Mallory Swanson

Forward • Age 28 • #9

Mallory Pugh Swanson is an American professional football player who plays as a forward for the Chicago Stars FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States national team.

Fun Facts about Mallory

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She scored the only goal in the 2024 Paris Olympics final, clinching gold for the U.S.

She started kicking a ball at just four years old.

Family of Athletes: Her mom was a long-distance runner, her dad played American football and ran track, and her sister Brianna was her early football role model.

She married Dansby Swanson, baseball player for the Chicago Cubs, in 2022. They announced in May 2025 that they are expecting their first child.

In 2024, she received the highest-paying contract in NWSL history. This five-year contract was worth two million dollars.

In the sixth grade, she wrote in her yearbook that her goal is to be on the USA soccer team and win a gold medal.

Her favorite post-game meal is chicken tenders and fries.

She got a distinctive “Harry Potter-style” forehead scar after falling off monkey bars and broke her arm three times. She has described herself as a “clumsy” child.

A devout Christian, she often credits her faith for her mental focus and perseverance on and off the field.

She does not consider herself superstitious, but she does stick to a pregame routine. She eats oatmeal with peanut butter or almond butter and half of a banana and always puts on Vaseline before a game.