10 NWSL players to watch during the second half of the 2025 season | OneFootball

It was undoubtedly a great summer for women’s soccer. Granted, American players got a rest after an impressive set of wins over Ireland and Canada. But fans got to enjoy star players from the rest of the world thanks to the women’s Euros, Copa America, and Africa Cup of Nations over the past month.

Of course, the time has come to get back to the club season, as the NWSL returns from its hiatus on Friday. Each team has played 13 games, with 13 left to play. That means the players who shone during the first half of the season have to prove they can maintain that level for the second half. There could also be players who didn’t necessarily start strong but have a chance to start fresh and finish strong after the break. With that in mind, here are 10 NWSL players who are worth watching closely during the second half of the season.

Esther González, Gotham

After leading the NWSL with 10 goals during the first half of the season and being the top goal scorer at the Euros with four goals in six matches, Gonzalez is definitely a player to watch closely. It wouldn’t be a stretch to call her the mid-season favorite for MVP.

Of course, she didn’t get a month off to rest like most of the league did. Gonzalez and Gotham also have a lot of work to do, as Gotham is barely holding onto the final playoff spot at the midway point of the season despite Gonzalez being a goal-scoring machine. As an interesting side plot, Gonzalez will have to go back to being teammates with German goalie Ann-Katrin Berger and English defender Jess Carter after playing against them in the semifinals and finals of the Euros.

Temwa Chawinga, Kansas City Current

Even if Gonzalez is the MVP frontrunner midway through the season, Chawinga isn’t far behind. After all, she’s the reigning MVP and Golden Boot winner, and she’s tied for second in the league with eight goals thus far. Chawinga has also been named Player of the Month twice this season, so she has Gonzalez beat in that area.

She’s also playing for the first-place Current, who also lead the NWSL in goals scored. Since her native Malawi didn’t qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations, Chawinga has had a month to rest, potentially giving her more energy during the second half of the season to maintain a high level of play and push for a second straight MVP.

Trinity Rodman, Washington Spirit

After a back injury limited her to just four games, everyone should be excited to see Rodman back on the field. She hasn’t played since April 12, but appears ready for a fresh start when the second half of the NWSL second half kicks off, pledging to be the same player she was before the back problem.

Both Washington Spirit and USWNT fans will want to see Rodman be healthy and get back up to speed quickly. She’s also teased a move to Europe, perhaps as soon as next season. Therefore, fans will want to watch what could be the end of Rodman’s NWSL tenure, at least for now.

Delphine Cascarino, San Diego Wave

Cascarino was among the brightest stars at the Euros. Despite only playing in three of France’s four games, she registered two goals and two assists. In fact, many believe her goal against the Netherlands was the goal of the tournament.

Of course, Cascarino’s play shouldn’t come as a huge surprise after she led the NWSL in assists during the first half of the season. With three goals and five assists during the NWSL campaign, Cascarino has arguably been San Diego’s best player and a sleeper pick for MVP honors. Needless to say, she’s a huge reason why the Wave head into the second half of the season third in the standings.

Riley Tiernan, Angel City

No rookie made more noise during the first half of the season than Tiernan. Coming out of Rutgers, Tiernan has won Rookie of the Month honors twice and made the NWSL Team of the Month in May, beating out a few of the league's more established goal scorers.

Of course, now comes the hard part when Tiernan has to prove that the seven goals she scored during the first half of the season weren’t a fluke. After the long layoff, she has to pick up where she left off and help Angel City overcome a leaky defense and make the playoffs.

Barbra Banda, Orlando Pride

Banda is arguably the most dynamic player in the NWSL, so she is always someone fans will want to watch closely. Even with Orlando taking a slight step backward after last year’s magical season, Banda has eight goals, which is tied for second with Chawinga, behind only Gonzalez.

Over the summer, she scored three goals during the Africa Cup of Nations, helping lead Zambia to the quarterfinals. She will now look to put the Pride on her back with the hope of carrying Orlando to a second consecutive championship.

Sofia Cantore, Washington Spirit

Right before the Euros, Cantore signed with the Washington Spirit from Juventus. She proceeded to help Italy reach the semifinals of the Euros, notching both assists in Italy’s quarterfinal win over Norway. That performance should have put her on the radar of NWSL fans.

When the second half of the season gets underway, Cantore will become the first Italian to play in the NWSL, so it’ll be curious to see how quickly she can get acclimated. Plus, with Rodman coming back from injury and Cantore joining the Spirit, Washington’s attack could look completely different during the second half of the season.

Taylor Flint, Racing Louisville

Most fans may know her better as Taylor Kornieck, but since coming to Louisville and getting married in 2024, Flint has come into her own. During the first half of the season, she registered the highest player rating in the NWSL, according to FotMob. The 6’1’’ midfielder is obviously winning all of her aerial duels. But she’s also helping to protect Louisville’s back line while also contributing three goals and an assist. Whether Flint’s efforts are enough to get her back into the USWNT picture remains to be seen. However, she’s been one of the league’s standout players during the first half of the season and has Racing Louisville in a position to make the playoffs, making her a player to watch the rest of the season.

Croix Bethune, Washington Spirit

There was understandable excitement when Bethune returned to the field early this season. However, last year’s Rookie of the Year and Midfielder of the Year clearly wasn’t 100% upon her return. Bethune’s minutes were limited at times, and outside of one goal and a couple of promising games, her performances have been uneven in 2025.

With a full month to train and shake off the rust, Bethune could benefit from the NWSL’s hiatus more than most players. That could give her a chance to hit the ground running in the second half of the season and become the player she was before her injury.

Alyssa Thompson, Angel City

If there’s one player NWSL and USMNT fans should be watching closely right now, it might be Thompson. She scored two goals for the national team in late June, continuing to be the USWNT’s most dynamic attacking player with Triple Espresso sidelined.

Thompson also scored four goals in a friendly late in the NWSL’s summer hiatus. In other words, she looks ready to make some noise during the second half of the season. With opposing teams having to worry about Tiernan, there could be more room for Thompson to operate. Of course, it’ll take considerable effort by both players to help Angel City get to the playoffs.