U.S. women’s national team striker and Portland Thorns FC forward Sophia Wilson (formerly Smith) announced she and her husband are expecting their first child. Her and her spouse, Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson, recently celebrated their wedding and are now growing their family. The duo announced the pregnancy on social media.
“Life just keeps getting sweeter,” read the caption on the dual announcement on the couple’s Instagram.
Wilson’s club team, the Thorns, posted congratulations on their club social channels, and that they “are proud to support her through this incredible new chapter.”
The 24-year-old attacker was drafted by the Thorns in 2020, and she was the first teenager ever selected in the NWSL Draft. She was the youngest player to ever win MVP in 2022 and earned NWSL Championship MVP honors in the same year. The following year, she won the 2023 Golden Boot, and in 2024, she became the youngest player ever to reach 50 goal contributions in the league at 23 years and 254 days old. Wilson has been the attacking star for the Thorns for years, and she is in the final year of her contract.
Wilson signed a contract extension in 2024 through 2025 with an option for 2026. The option is an important note as it’s not a mutual option, it’s a player option. The contract was the first ever announced with such a lever, instead of the typical club or mutual option. In the meantime, the Thorns will have to manage the 2025 season with another member of the squad out for the season after multiple players were placed on a season-ending injury list during the preseason.
U.S. national team head coach Emma Hayes has praised the star striker in the past for her ability to play as a natural nine while shifting across the front line if needed. During the 2024 Olympics, Wilson was part of the attacking trio alongside Mallory Swanson and Trinity Rodman, known as “Triple Espresso,” and the three were responsible for 10 out of 12 goals scored during the Summer Games. Members of the attacking line have not been part of recent USWNT camps, dating back to Fall 2024, with rest and recovery often cited as reasons for their absence.
Hayes has been vocal about this build-up to the 2027-28 cycle as a period to expand the player pool, and upcoming April friendlies against Brazil are set to be a U23-focused camp. As the USWNT continue to evolve, the Wilsons will focus on their growing family before aiming to return to the pitch.
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