Angel City FC has signed Los Angeles native and defender Gisele Thompson to a three-year plus one-year option contract, the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) club told ESPN ahead of officially announcing the move on Thursday.
Thompson, the younger sister of Angel City forward Alyssa Thompson, inked the contract on Nov. 28, four days before her 18th birthday.
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Gisele received her National Letter of Intent from Stanford this fall and decided to turn down the collegiate offer to pursue a professional deal. Through the NWSL’s under-18 entry mechanism, which requires consent of the player and their parent or legal guardian, Angel City was able to place Gisele into a senior roster spot right before she turned 18 and without her entering the draft.
“It feels surreal,” Gisele told ESPN. “I could have never imagined going pro at this young age. I’ve always thought, ‘Oh, I’m going to Stanford. I’m going to college.’ This was never even a thought in my mind that I would go pro this early, but I’m so excited.”
