Sophia Smith will be a frequent presence in the homes of millions of Americans over the coming weeks.
Not only is Smith one of the most important players on the U.S. women's soccer team at the Paris Olympics, she is also one of the most publicly visible players on the team.
She has led advertising campaigns for major brands and was one of two players the team invited to its pre-game press conference ahead of the Olympics.
The kid from Northern Colorado is now the face of American soccer.
Here's what you need to know about Smith as he competes in his first Olympic Games.
A soccer star is born from a basketball family
Smith's father, Kenny, played basketball at Wyoming, and her two older sisters, Gabrielle and Savannah, starred at Fossil Ridge High School in Fort Collins. Savannah led Fossil Ridge to the Class 5A championship game before going on to the University of Northern Colorado, where she led the Bears to the NCAA Tournament and became the program's all-time leading scorer.
Sophia dabbled in sports in her family, playing basketball at Fossil Ridge High School (averaging five points and one assist per game as a sophomore) but switching to soccer long before then.
But basketball may still be in her blood: When Smith scored in the 2022 NWSL Finals, she performed Michael Jordan's classic shrug.
Rise to stardom and recovery from injury
Smith rose to stardom at a young age as a goal-scoring forward and played for the U.S. youth national team on multiple occasions, including at the 2016 U-17 World Cup and the 2018 U-20 World Cup.
Smith attended Stanford University and scored seven points in 13 games as a freshman before suffering a serious injury, torn ligaments and a broken ankle.
An eight-month rehabilitation period followed before she was able to take part in competitive football again, and when she did, she was back in full force.
Smith led Stanford to a national title as a sophomore.
She turned professional after her sophomore season and was selected first overall by the Portland Thorns in the 2020 NWSL Draft, becoming the first teenager in league history to be selected in the NWSL Draft.
She made her debut for the senior national team on November 27, 2020, becoming the first player born in the 2000s to compete for the senior team.
Smith, 23, was the 2022 NWSL MVP and championship game MVP when the Thorns won the championship, and she is a candidate for MVP again this season.
Smith was selected for the 2023 Women's World Cup squad and scored two goals in the tournament's opening game, but suffered a frustrating defeat after being one of three U.S. players to miss in a penalty shootout in the final match against Sweden.
Smith is now leading the American attack in Paris.
Growing national recognition
Smith is one of the best athletes to come out of Northern Colorado, and her star potential has translated to the national (and international) level. In March, she signed a contract extension with the Thorns that will keep her with the organization through 2026. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but ESPN and other national media outlets have reported that she is now the highest-paid player in the NWSL.
Her name is now synonymous with some of the biggest brands, with Smith fronting advertising campaigns for Gatorade, Nike, Chipotle, and Reese's, among others. She has over 350,000 followers on Instagram.
Smith also recently got engaged to her boyfriend, Michael Wilson, a receiver for the Arizona Cardinals who attended Stanford University at the same time as Smith.
Smith and the U.S. Olympic Schedule
The United States is in Group B at the Olympics. There are three groups of four teams, with the three group winners, two runners-up, and the top two third-place finishers advancing to the knockout stage. Teams will play three matches in the group stage.
Below is the US schedule, times are listed in Mountain Standard Time.
- July 25: USA vs. Zambia, 1 p.m. (USA Network)
- July 28: USA vs. Germany, 1 p.m. (USA Network)
- July 31: USA vs. Australia, 11 a.m. (USA Network)
- Quarter finals: August 3
- Semi-finals: August 6
- Bronze Medal Match: August 9
- Gold Medal Match: August 10
Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle X Also check him out on Instagram @Kevin_Lytle.
