On Oct. 3, The Portland Thorns hosted the Boston Legacy, a team that was already eliminated from playoff contention. However, what looked like a winnable game from the get-go turned into a nightmare, finishing in a 4-2 defeat.
The painful loss was a setback for Portland’s race to secure a postseason spot. Yet, not everything was bad news that day: One of the team’s rookies, Shae Harvey, scored her first goal for the club. The team’s captain, Jessie Fleming, jumped into the rookie’s arms to celebrate such a special moment.
In the middle of a disappointing defeat, Fleming made sure her fellow midfielder’s achievement didn’t go unnoticed. It was a small moment, but one that offered a glimpse into the Canadian’s approach to leadership.
When asked about the celebration, Fleming spoke about how much she enjoys working with the midfielders and mentioned Harvey’s efforts.
“I see how hard she works,” the co-captain said.
Fleming didn’t focus on the goal as much as on the work behind it, and reflected on how great it was to see her teammate being rewarded. Harvey returned the courtesy.
“Jessie leads by example,” she said. “But she’s also super intentional as a leader. I feel like she always knows what the team needs, what the individuals around her need, and she always pulls someone up when they need it. So she’s a great leader, one of the best.”
Her approach to leadership goes beyond her club. “Jessie is a leader within the group in terms of the way she goes about supporting the players. She’s learned that from previous leaders, so she brings that into the environment and is fantastic,” said Canada head coach Casey Stoney when the player reached 150 caps in November.
Fleming is not a player who’s usually in the spotlight — her value cannot be measured through goals and assists. Yet this season, she has been irreplaceable for the Thorns, who sit in seventh place with two matches left in the regular season.
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Fleming has been playing as a double pivot for Portland, paired up with Cassandra Bogere in the midfield. Given Bogere’s age and that this was her first year in the NWSL, Fleming’s presence provided structure and balance. Both of them shared defensive and attacking duties, almost in equal parts.
That dynamic changed when Nina Nijstad was signed and took over as a starter in the second part of the season. Since then, Fleming assumed more defensive responsibilities, helping protect the space behind the Dutchwoman and maintain the Thorns’ midfield setup.
The picture changed once again when, at the beginning of August, the club announced that one of the team’s most important midfielders, Olivia Moultrie, was placed on the Season-Ending Injury list.
And all of this happened after midfield rock Sam Coffey left for Manchester City in the offseason. As the Thorns navigated several changes in that part of the field, Fleming remained a constant—vital on both sides of the ball.
According to the data provided by American Soccer Analysis, Fleming registered 76 progressive actions through October 3. However, 70 of those actions were passes while only six were carries.
The volume of actions in that department also says much about how much she’s been involved in the team’s build-up. Also, the split illustrates how Fleming prefers to advance the ball: mostly through distribution rather than by carrying it herself. She connects the phases of play and provides a platform for her more attacking-minded teammates rather than driving directly toward the opposition box.
If we take a look at Fleming’s statistical contributions, we can see that while she takes a typical share of the team touches, sitting right around the dense cluster of NWSL players, it’s a different story with her passing G+. That metric, which assesses how much a player’s passing increases their team’s probability of scoring, shows the captain accounts for roughly 19% of Portland’s total passing value created. Her blue dot sits well above the majority of league players, demonstrating high efficiency and impact when distributing the ball.
Her progressive passes are around 13% and she sits near the upper tier of the league distributions, showing she carries a notable share of Portland’s responsibility in advancing the ball.
Further, Fleming contributes around 12% of the Thorns’ total Expected Assists, positioning her in the upper tier of playmakers across the NWSL.
The Canadian’s contribution extends beyond her work in possession. She reads danger early, closing passing lanes and positioning herself to disrupt opposition attacks through interceptions or blocks.
Stoney referred to this aspect of Fleming’s game when she said, “She’s always got perspective. She understands what the game means.”
That praise is echoed in Portland. Coach Robert Vilahamn knows the Canadian is someone he can rely on to make the right pass, recognize different situations a game might present, cover for her teammates, maintain the team’s shape, and adapt no matter who plays around her.
Her value lies not just in making the right decision, but in making the decision the team needs. “In addition to being a highly respected mentor and leader in the locker room, the 28-year-old has consistently helped dictate Portland’s on-field tempo by anchoring herself in central midfield to aid offensive play while helping the back thwart opposition efforts,” said the club when they announced her contract extension back in July.
While Pietra Tordin and Sophia Wilson have racked up goals and assists, Fleming has provided the stability, progressive passes, and defensive actions that allow Portland’s forwards to thrive. Her influence on the team shines through her support for her teammates, on the pitch and off.
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