Mak Whitham, 14, grew to become the youngest participant in NWSL historical past to seem in a regular-season match, throughout NJ/NY Gotham FC‘s season opener in opposition to Seattle Reign on Saturday evening.
The Gotham FC ahead took the pitch at Lumen Discipline in Seattle as an alternative within the third minute of second-half stoppage.
“Standing on the sideline and ready to get on the pitch was fairly thrilling. I needed to be on the market and was prepared,” Whitham mentioned to ESPN. “However what was even higher was when Coach Juan [Carlos Amorós] got here as much as me and mentioned, ‘Benefit from the sport and simply be you.’ And that was what I did.”
Gotham drew their season opener 1-1 in opposition to Reign, after Gabi Portilho‘s opener was canceled out by Emeri Adame within the second-half. The guests have been diminished to 10 gamers after Mandy Freeman obtained a pink card for a sort out on Nérilia Mondésir
“I simply went in there to work actually arduous to make an influence and to assist my crew shut out the sport,” Whitham mentioned.
It is not the primary time in her quick profession that Whitham has made historical past. She grew to become the youngest signing in NWSL historical past after penning a contract via 2028 with Gotham final yr. On the age of 13, she grew to become the youngest ladies’s soccer participant and youngest athlete in any sport to signal a identify, picture and likeness cope with Nike.
Whitham’s contract did not go into impact till Jan. 1, 2025. By means of the NWSL’s Below-18 entry mechanism, Whitham signed with Gotham with out having to undergo the league’s draft. The NWSL’s U18 mechanism was launched in the course of the 2023 season and enforces necessities for youthful gamers together with extra provisions round pediatric medical evaluations, amenities and security assessments and long-term growth plans.
Moreover, all Below-18 gamers should dwell with a mum or dad or guardian within the NWSL crew’s market. There are at present over a dozen under-18 gamers on rosters for the 2025 NWSL season. All through 2024, Whitham skilled with Gotham as a non-roster invitee.
After becoming a member of the crew in Florida for preseason, Whitham earned herself a spot with the crew to Colombia for a preseason match in February 2024. In the course of the match, the then 13-year-old scored the lone purpose in a 1-0 victory over Colombia’s Deportivo Cali and helped Gotham advance to win the match.
The match in opposition to Reign was her fourth look for the membership since making her skilled debut in opposition to Washington Spirit in final yr’s NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer time Cup. Her 10-minute cameo in opposition to Spirit made her the youngest participant to seem for a United States top-flight skilled crew in each the boys’s and girls’s sport.
“It has been a dream come true what I have been doing, and I am actually pleased with myself to have carried out it,” Whitham instructed ESPN. “However I nonetheless have many issues in my future, and I do know I can do it.”
Subsequent week, Gotham returns house to Sports activities Illustrated Stadium for its house opener in opposition to reigning NWSL champion Orlando Delight. Whitham mentioned she’s excited to see Gotham’s fanbase and hopefully take the pitch on her house turf for the primary time as an expert.
“If my quantity is named to go in, I am going to attempt to make an influence to assist my crew,” Whitham mentioned.
