Try Catching These Rising Stars of Angel City FC
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Angel City FC teammates Alyssa and Gisele Thompson (Photo courtesy of Angel City Fc)
Even billionaire oligarchs won’t set their time machines on 2026 and miss the magnificent Thompson sisters and their Angel City Football Club teammates compete in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).
Sports trivia experts know that in 2022, Alyssa, then 17, and Gisele, 16, were the first high school athletes to sign Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) contracts with Nike. A year later, Alyssa was the first player taken in the 2023 NWSL draft.
To add Gisele to the roster, Angel City FC exercised its right under NWSL regulations to sign athletes under age 18 outside the draft. The sisters relinquished their Stanford scholarships for the green pasture of BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.
Lightning Strikes Twice in One Household
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Alyssa and Gisele are daughters of Peruvian American Karen Thompson and Filipino African American Mario Thompson. During her freshman and sophomore years at Harvard-Westlake School, Alyssa scored 48 goals in 18 games and was named 2021 Gatorade Player of the Year. Gisele was a track star at the same Ivy League feeder school and played with her sister on the Santa Clarita Blue Heat of the United Women’s Soccer league.
Describing the sisters, Head Coach Sam Laity says, “They’re dynamic, hungry with huge amounts of talent, and they’re really energetic. They have a great connection off the field and a great connection on the field.”
Here’s what he means by a great connection: In a road game against the Washington Spirit on May 3, 2025, Gisele played right fullback but departed the backline a few seconds to redirect a pass from Alyssa, at left forward, into the back of the net. It was the first time in NWSL history that one player made an assist on her sister’s goal.
Gisele and Alyssa celebrate their sister-to-sister Goal (Photo courtesy of Angel City FC).
As for their dynamism, their lightning speed and youthful endurance allow them to cover more ground than their fittest opponents. The audience naturally follows the action around the ball. They’re not always keen on what’s happening away from the ball. If their eyes track Alyssa, they will notice that she’s always moving. When the ball reaches the left wing, she has done the work to evade defenders before the camera shifts to her next foray into the penalty area.
Gisele might dribble the ball several meters to lure defenders away from a teammate, who’s now open for a pass. Often, Gisele can be seen playing a highline, meaning she’s a fullback who pushes into the midfield. She trusts her speed to pull back in a flash when an opponent ventures into her end of the field.
Alyssa Thompson (Photo Courtesy of Angel City FC)
Proud of Their Heritages
“Growing up, we didn’t have a lot of people like us to look up to,” Gisele says of the lack of Filipina representation in professional soccer. “Being that kind of role model to a lot of people is so amazing.”
In soccer lingo, caps are running tallies of games, including friendlies with no bearing on group or regional standing, in which a player represented her country in international competition. Gisele has three caps with USWNT. Alyssa has 17 caps and one goal for USWNT. The more meaningful number is the four stars stitched above the USA badge of the team jersey. Each star symbolizes a World Cup victory.
As well as they are performing on the US women’s team in 2025, they aren’t yet assured of spots on USWNT at the FIFA World Cup tournament in 2027 and LA28 Summer Games. “I’m just taking it day by day, knowing that there’s still so much I can improve,” says Alyssa. “Gisele and I really want to make the team, so we’re just keeping on the path that we’re on and continuing to get better with Angel City.”
Brazilian great Pelé called football “the beautiful game.” Gisele sees beauty in the game’s simplicity. “I think it’s about being on the field and having the opportunity to run around, kick a ball with your friends.”
Gisele Thompson (Photo courtesy of Angel City FC)
The Game to See on May 24th
Some of the best times Gisele and Alyssa have off the field occur at home during celebrations that include Filipino relatives. “When a lot of my dad’s family comes over, it’s really fun, and we like the food they bring,” says Alyssa.
When the karaoke machine lights up, the girls win hearts with their interpretations of hits by Alicia Keys, Bruno Mars, and Beyoncé.
Their lightning speed and youthful endurance allow them to cover more ground than their fittest opponents.
On May 24, 2025 at a home game versus Racing Louisville FC, Angel City FC will honor AANHPI (Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander) Heritage Month. According to Gisele, “It’s going to be super special to be celebrating our culture and the people who came before us.
“I hope you come because Angel City has the best stadium ever, and our fans are amazing.” Gisele urges fellow Fil-Ams to: “Just come and be ready to be loud.”
For fans experiencing the Thompson sisters and their Angel City FC teammates in action for the first time, it’ll be the start of a beautiful friendship.
Anthony Maddela is a longtime Staff Correspondent located in Southern California.
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