After learning from sister Alyssa Thompson, 20-year-old Gisele Thompson is pushing to consistently shine for Angel City FC and the U.S. national team.
Sisters Alyssa and Gisele Thompson have played soccer together their entire lives, teammates throughout their amateur and professional careers. Alyssa turned pro in 2023 at age 18 when she signed with Angel City FC, and Gisele followed.
Now, Alyssa is continuing her career in Europe with Chelsea FC, having transferred in September on a $1.3-million deal, while Gisele is preparing for her third season with Angel City. At just 20 years old, Gisele will face her first full season without her sister, on a professional — and personal — path that has been far from conventional.
Instead of taking a break in January, as many young women her age do before entering college, Gisele was at training camp with the U.S. senior team and played in a 6-0 win over Paraguay on Saturday in a friendly at Dignity Health Sports Park. Gisele, a defender known for her speed on the wings, next will join preseason training with Angel City; she signed a four-year contract extension in September.
Alyssa and Gisele played together the last two NWSL seasons and competed for the national team, becoming the third pair of sisters to play together for the U.S. They handled constant public scrutiny, the expectations to perform at a high level, the pressure to produce better results for Angel City, and the challenging competition at the national team level.
Now they have to work independently.
“They've played together their whole lives and have always been each other's emotional support,” their mother, Karen Thompson, said.
As the older sister, Alyssa was important in supporting Gisele during her first NWSL season in 2024. Thanks to that support, Gisele developed into one of the best offensive-minded defenders in the league.
“Gisele was also able to see firsthand how Alyssa responded in a professional environment, without having to be in that environment herself,” Karen said. “She was prepared in a way that Alyssa may not have been. I think that was very helpful for Gisele. I think it was a huge advantage.”
Both are very young and still defining their identities, not only as players but also as adults.
“We are two different people and we are both incredible players but we each have a different path,” Gisele said.
Off the pitch, Gisele is known for her jokes, but also for her composure and professionalism.
“She tries to control her feelings very well, and I think that's also one of her strengths,” her mother said.
Alyssa is a little more expressive and emotional, which is reflected in her goal celebrations.
During the U.S. camp, Gisele is looking to stay healthy and focus on her own path.
“It's her time to discover who she is, as a player, as a person, individually,” Karen said. “Gisele is a very impactful player, and I feel that, in general, defenders don't always get the same attention as others, and I just hope she takes advantage of this opportunity to show what she's worth.”
Alyssa and Gisele share not only their speed and aggression when entering the opponent's area, but also the same work ethic. In May they became the first sisters to combine to score a goal in the NWSL: Gisele ran down the wing and crossed to Alyssa, who slotted home the shot against Washington. It was a goal celebrated by the entire Thompson family and a reward for all the hard work the sisters put in on the field.
“In my opinion she is one of the most promising players in the world,” Angel City coach Alexander Straus said of Gisele.
When Gisele just wants to just be a 20-year-old, she focuses on her favorite hobbies, such as cooking and spending time with friends from her old school, Harvard-Westlake.
"I have friends outside of soccer, so I love going to the beach. I have different hobbies, such as cooking and baking. That separates my soccer mindset from my everyday life and allows me to connect with my family," Gisele explained. "I think it's very important to maintain a balance between soccer and normal life."
Straus said Angel City is working to help Gisele grow steadily. She played 15 games in 2024 and 23 games last year.
“We have to keep her fit so she can stay on the field and play even more minutes than last year," said Straus, who took over as coach last season. "Developing all those physical parameters is also very important, but she's still very young, so we would never pressure her to do so."
Gisele also received support from retired New Zealand defender Ali Riley, whom she considers part of her family, and Angel City hopes to foster a culture of developing players that will eliminate the need for them to emigrate to European soccer, as Alyssa and others have done.
“Gisele can do whatever she wants. She has the potential to be whatever she wants to be, one of the best in the world. I think she's the best in her position, and of course, I'll always put her very high, because she's my player,” Straus said. “I hope she stays in Los Angeles for a long time to come.”
For now, Gisele hopes to make more appearances with the U.S. team, seeking the consistency needed to qualify for the 2027 Women's World Cup and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
“It's good for her to come and be exposed to that level and that quality, but it's also very good for us that she brings that level to our environment,” Straus said.
Gisele, who played for Southern California teams such as Total Futbol Academy, Real So Cal, and Santa Clarita Blue Heat, also issued a warning: Keep an eye on her 14-year-old sister, Zoe.
“Honestly, I think she's going to be better than us,” Gisele said of her sister, a midfielder who plays for the Tudela team and already represented the U.S. in the younger divisions.
“It's clear that she admires us both, and I hope she can be better than us and that we can motivate her to be the best.”
In a highly competitive selection process, making the team for the World Cup or Olympics will not be easy for Gisele and Alyssa, but as these sisters have shown, there are no limits to achieving their dreams.
This article first appeared in Spanish via L.A. Times en Español.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Category: General Sports
