PARIS, France — Portland Thorns forward Sophia Smith and midfielder Sam Coffey are headed to their first Olympic games after being selected to be a part of the U.S. Womens National Team for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Smith has had another standout season for the Thorns, currently ranking third in goals and second in assists in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and is likely to start up front for the U.S. national team. She said it's a dream come true.
"I have dreamed of competing at an Olympics," Smith said. "There's nothing like it. We love all eyes on us so what better time to show the world what we can do."
Joining Smith for her first Olympic games is fellow Thorns player Sam Coffey. She said she was so excited, she couldn't remember the phone call telling her she made the team.
"It was short and sweet. I was so excited I feel like I blacked out and don't remember a lot of it," Coffey said. "I think I'm just so overcome with emotion that I get to call myself that. It's not something I take lightly."
The U.S. National Team has had a disappointing spell of major tournaments. After placing third in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and being eliminated in the Round of 16 during the 2023 World Cup, these two first-time Olympians are ready to reset the standard of U.S. Soccer.
"We're taking hard lessons and hard experiences and turning them into resilience, turning them into strength, to growth. And I think that's what ultimately makes champions and championship teams," Coffey said.
The last time the U.S. took home gold in the Olympics was 2012 in London. Twelve years later, the two Thorns are looking to put the U.S. back on top in women's soccer.
The U.S. is set to take on Zambia for their first game of Group Play on July 25 at 12 p.m. PST.