For Gift Monday, the connection with teammate Rosemonde Kouassi was instant. She went as far as calling it “divine.”
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After scoring six goals together for the Washington Spirit in 2025, there is no sense in arguing with fate.
“The first time I played with Rose, I just knew, ‘that’s my partner,’” Monday told The IX Soccer at NWSL Championship Media Day in November.
The connection was top-of-mind because the dynamic duo had linked up just days prior to defeat the Portland Thorns in the NWSL Playoff semifinals and earn the Spirit their second consecutive trip to the championship match.
The ball was on its way out of bounds in a successful clearance by Portland, but Kouassi appeared out of nowhere, racing down the sideline. She tapped the ball ahead, redirecting into Portland’s half, and followed it all the way to the opposite box before a perfectly-timed cross to Monday, who simply tapped it in.
“Those two are unbelievably fun to watch,” teammate Kate Wiesner added. “From day one they just had something special about them, and there’s not quite words to describe it, but, it just works.”
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The collaboration transcends language barriers for English-speaking Monday, who hails from Nigeria, and French-speaking Kouassi from Côte d’Ivoire.
“I do love when we just interchange cultures and learnings and different people from different backgrounds,” head coach Adrián González said. “We are seeing how quick the league is evolving and improving, not just with the athletes but also with the coaches.”
González himself is a Barcelona native who coached RCD Espanyol Femení in Spain before joining the Washington coaching staff in February 2024. He initially served as an assistant and interim head coach while the Spirit awaited the arrival of Jona Giráldez. However, he earned a promotion after only 18 months when Giráldez left his post for OL Lyonnes the following June.
Throughout his tenure, the Spirit have increased their investment in global talent, acquiring additional international roster spots through strategic trades. By the 2025 NWSL Playoffs, the Washington roster boasted 10 international players who represented nine different countries.
“I think it’s just a testament of our GMs and our staff being willing to look elsewhere and scout and just like look everywhere for talent,” Kouassi told The IX Soccer through Québécoise teammate Gabby Carle, who served as a makeshift interpreter during media availability. “They’re just really good at doing that, and this is why we’re here right now, really is because of that diversity.”
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Carle, who has played with the Spirit the last three seasons, said she has seen the league as a whole embrace globalization as the popularity of women’s soccer increases worldwide.
“I think when I first got here in 2023, it was a very North American league,” Carle said. “It’s really changed it for the better.”
She also said it’s been a big factor in continuing to draw new talent as the level of competition rises. That includes the league’s first player from Paraguay, 18-year-old forward Claudia Martínez, who signed with the Washington Spirit. The transfer from Club Olimpia garnered a whopping $950,000 fee, according to ESPN.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity Washington Spirit is giving me at this new stage of my career,” Martinez said in a statement. “I’m very happy to be joining such a respected institution in women’s soccer at a global level.”
At a time when the comings and goings of high-profile players is front and center, Martinez appears to be another victory for the NWSL. Of course, teammate Trinity Rodman‘s decision to stay helps bolster the league’s reputation, too. Both signed three-year deals, keeping them in Washington till 2028.
“I think the NWSL became one of the best leagues in the world, and I think that’s not just an easy thing to throw in the air because there are some amazing leagues on this planet, and to be one of the best, and to play in one of those best leagues is such an honor,” Carle said. “Players coming from very good leagues like the French league, the Spanish league, and wanting to come to the NWSL: That says a lot as well.”
