prior to turning 18.[2]
Early life
In 2013, Thompson's parents registered her and her sister Alyssa in the Total Futbol Academy (TFA) when Thompson was 8 years old so that they could compete on boys' teams.[3] In 2015, they were transferred to club Real So Cal of the Elite Clubs National League and they competed there until the COVID-19 pandemic halted sporting events. The two sisters then joined the Santa Clarita Blue Heat in the second-division United Women's Soccer league as the only high school students in the league.[4] In early 2023, Thompson began training with NWSL team Angel City FC,[5] who had drafted Alyssa as the number one pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft.[6]
Club career
Angel City FC, 2024–
On December 7, 2023, Angel City FC announced that they had signed Thompson to a three-year professional contract. NWSL rules allowed ACFC to sign Thompson directly, rather than through the entry draft, because she was under the age of 18 at the time. Her deal runs through the 2025 season, with an option to extend through 2026.[7] Thompson made her professional debut for Angel City in her hometown of Los Angeles on March 17, 2024, coming on as a substitute for her older sister in a NWSL match against Bay FC.
After missing a few games due to a minor ankle injury, Thompson started her first match for Angel City on May 18, 2024, in an away match against Washington Spirit which ended as a 4–2 defeat. As she was named to the starting XI alongside her sister, it marked the first time in NWSL history that two sisters were named to the to the starting lineup for the same team.[8]
International career
Thompson represented the United States on the U-17 women's national team at the 2022 FIFA U-17 World Cup and the 2022 CONCACAF Women's U-17 Championship. She also played on the under-20 national team at the 2023 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship, where they won gold.[9] In the semifinals, she received a red card after she fouled to prevent a clear chance at goal.[10]
In February 2024, Thompson received her first call up to the senior team as a non-rostered player to train with the team ahead of the 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup.[11] Thompson went straight from training with the senior team in Los Angeles to train with the under-20 team for a set of friendlies against Colombia in Bogota.[12] She was selected to the roster for the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.[13]
Personal life
Thompson was born in Los Angeles on December 2, 2005, 13 months after her sister Alyssa Thompson, to Karen and Mario Thompson.[14] They are of African-American, Filipino and Peruvian descent.[15] [16]
Thompson runs track at Harvard-Westlake School.
Endorsements
In 2022, Thompson and her sister Alyssa signed a name, image, and likeness (NIL) deal with Nike at ages 16 and 17, respectively. They were the first high school athletes to sign an NIL deal with Nike.[17]
Both sisters are also sponsored by Stifel.[18]
Television and film
Gisele appeared alongside her sister Alyssa as cameos in the Netflix film Family Switch.
Career statistics
Club
Club! rowspan="2" Season | League | Cup | Playoffs | Other | Total |
---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
---|
Angel City FC | 2024 | NWSL | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 12 | 0 |
Career total | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | |
---|
Honors
United States U17
United States U19
United States U20
External links
Notes and References
- Web site: FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup India 2022 – Squad List: USA . . 16 . October 11, 2022 . January 26, 2024.
- News: Baxter . Kevin . Teen Gisele Thompson, sister of Alyssa Thompson, signs three-year deal with Angel City . December 9, 2023 . Los Angeles Times . December 7, 2023.
- Web site: Alyssa and Gisele Thompson's unusual path to USWNT success via MLS NEXT . August 1, 2023 . . en . April 11, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230411055505/https://www.mlssoccer.com/mlsnext/news/alyssa-and-gisele-thompson-s-unconventional-path-to-uswnt-success-via-mls-next . live.
- Web site: Suitts . Phillip . October 7, 2022 . Gisele and Alyssa Thompson's USWNT dreams becoming reality . August 1, 2023 . Just Women's Sports . en-US . August 3, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230803032139/https://justwomenssports.com/reads/alyssa-thompson-gisele-uswnt-call-up-national-team-soccer/ . live.
