The Washington Spirit has signed 15-year-old midfielder Chloe Ricketts, making the current high school sophomore the youngest contracted NWSL player ever.
The club announced on Friday that Ricketts has signed a three-year contract with an option for 2026.
At 15 years, 283 days old, Ricketts surpasses Portland Thorns FC’s Olivia Moultrie, who signed her first professional contract at 15 years, 286 days old on June 30, 2021.
Ricketts will join the NWSL through the league’s new Under-18 Entry Mechanism, which will see her occupy a full roster spot, while ensuring she resides with a parent or legal guardian until she turns 18 years of age, may not be traded or waived before age 18 without both her and her parent/legal guardian’s consent and may not be selected in expansion drafts.
She will also continue her education virtually throughout the season with the full support of the club.
NWSL team the Washington Spirit has signed 15-year-old midfielder Chloe Ricketts
With the deal, the high school becomes sophomore the youngest contracted NWSL player ever
Ricketts surpasses Portland Thorns FC’s Olivia Moultrie, who signed at 15 years, 286 days old
Ricketts joined the Spirit for preseason training camp in January after being invited as part of a group of non-roster players, traveling with the team to Florida as well as training in Leesburg, Virginia.
The young star is said to have impressed with her competitive drive and ability to compete with players at the professional level, earning herself a professional contract with the team.
‘The opportunity to join the Washington Spirit on a professional contract is a dream come true,’ Ricketts stated.
‘I’m looking forward to continuing my development as a player and individual with the great resources here in the District. Having the chance to work with Dawn Scott (Performance, Medical and Innovation) and Head Coach Mark Parsons as I begin my professional career is exciting, and I can’t wait to do my part in contributing to the club’s success… Now, let’s go win another championship!’
A Michigan native, Ricketts competed for AFC Ann Arbor in 2022 after becoming the youngest player in the youth club’s history at 14.
In 2021, Ricketts played with the 2007 Boys Ann Arbor Tigers that won the Michigan State Cup and the National League Great Lakes Conference as well as the 2006 Girls team that advanced to the Elite Clubs National League finals.
This season, we remain very focused on building a roster that can help us succeed now while also investing in the future,’ said Spirit Head Coach Mark Parsons.
‘Chloe has shown great quality with and without the ball and has an incredible intensity in everything she does. The vision and infrastructure of our club make this signing possible, and we are look forward to Chloe developing and becoming an important player and teammate for our team.’
A Michigan native, Ricketts competed for AFC Ann Arbor in 2022
Ricketts pathway into the NWSL was paved by Moultrie, who made her debut as the league’s youngest player days after signing.
A lawsuit was filed on behalf of the soccer phenom in 2021 that challenged that the league’s rule prohibiting players under 18.
The lawsuit alleged that the rule violates antitrust law and hinders Moultrie’s career development and chances of reaching the US national team.
Moultrie and the NWSL eventually reached a settlement which allowed her to play in the league ‘unless and until’ a collectively bargained rule states otherwise.
Foreign leagues regularly allowed players younger than 18 to sign contracts, while Major League Soccer, the top men’s league in the US, had no age requirement at all.
Moultrie, who signed a sponsorship deal with Nike when she was 13, couldn’t join a team overseas under FIFA rules, meaning the NWSL was the only pro league available to her.
Moultrie had previously accepted a scholarship offer at age 11 to play for the University of North Carolina, but according to a 2019 New York Times article, she already had her sights on the professional ranks.
She grew to notoriety both for her skill and for the fact that she’s been brought up playing with significantly older girls and boys clubs near her Canyon Country, California home.
A lawsuit was filed on behalf of the soccer phenom Moultrie in 2021 that challenged that the league’s rule prohibiting players under 18
Moultrie has even traveled to Europe to train with teams like Olympique Lyon and Paris St.-Germain in France as well as Germany’s Bayern Munich.
According to the Times, Moultrie became the first girl to play for a boys’ club team in the United States Development Academy System.
Soon after she began playing in showcase camps and then, at 11, she accepted a scholarship offer from North Carolina, where many of the top American women played collegiately.
Nike had already included Moultrie in an ad campaign, which is why many in the soccer world were expecting her to sign with the apparel giant.
Freddy Adu, an American player who was born in Ghana, famously turned professional at age 14 in 2004 when he was drafted to play in the MLS.
However, Adu, who also signed with Nike as a teenager, struggled professionally and bounced around to 13 teams over the next dozen years.
In August of 2019, 14-year-old soccer standout Francis Jacobs became the youngest male player in history to sign a professional contract, inking a deal with USL Championship team, Orange County SC. (Jacobs was about a month younger than Adu when he signed)
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