“We Are L.A. Strong”

(East Los Angeles, CA)[From The Editor’s Desk]: The highly popular Los Angeles-born and raised professional soccer-playing sisters, Alyssa, and her younger sister, Gisele, have recently made everyone in our City very glad to know that they will be wearing the colors of the Angel City Football Club through 2028.

The Team’s press announcement will provide more in-depth details of their signings to extended contracts, Alyssa for three years, and Gisele for two. For all Angel City fans and the sisters’ longtime, and new fanbases, please take a very good look at the unique photo gallery we’ve included below in the posting. 

ANGEL CITY FOOTBALL CLUB AND ALYSSA AND GISELE THOMPSON AGREE TO CONTRACT EXTENSIONS THROUGH 2028

LOS ANGELES – On January 29th, Angel City Football Club (ACFC) announced that Alyssa and Gisele Thompson have both agreed to contract extensions with the club through 2028. Forward Alyssa Thompson agreed to a three-year extension, while defender Gisele Thompson agreed to a two-year extension.

“Alyssa and Gisele are very important for our club’s future, but also for the success of our league,” said ACFC Sporting Director Mark Parsons. “Mark Wilson and Matt Wade did a great job to make sure both want to be here and we are thrilled that they are staying home in LA for four more years. Alyssa and Gisele both have world-class potential for both club and country and we look forward to continuing to support their growth and development on and off the pitch.”

Alyssa Thompson, the youngest player to be drafted in NWSL history and the first player drafted out of high school, has tallied nine goals and nine assists in 53 NWSL match appearances in all competitions since joining the club in 2023. In 2023 she finished the season as an NWSL Rookie of the Year Finalist and appeared in the Best XI of the month honors three times in two seasons.

“I am super excited to be able to stay for four more years with Angel City,” said Alyssa Thompson. “I wanted to re-sign because I love LA so much and the community around me is amazing. Being able to play in my hometown in front of my friends and family is something that I never take for granted. I thank the fans, my team, and staff for everything they have done for me to help develop my career so far. Also, being able to play with Gisele as a professional is a dream come true, and I am so happy to continue that for years to come.”

[aigpl-gallery-slider id=”133928″][Photo Gallery Courtesy]: Angel City Football Club

Alyssa, recently called up to the USWNT January camp, has earned 13 caps for the US, making her international debut on October 7, 2022, versus England at Wembley Stadium; she is the youngest player to debut for the USA since 2016. She scored her first goal for the USWNT against Iceland on October 24, 2024, in Austin, Texas.

Since joining ACFC in January 2024 at 18 years old, Gisele Thompson has appeared in 16 NWSL matches in all competitions, tallying 925 minutes on the pitch. She made her NWSL debut on March 17, 2024, in a home match against NorCal rival Bay FC and earned her first NWSL assist on October 20, 2024, in a draw against Utah Royals FC.

“I’m so happy to have the opportunity to continue to grow with this team,” said Gisele Thompson. “We have such amazing players and I think our chemistry is so solid that I know we can win a championship, which is the ultimate goal. Playing in front of my friends and family and playing with Alyssa has been so great, and I look forward to continuing that here.”

Gisele joined the recent Futures camp after helping the USA bring home bronze medals at both the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup and the 2023 Pan American Games. She is also the only player on the Futures camp roster who has seen training time with the senior USWNT, having participated in the team’s June training camp last year.

The Thompson sisters attended Harvard-Westlake School in Studio City, CA, where they became the first high school student-athletes to partner with Nike. Before signing with the club, they were committed to compete for Stanford University’s women’s soccer team. Additionally, they won a state regional championship with Harvard-Westlake in 2021 and a United Women’s Soccer semi-pro championship with Santa Clarita Blue Heat in 2021, while also competing with Total Futbol Academy, an MLS Next boys’ team, before entering the NWSL.

We are also including quotes from the sisters after their first week of the team’s training at their new Performance Center.

[ACFC Forward Alyssa Thompson]

(On staying in LA and continuing to play with her sister)…“I am just happy to continue playing with Gisele and helping contribute to the club’s success. I’m really excited for our future. We’re in this amazing facility right now and every day coming to work is so motivating.

“I feel so excited for what the future holds. The fans of LA have been incredible and every little thing that I’ve experienced here has been really amazing.”

(On how her pro career has gone thus far)…“Thanks to all the veteran players on this team that have been in the league for so long. They created this pathway for younger players to go now to be a pro. There has been so much progress and I’m so thankful for them.”

“I would have never thought like I would be playing with my sister in front of my friends and family every weekend at a facility like BMO so soon in my career. I feel grateful and happy that I get to experience all this for the first time in my hometown.”

(On advice and support from her parents)…“Whenever we’re having a bad day, something is going wrong or we feel like we’re not doing our best, they’re always there to comfort us and give us advice about how the journey is hard and it’s going to be hard. We just have to embrace it more and continue to embrace what we’re doing. When you are doing that you’re able to put your all in. I feel like that has been a big thing that they have taught us.”

[ACFC Defender Gisele Thompson]

(On her excitement to stay in LA and her outlook on the season ahead)…“I’m so excited to play with Alyssa, especially in front of all of our fans. They’re so supportive no matter if they win or lose. They’re always committed to us, and I also think the club is so committed to working and developing the players on and off the field.

“It started with this facility, everyone’s just so excited and super happy to be here and work. This season’s going to bring us so much and I’m just happy to be here.”

(On being able to follow in Alyssa’s footsteps)…“It’s great seeing everything she’s accomplished. It makes me more motivated and makes me want to work harder. Growing up she was my biggest inspiration. I’ve always wanted to be her, beat her, this sister-like competition.”

“She’s taught me so much and makes me so comfortable in every position that I’m in. I’m so happy to be able to play with her.”

(On her most memorable moment playing at BMO Stadium)…“It would definitely be the first time of me playing and subbing in for Alyssa. The fans were so supportive of me coming in. I was obviously very nervous, trying to prove myself and kind of sometimes having doubts of – am I supposed to be here. Going on the field and having the support from the fans just made it 10 times better and more comfortable. It was such an amazing feeling and I’ll always remember that.”

(On living together)…“Having our own space has made us grow as people, which is so different from how we grew up. Sometimes it does get hard because we are sisters and we fight about a lot of stuff but I think it’s just amazing to see where we’ve grown and become as people.”

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