McKenna Whitham became the youngest player to make her debut in a U.S. men’s or women’s top-flight soccer match on Sunday, making history one day after her 14th birthday.
In the 80th minute, Whitham entered the game for NJ/NY Gotham FC, replacing Katie Stengel in a 2-1 win over the Washington Spirit in their NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup match at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania. Although Whitham was only on the field for 17 minutes, her offensive prowess was evident. She put pressure on the Spirit backline up the field and was quick on her feet.
Two days earlier, Gotham announced it had signed Whitham as a national team alternate for the current Olympic window. The club also announced it had signed Whitham to a landmark four-year contract that will begin Jan. 1.
Originally from California, the young player who will move with her family to New Jersey is considered the youngest player to play in a North American professional sports league since the 1970s, according to Elias Sports Bureau. She has notably made her debuts in the NBA, WNBA, NFL and NHL.
“She’s not only the youngest player to ever play in the league, but she’s the youngest on our team, which is what really matters to us,” Gotham head coach Juan Carlos Amoros said. “We obviously identified Mak as a special talent. It’s going to take time for her to reach her potential, but, from herself, from the team, what they do to help her, what she does to adapt to it… I think that’s what got us to this point in the journey.”
She signed her first professional contract, has just celebrated her 14th birthday and is making her @NWSL debuts the same week?!
We are so happy to have you, Mak Whitham!! 🖤 pic.twitter.com/wMtujDO3zj
– NJ/NY Gotham FC (@GothamFC) July 28, 2024
Gotham goalkeeper Cassie Miller echoed Amoros’ sentiment after the game, saying Whitham has established herself as an integral part of the team since she first joined them in February.
“She’s been training with us in the group and working hard, like all of us,” Miller said. “I think we’re incredibly excited for her. I remember when I was 14, I was able to do that. Kudos to her, because I really wasn’t ready.”
At 14 years and 1 day, Whitham is almost a year younger than Philadelphia Union’s Cavan Sullivan, who 11 days ago became the youngest player to make his Major League Soccer debut, surpassing a long-held record held by former U.S. international Freddy Adu. Sullivan also broke that record at Subaru Park.
Sullivan made his debut on July 17 against the New England Revolution at the age of 14 years and 293 days. Adu was 14 years and 306 days when he made his debut for D.C. United against the San Jose Earthquakes in April 2004.
Whitham, who goes by Mak, has been with Gotham since February. She first joined the NWSL club as a non-roster invitee for this year’s preseason. She has remained a consistent and regular presence with the team, cheering them on from the stands during games and frequently training with the team.
She made her preseason debut for Gotham at the Women’s Cup in Colombia in February. At the age of 13, Whitham scored her first professional goal after replacing captain Kelley O’Hara against Deportivo Cali. Whitham’s winning goal propelled Gotham to the tournament final, which they went on to win.
Never back down, never what?
McKenna Whitham puts us on the scoreboard. 😌#TheWomen’sCup | 1-0 pic.twitter.com/Pt6eBqXKaP
– NJ/NY Gotham FC (@GothamFC) February 27, 2024
“It was just spectacular,” Whitham said. The Athletic after her preseason debut. “I’ve always played at a high level, so I’m just motivated to be the best and give 100 percent effort, and, I mean, just because they’re older, it doesn’t scare me.”
GO FURTHER
Meet McKenna Whitham, Gotham FC’s 13-year-old intern
While many have compared Whitham to Sullivan and others in MLS or lower-division men’s soccer, the reality is that girls simply haven’t had the same opportunities to compete at the highest level of professional soccer in the United States as boys have, until very recently.
Several teenagers have made their NWSL debuts in recent years, including Melanie Barcenas of the San Diego Wave, who made her debut for the club last year at 15 years and 181 days old. Also on the field Sunday was Chloe Ricketts, now 17, who was previously believed to be the youngest NWSL player to sign with a team in March of last year.
The NWSL, founded in 2012, originally banned underage players from participating. That all changed two years ago when the league introduced the under-18 registration mechanism, which allows each team to sign four underage players, provided they meet a strict set of rules. That’s why, for example, every contract signed by an underage player runs until the season she turns 18.
The introduction of the mechanism is the result of a young Olivia Moultrie’s decision in 2021 to take the NWSL to court for her right to play. While Moultrie turned professional at age 13, signing a nine-year sponsorship deal with Nike in 2019, she wasn’t able to sign with an NWSL club until she was 15, two weeks after a judge barred the NWSL from enforcing its longstanding age rule.
Moultrie’s trial paved the way for younger players. (Photo by Soobum Im, Getty Images)
Gotham’s Yazmeen Ryan, who scored the winning penalty against the Spirit, was with the Portland Thorns when Moultrie signed the contract.
“It’s really cool to see, since I’ve been in the league, that two players have been able to do that,” Ryan said. “They’re special talents, and they deserve to be here and have worked so hard. Mak comes in and tries every day. … She came in smoothly, and her hard work shows and that’s why she signed and why she’s here.”
The Moultrie antitrust lawsuit paved the way for the youth movement we see in American women’s soccer today. For Gotham, Whitham is the first player the club has signed using the under-18 entry mechanism.
The rules are constantly evolving and have recently been expanded to include additional provisions regarding pediatric medical evaluations, facilities and security assessments with the goal of establishing long-term development for minors, according to Gotham.
“The NWSL is evolving, in general, to be able to accommodate and help develop young players,” said Yael Averbuch West, the club’s general manager and head of soccer operations. The Athletic Thursday. “We are looking, as a league, and particularly at our club in Gotham, at how we can create a true professional player pathway.
“That’s an area we’re very focused on,” she continued. “It’s not just about winning the NWSL this year, which is one of our goals, but also how do we prepare for the future and how do we identify and develop players who are going to be ready to represent our club.”
(Photo courtesy of NJ/NY Gotham FC)