- Web site: Yanchulis . Kate . January 31, 2023 . Alyssa Thompson's younger sister will train with Angel City in 2023 . August 1, 2023 . Just Women's Sports . en-US . August 3, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230803032138/https://justwomenssports.com/reads/alyssa-gisele-thompson-angel-city-fc-nwsl-training-uswnt/ . live.
- Web site: Yanchulis . Kate . January 12, 2023 . 2023 NWSL Draft live tracker: Stay up-to-date on every pick . August 3, 2023 . Just Women's Sports . en-US . August 3, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230803032138/https://justwomenssports.com/reads/2023-nwsl-draft-live-tracker-angel-city-gotham-kansas-city-current/ . live.
- Web site: December 8, 2023 . Angel City FC signs teen soccer phenom Gisele Thompson . January 5, 2024 . ABC7 Los Angeles . en.
- Web site: National Women's Soccer League Official Site NWSL . 2024-05-20 . www.nwslsoccer.com . en.
- Web site: Gupta . Radha . November 7, 2022 . Alyssa-Gisele, the Next Kristie-Sam? . August 1, 2023 . Girls Soccer Network . en-US . November 7, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221107215010/https://girlssoccernetwork.com/gisele-thompson-and-alyssa-thompson/ . live.
- Web site: June 2, 2023 . U.S. U-20 Women's Youth National Team Qualifies For 2024 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup With 2-1 Win Against Costa Rica In Concacaf U-20 Women's Championship Semifinal U.S. Soccer Official Website . August 1, 2023 . . en . June 5, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230605131604/https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2023/06/2023-concacaf-womens-u-20-championship-usa-2-costa-rica-1-match-report-stats-standings . live .
- Web site: Kilgore Names 23-Player Roster 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup U.S. Soccer Official Website . 2024-03-15 . www.ussoccer.com . en.
- Web site: U.S. Under-20 Women's Youth National Team Will Travel to Colombia for Two Matches Against 2024 FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup Hosts . 2024-03-20 . www.ussoccer.com . en.
- News: U.S. U-20 WYNT Head Coach Tracey Kevins Names 21-Player Roster for 2024 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia. 2024-08-08. United States Soccer Federation. 2024-08-08.
- Web site: Gibson . Charlotte . March 24, 2023 . Ready or not, prodigy Alyssa Thompson cast as soccer's next superstar . August 1, 2023 . . en . July 12, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230712093630/https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37637361/nwsl-angel-city-fc-alyssa-thompson-draft-pick-prodigy . live.
- Web site: Madre de mundialista Alyssa Thompson, recalca las raíces peruanas y sacrificios de su hija . Los Angeles Times . July 17, 2023 . es-us . August 10, 2023 . August 7, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230807184123/https://www.latimes.com/espanol/deportes/articulo/2023-07-17/madre-de-mundialista-alyssa-thompson-recalca-las-raices-peruanas-y-sacrificios-de-su-hija . live.
- Web site: Davies . Amanda . Howorth . Alasdair . February 25, 2023 . High schooler by day, professional soccer player by night: Alyssa Thompson is doing it all . August 1, 2023 . . en . May 29, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230529185024/https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/25/football/alyssa-thompson-nwsl-draft-world-cup-spt-intl/index.html . live.
- Web site: Sondheimer . Eric . May 17, 2022 . Harvard-Westlake's Thompson sisters are first prep athletes to sign with Nike for NIL . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230129235405/https://www.latimes.com/sports/highschool/story/2022-05-16/harvard-westlake-thompson-sisters-first-high-school-athletes-sign-nike-nil . January 29, 2023 . August 1, 2023 . . en-US.
- Web site: Rubbelke . Nathan . June 30, 2023 . Stifel inks sponsorship deals with teenage soccer stars . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230803032139/https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2023/06/30/stifel-sponsorship-gisele-alyssa-thompson.html . August 3, 2023 . August 1, 2023 . St. Louis Business Journal.