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<p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script><ul><li>Forward starring for club &amp; country </li><li>Has a habit of bursting out of the blocks </li><li>Added her name to the history books </li></ul>

USWNT star Sophia Smith matches Megan Rapinoe & makes NWSL history after playing starring role in W Gold Cup triumph

Friendlies

England

<p>The highly-rated 23-year-old forward played <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/real-footballer-jaedyn-shaw-big-player-uswnt-lindsey-horan-talks-sophia-smith/bltf9f7454a6a0cc1c4  " target="_blank">a leading role for her country</a> as the <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/scenes-uswnt-stars-alex-morgan-sophia-smith-chug-champagne-w-gold-cup-trophy-winning-habit/blt90e7367b9f563e68" target="_blank">United States swept to W Gold Cup glory</a>, with her value to that cause clear for all to see. She is also <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/uswnt-star-sophia-smith-makes-forbes-30-under-30-list-breakout-world-cup-prolific-nwsl-season-portland-thorns/blt70e7c5c4f3ebb9ff" target="_blank">a talismanic presence at club level</a> for the Portland Thorns. </p>

WHAT HAPPENED?

<p>Smith got the new campaign off to the perfect start on a personal level when lining up against KC Current. She <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/sophia-smith-brace-uswnt-portland-thorns-fall-short-nine-goal-thriller-kc-current-cpkc-stadium/blt6e75ae473ea6561a" target="_blank">bagged a brace in that contest</a>, allowing the history books to be re-written as she maintained a remarkable record of bursting out of the blocks. </p>

THE BIGGER PICTURE

<p>Smith has become just the third player – after Rapinoe and Christine Sinclair – to score in her team’s season opener in four different NWSL seasons. She is also the first to achieve that feat in four successive campaigns, with a sequence started in 2021 and extended through to 2024.  </p><center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">4 - With her brace Saturday, <a href="https://twitter.com/ThornsFC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ThornsFC</a>'s Sophia Smith became the third player to score in her team's season opener in four different <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NWSL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NWSL</a> seasons (C. Sinclair, M. Rapinoe) and the first to do so in four straight seasons (2021-24). Ready. <a href="https://t.co/7QrgqtitxC">pic.twitter.com/7QrgqtitxC</a></p>— OptaJack⚽️ (@OptaJack) <a href="https://twitter.com/OptaJack/status/1769385201161961624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2024</a></blockquote>
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DID YOU KNOW?

<p>While Smith had cause for celebration against KC, she did end up on the wrong end of a thrilling 5-4 scoreline. She will be hoping that the coming weeks provide slightly less drama, while also counting down the days to a possible <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/how-uswnt-line-up-emma-hayes-new-coach/bltd73439b2edfd9603 " target="_blank">gold medal bid at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris</a>. </p>

WHAT NEXT FOR SMITH?

USWNT star Sophia Smith matches Megan Rapinoe & makes NWSL history after playing starring role in W Gold Cup triumph | Goal.com

USWNT star Sophia Smith has matched a record held by Megan Rapinoe and made NWSL history of her own on the opening weekend of the 2024 season.