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Thirteen-year-old soccer phenom McKenna “Mak” Whitham on Tuesday scored the last-minute winning goal as a nonroster invitee for NJ/NY Gotham FC in a preseason tournament in Colombia.
She is the youngest player ever to score a goal for a National Women’s Soccer League club.
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Whitham’s goal comes just one week after she signed a name, image and likeness deal with Nike, making her the youngest women’s soccer player and youngest athlete in any sport to sign an NIL deal.
Gotham heads into the preseason tournament final on Friday night vs. Racing Louisville after the 1-0 win over Deportivo Cali.
At just THIRTEEN years old, McKenna Whitham put this in the back of the net for Gotham FC 😳 #ThatsaW
(🎥 @GothamFC) pic.twitter.com/ipVM9i4BjC
— espnW (@espnW) February 28, 2024
The forward, who is home schooled, will graduate with the class of 2028. Whitham plays for the Southern California club team Slammers FC HB Koge and is a member of the U.S. under-15 youth national team.
This past year, she made a name for herself at the club and national level by her ability to score with either foot outside the 18-yard box.
Should she be offered a contract with an NWSL this season, she will become the league’s youngest player but will join a growing group of teens making an impact there. A total of seven players aged 15 to 19 featuring in the NWSL regular season or Challenge Cup in 2023.
Over the last few months, Whitham has joined Kansas City Current, Washington Spirit and NJ/NY Gotham FC for preseason workouts and trainings.