Story by
Angel City sign World Cup record-holder Maddie DiMaria, 17, through 2030
- Story by
- Angel City sign World Cup record-holder Maddie DiMaria, 17, through 2030
Angel City FC have signed 17-year-old forward U.S. youth international Maddie DiMaria through 2030, after her record-breaking scoring streak at the Under-17 World Cup.
Last month in Morocco, the teenager made history as the highest U.S. World Cup goalscorer at any gender or age group of the competition, tallying 12 goals in four games.
Advertisement
The U.S. were eliminated from the tournament in the quarter-finals last Sunday by reigning champions North Korea , who have won the tournament four times in total since the first edition in 2008.
The St. Louis native will be available for selection in Angel City's quarter-final match against the Kansas City Current at CPKC Stadium on Saturday at noon ET.
"I am so excited to be joining Angel City Football Club," DiMaria said in a club statement on Thursday. "I was able to train with the team over the summer, and it was such a welcoming environment. Seeing all that Angel City has to offer and everyone associated with the club made me excited to learn, compete, and help the team however I can. I can't wait to get started."
DiMaria has been prolific in high school. She scored 67 goals and recorded 25 assists during her junior season that spanned 2025 and this year, leading the Cor Jesu Academy Chargers to a perfect 25–0 record and their third consecutive state championship. She also scored at the 2025 U-17 World Cup.
Advertisement
Angel City CEO Amy Taylor told The Athletic that she views DiMaria's move as a statement of intent from a club that is already the youngest in the league, but wants to continue building.
"I'm really proud of the focus that we have on individual player development, but also the skill set we're developing in recruitment," Taylor said. "I think it is a significant competitive advantage."
Taylor acknowledged the excitement at the possibility of DiMaria playing in this year's NWSL playoffs is "not really what it's about".
"What Maddie is about is 2027, and 2028, and 2029, and this infusion of excitement and then the ability for other little girls to think, 'Oh my gosh, that could be me,'" Taylor said.
Advertisement
"It's so challenging in the United States versus the academy and secondary team systems that exist in other countries. So for us to be able to be someone who is worthy of parents, and agents, to entrust us with a 17-year-old is very important to me."
Angel City sporting director Mark Parsons told The Athletic ahead of the announcement that on the second day his training staff watched DiMaria play, "they ran, all of them ran to me, (saying), 'We have to sign her. She has to play on Saturday'".
Parsons, who has a history of giving players time, appreciated the enthusiasm but shared the same sentiment as Taylor, making clear the club will not fast track DiMaria's foray into the NWSL. Speaking on the club's recruitment, he said it took him "two years" to get midfielder Hina Sugita to Portland, and a similar length of time for Ellie Carpenter.
"Ellie Carpenter took me two years (to sign)," he continued. "Sometimes it takes two days or two weeks, but we are doing so well in our player recruitment that this was more long-term player recruitment."
Advertisement
Parsons is a former head coach of the Portland Thorns who won a championship and two NWSL shields in five years. He acknowledged the timing of DiMaria's signing wasn't quite the flawless execution he would have liked — primarily because the club are still without a permanent head coach, as they were when they were having discussions with DiMaria and her family.
Interim manager Leif Gunnar Smerud, however, has earned a better record than now-former head coach Alexander Straus.
When the DiMaria family visited, Parsons said "they didn't spend much time with the technical staff, only in training".
"They spent time with my leadership — the parents did, Maddie did," he added. "It took us a few months there, but we got that done probably a month ago. If you build an environment that we've talked about, people want to stay here."
This article originally appeared in The Athletic .
US Women's national team, Angel City, NWSL, Women's Soccer, Transfer News
2026 The Athletic Media Company
