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It’s a common belief that the best athletes in the world have an undying belief in themselves and that’s certainly the case when it comes to star United States Women’s National Team striker Mallory Swanson, who scored the lone goal in the USWNT’s 1-0 over Brazil in the Olympics Gold Medal game over the weekend.
Mallory Swanson, who has been a member of the USWNT program for over a decade now, has been dreaming of delivering for her country on a stage of this scale since middle school, as she actually wrote in her 6th grade yearbook that she wants to “be on the USA soccer team and win the Gold Medal” when she grows up.
🇺🇸's Mallory Swanson wrote this in her Grade 6 school yearbook!
Now at 26, Mallory fulfilled her dream by scoring the winning goal for USWNT in the Olympics gold medal match 🤯
🎶 Dream on, dream on, dream on 🎶#Paris2024 | #Olympics | 📸: malpugh/IG, Getty Images pic.twitter.com/8wchGo0gaz
— Sportstar (@sportstarweb) August 11, 2024
Not only did Swanson achieve that but she did one better as she also scored the game-winning goal in the medal-clinching match, cooly slotting the ball past Brazilian keeper Lorena in the 57th minute.
TEAM USA STRIKES FIRST—AND IT'S MALLORY SWANSON AGAIN!
1-0 IN THE GOLD MEDAL MATCH.#ParisOlympics | 📺 NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/rCEQNIbR68
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 10, 2024
While Swanson has been a key member of the United States Women’s National Team for a few years now, she’s still just 26 years old, meaning she’ll likely be a fixture of the side for years to come under new manager Emma Hayes. Alongside Sophia Smith (24) and Trinity Rodman (22), the USWNT has a fearsome front three that will surely terrorize international soccer defenses for years to come.
During the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, which saw the USWNT win gold and erase the memories of their disappointing performance at the 2023 Women’s World Cup, Swanson led the team with four goals, second-most in the tournament behind France’s Marie-Antoinette Katoto. Rodman and Smith also chipped in with three goals a piece.
Swanson is married to Chicago Cubs All-Star shortstop Dansby Swanson, who was drafted with the #1 overall pick in the 2015 MLB Draft. The pair began dating in 2017 and got married in December 2022.
In her club career, Swanson has been playing for the Chicago Red Stars of the National Women’s Soccer League since 2021. Before that, Swanson spent a year with Sky Blue FC in 2020 and three seasons with the Washington Spirit from 2017 to 2019.
Swanson made her first appearance for the USWNT in 2016. Her start in the 2024 Olympics Gold Medal Game was her 100th cap for the red, white, and blue, and saw her score her 38th goal for the Stars & Stripes.