Pietra Tordin standing in front of the Rose City Riveters in Providence Park’s North End, roses in hand after scoring for the Thorns, has become a familiar sight. However, it wasn’t always the case.
In her rookie season last year, she worked tirelessly to get a starting position in a club that was struggling under a former coach Rob Gale. When she finally got her first start for Portland, she made sure people remembered her name by scoring in the same match.
Her rookie season was full of flashes of brilliance — she was chosen as Rookie of the Month twice — but now those flashes are the norm. From the outside, her breakthrough looks like it came out of nowhere. To her teammates, it’s no surprise.
“She was doing everything she’s doing this year in training last year,” Jessie Fleming, one of Portland’s captains, said on Aug. 28.
So, if the talent was already there, what changed?
Aside from experience and confidence, it has to do with preparation. In her rookie year, Tordin had a front-row seat to watch Sam Coffey, the team’s former captain. She paid attention not only to Coffey’s soccer but also to everything that happened around it.
In an interview on July 17, after Tordin signed her three-year contract extension, the 22-year-old explained she observed Coffey closely. “She was always ready to go — doing the prehab, recovery, all those little things,” the attacker said. This year, the younger player tried to incorporate those habits into her own routine.
Coffey, now with Manchester City, is a world-class soccer player, but her defensive midfield position is not Tordin’s; Tordin didn’t copy any of her moves on the field, but rather the discipline she witnessed. Tordin called Coffey a “huge role model” and said she shaped her “demeanor as a soccer player.”
The Princeton alumna’s second season in the NWSL has allowed her to put those lessons into practice — lessons that may have helped her to adapt to a different system after an offseason coaching change, a situation that could’ve thrown her off balance but didn’t. This year, she’s made 9 assists — good for third in the league — and scored 7 goals.
Lessons aside, there’s no doubt that the talent was there from day one. What changed was how consistently she could show it. As her confidence grew, so did her productivity. And the more that happened, the more responsibility she earned. That cycle has turned Tordin from a promising young player into one of Portland’s most important pieces.
That transformation is happening right on time. Olivia Moultrie’s injury has increased the need for players who can connect the team’s attack, a role Tordin has shown she can help fill.
The Florida native has been able to translate her abilities to the field to help Portland stay among the top teams, not just in some games but repeatedly. Even when the Thorns struggle, the 22-year-old has shown she can influence the game rather than disappear from it.
Tordin, the player
Her technical ability is perhaps the most obvious part of her game. “She’s so good on the ball,” said Portland coach Robert Vilahamn on Aug. 28. She not only creates space for herself but also creates chances. Her passing is also worth mentioning, and her technique in little spaces — the little touches — makes all the difference.
It’s not only her technique that sets Tordin aside. “Her game understanding and technique are so brilliant,” said Vilahamn. Fleming agreed in her own assessment: “She has a really high soccer IQ.”
Her soccer IQ is also seen in her versatility. She’s been playing different positions this year. “From my first day here, she’s performed in three different positions — as a 9, as a left wing, and as a 10,” commented Vilahamn. Her versatility isn’t simply a matter of being able to line up in different positions. It finds its roots in her understanding of what each role requires.
Added to that is her physical development. “She’s very fit, very strong, and understands how to hold the ball, take duels, and press,” said Vilahamn.
Tordin is not just content with being creative. She’s becoming a more complete player.
“Watching her last year, I saw a good, talented player who scored a few goals, but was in and out of the team,” said Vilahamn.
No longer. “For me, she’s definitely pushing for MVP of the league this year,” Fleming said.
Pietra, the human
Tordin’s way of playing soccer is unapologetically her own. “I absolutely love playing with her,” said Fleming. “She’s super creative, and you can really see her personality out there.”
“It’s pretty cool to see one of your teammates playing with such confidence and joy,” Fleming added. That joy is perhaps the most revealing part of the 22-year-old’s evolution.
Despite all the responsibilities on her shoulders — playing multiple positions, contributing to goals, and being recognized as a possible MVP candidate — she still finds a way to enjoy herself. She went from her rookie season trying to prove she belonged in one of the most important clubs in women’s soccer to, a year later, playing like she knows she belongs.
Despite the recognition Tordin’s earning, that’s not getting to her head. “Honestly, Pietra Tordin is one of the best footballers I’ve seen. She’s … so coachable, so humble,” said Vilahamn.
Although her reputation is exploding, those around her still see the same person, the same humble player who’s eager to learn and enjoys her job.
A future in Portland and beyond
For the Thorns, Tordin is not only the present but the future, too — a player around whom the club’s next era can be built. Her contract extension through 2029 is a recognition of how highly the club values her.
However, Tordin is not trying to measure herself through “concrete accomplishments.” Her goals are beyond that.
“I just try to have fun every single day. Every single time I step out on the field to train with my teammates, it’s like genuinely such a feeling of joy and just gratitude to be out there,” she said. “If I am able to feel that every single day, then that’s a major win. I’ll feel like I accomplished all I wanted.”
Her joyful attitude is working. “This is just the beginning for her,” Vilahamn predicted. “She’s going to be a superstar in this country.”
