Soccer Monday: Waiting on Jacquie

Ovalle, acquired by Orlando from Mexico’s Tigres for the highest transfer fee ever paid in women’s soccer, has arrived in Florida but wasn’t yet on the field for the Pride’s 2-0 loss to Gotham FC over the weekend.

Orlando (8-6-4) has hit a rough stretch, winless in their last six matches. The Pride haven’t won since edging Bay FC 1-0 in San Jose on June 13.

More than that, they lost top scorer Barbra Banda to a season-ending hip injury. Banda sustained a “full thickness avulsion of her right adductor longus tendon,” meaning that the tendon had fully separated from the bone, during a match against the Kansas City Current on Aug. 16.

Despite a lack of wins, Orlando was still in fourth place in the standings as the team hopes to defend its championship in the NWSL playoffs.

Ovalle could be the key to a late-season surge.

Reporters caught her after the Liga MX Femenil All-Star game against Barcelona, before she came to the United States.

“Whe someone mentions Orlando, the first thing that comes to mind is Marta. You kow, she’s one of the best players in the world, a legend nominated for the Ballon d’Or. Barbra Banda also comes to mind, one of the best players, also nominated for the Ballon d’Or. And it’s worth mentioning that this is the current champion team of the U.S. league. I’m a big fan of the U.S. league. I think that for me, it’s one of the best leagues in the world, and thinking I’m going to play for a team as big as Orlando excites me. And as I said, this paves the way, not only for my generation, but for future generations, who are taking small steps.”

Ovalle watched from the stands in Orlando over the weekend, posting on her Instagram story.

Ovalle, who is known as Jacquie, was signed by the Pride through the 2027 season, with a mutual option for 2028.

She joined Tigres in 2017 and helped lead the club to six titles. She is the team’s all-time leading scorer with 136 goals. She’s also made 58 appearances for the Mexican national team with 20 goals.

Nicknamed La Maga (The Magician), Ovalle went viral earlier this year with a “scorpion kick” goal in a Tigres match against Guadalajara. Check it out below. Stunning.

The $1.5 million transfer fee surpasses the $1.3 million fee Arsenal paid Liverpool for Canadian striker Olivia Smith last month. That broke the previous record fee of $1.1 million that Chelsea paid the San Diego Wave for defender Naomi Girma in January.

Gotham’s Mandy Freeman was asked about the big signing and what it meant for the NWSL.

“I think it’s great. It speaks highly of the league that we’re starting to have a deep
international roster across teams. It shows that we’re a competitive league in
comparison to others, and that we’re a place where players want to come, play, and
have successful careers. It also highlights that they can earn what they should as
professional athletes.”

“Becoming Caitlin Clark” is available now!

Howard Megdal’s newest book is here! “Becoming Caitlin Clark: The Unknown Origin Story of a Modern Basketball Superstar” captures both the historic nature of Clark’s rise and the critical context over the previous century that helped make it possible.

Secure Your Copy

LINKS

Jeff Kassouf’s NWSL transfer grades

The Equalizer says Louisville is the story of the year

The Athletic’s summer transfer window review

Sandra Herrera for CBS asks if Barbra Banda’s SEI sinks Orlando’s playoff hopes

The Guardian says the NWSL quiety changed its heat policy

KK Ream becomes the youngest player to score in NWSL history in the Royals’ 2-1 win over Portland

e.l.f expands its partnerships with the NWSL

The Kansas City Star writes about the Current’s stellar defense

Chelsea is rumored to be after Alyssa Thompson

Efforts continue to build an Afghan women’s refugee team

Fort Lauderdale will host the next World 7s Football tournament

BBC with a feature on fan-owned Union Berlin