Angel City signs teen phenom DiMaria through 2030

Angel City signed 17-year-old forward Maddie DiMaria to a four-year contract through the 2030 season, the team announced Thursday.

DiMaria, a St. Louis native, is the leading scorer in the U-17 Women's World Cup.

She scored 12 goals in four games at the tournament in Morocco this fall.

That total broke Michelle Akers' 35-year-old American record for most goals in a single World Cup.

Akers had held the record since the 1991 senior Women's World Cup, where she scored 10 goals.

DiMaria's 12 goals came in a tournament for age-group teams, but the record still stands as the highest by any American player in a single World Cup edition.

Angel City sporting director Mark Parsons called DiMaria "special" in the team's announcement.

"This person is special," Parsons said.

"But she also represents what Angel City football is about and what Angel City is trying to do over the so many years, which is win."

"And she's a winner," Parsons added.

DiMaria is a two-time Gatorade girls' national soccer player of the year.

She scored 24 goals in 23 appearances with the U.S. U-17 national team.

Before graduating from Cor Jesu Academy in St. Louis, she scored 67 goals and had 25 assists as a junior.

She led her high school team to a 25-0 season and a state championship.

DiMaria had planned to enroll early at the University of North Carolina to play college soccer this spring.

That plan changed when Angel City offered her a professional contract.

Financial terms of the four-year deal were not released.

The contract runs through the 2030 season, according to Yahoo Sports.

DiMaria trained with Angel City for a week this summer.

Parsons said the team was impressed by what it saw during that training stint.

"She had a big impact," Parsons said.

"Not just on the field by being super fun and talented, but as a senior player [told] me, 'we love Maddie.'"

"She's got great vibes," Parsons quoted the senior player as saying.

"We really liked her as a person," Parsons added.

Angel City enters this weekend's NWSL playoffs with the youngest starting lineup in the league.

The team also has a 10-game unbeaten streak, the longest active run in the league.

Angel City finished the regular season at 15-8-7, setting franchise records for wins, goals, points and goal differential.

The team makes its second appearance in the NWSL playoffs Saturday.

Angel City travels to Kansas City to face the Current in the quarterfinals.

DiMaria seems likely to debut in that game, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Parsons told The Athletic that after his training staff watched DiMaria play, "they ran, all of them ran to me, [saying], 'We have to sign her. She has to play on Saturday.'"

DiMaria's father, Jeff DiMaria, played briefly for the Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer.

Her mother, Sara, played college soccer.

Both of her older siblings also played college soccer.

The NWSL is the top professional women's soccer league in the United States.

It was founded in 2012 and began play in 2013.

The league currently has 14 teams, with plans to expand to 16 by 2028.

Angel City FC joined the NWSL as an expansion team in 2022.

The club is based in Los Angeles and plays its home games at BMO Stadium.

Angel City is co-founded by actress Natalie Portman, venture capitalist Kara Nortman and entrepreneur Julie Uhrman.

The club has drawn record attendance and viewership, helped in part by its appearance in the Apple TV+ series "Ted Lasso."

Kara Nortman appeared as a cameo in the fourth season of the show.

Nortman said she was grateful she could "add authenticity" to the season.

The NWSL has seen growing interest from young players choosing professional contracts over college soccer.

DiMaria is the latest high-profile teenager to sign a professional deal directly out of high school.

The trend follows similar moves by players like Jaedyn Shaw and Olivia Moultrie, who signed with NWSL teams before turning 18.

The U.S. Soccer Federation has also pushed to keep young talent in domestic leagues rather than sending them abroad.

DiMaria's signing gives Angel City a long-term offensive weapon as the team builds for sustained success.

Parsons has been scouting DiMaria for nearly two years, according to the Los Angeles Times.

"This person is special," Parsons repeated in the announcement.

"But she also represents what Angel City football is about and what Angel City is trying to do over the so many years, which is win."

DiMaria said in a statement: "I am so excited to be joining Angel City Football Club."

"It is a club that I am so happy and proud to be a part of," she said.

"I was able to train with the team over the summer, and it was such a welcoming environment."

"Seeing all that Angel City has to offer and everyone associated with the club made me excited to learn, compete, and help the team however I can."

"I can't wait to get started," DiMaria said.

Angel City opens playoff play Saturday at 5 p.m. Eastern time in Kansas City.

The match will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.