Mal Pugh is a young American soccer player who plays forward for the Washington Spirit in the National Women’s Soccer League as well as the U.S women’s national soccer team. She has famously represented her country at several international tournaments including the Olympics and the World Cup despite her young age. She has broken several records in her career and received high praise for her talent and dexterity with the ball.
She is the youngest player to ever field for the national team, and she had top-level clubs vying to get her to sign with them. She has received numerous recognition for her technique and accuracy including the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame High School Female Athlete of the Year, Sports Illustrated Sports Kid of the Year, and a Golden Boot at the CONCACAF Women’s Championship.
Mal Pugh Biography and Age
Born on April 29, 1998 in Colorado to Horace and Karen Pugh, who named her Mallory Diane Pugh. She is 26 years old at present. She is the younger of two children. She has an older sister named Brianna. The Pugh family are very athletic people. Her father played football and ran track, her mother was a long-distance runner, and her sister also plays soccer.
Mal Pugh fell in love with football when she was 4 years old. While other children were busy playing with trains and barbies, she would curl up in front of the TV and watch soccer games. When her older sister began to play for Real Colorado, Mal would watch the entire game from the bench, cheering and running around to greet everyone whenever they won.
Following in her sister’s footsteps, Mal joined Real Colorado, playing competitively with them from the U–11 to U–18 levels, however, she had been playing recreationally since she was 4. In her final two years at the club, she was trained with the Boys at the Development Academy. Mal led the team to two state titles in 2010 and 2011, two Elite Clubs National League finals in 2013 and 2014, and helped them grab a runner-up position at nationals. She earned the tournament’s MVP title that season.
See Also: Amandine Henry Biography, Family, Stats, Salary, and Net Worth
She went to Mountain Vista High School, playing for the school’s team and scoring 47 goals with a staggering 23 assists, which saw them win the state title in her freshman year. Her sophomore year saw her make fewer appearances for the team because of her national commitments, but she bounced back in the following season, going on to net 24 goals and secure 12 assists in 18 appearances. She was named the NSCAA Youth Girls National Player of the Year in 2014, Colorado Sports Hall of Fame High School Female Athlete of the Year in 2015, and the Gatorade National Girls Soccer Player of the Year.
Mal Pugh enrolled at UCLA for college and signed to play soccer with them, but she delayed her admission after she was selected to join the National Team for the Rio Olympics and FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
On the pro front, Mal kick-started her club career with the Washington Spirit in 2017. She scored 6 goals in her debut season and was a finalist for the NWSL Rookie of the Year. Due to a sprain injury in her right knee, she had to miss several games in the 2018 season but has since returned.
Mal was 16 years old when she was called up to join the U.S team roster, making her the youngest player on the team in nearly two decades. Despite her inexperience compared to the other players, Mal proved herself to be a joy to behold. Her agility and skill made her immediately beloved by many. She represented her country at the 2016 Olympics, becoming the youngest player in U.S history to score in the competition.
Experts decided she might be the best thing that has happened to American football in recent times after she started every game for the national team at the 2014 U-20 World Cup, scoring seven goals, and going on to win the Golden Boot and Golden Ball.
Salary and Net Worth
Mal Pugh has amassed a lot of fame and wealth as a talented football player and icon that many older players can only dream of. Although her current salary figures are unknown, her net worth is estimated to be around $1 million and her earnings are expected to rise significantly as her career trudges ahead.
One thing is for sure, this young soccer player is going to take the sports world by storm, and that is going to mean endorsements, more awards, and a much higher income.
Height and Other Body Features
Despite being very athletic, Mal is quite petite and weighs only 120 pounds. She stands at 5 feet 4 inches in height, which is a little bit on the short side, but it’s hard to tell when she’s dominating the game with her prowess and ability. Mal Pugh has brown hair which frames her hair beautifully.
U.S. Soccer Young Female Athlete of the Year: 2015
Gatorade National Female Soccer Player of the Year: 2016
National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Youth Girls National Player of the Year: 2014
NSCAA Youth All–America Team: 2013
Sports Illustrated Sports Kid of the Year Top 5 Finalist: 2012
SheBelieves Cup: 2016; 2018; 2020; 2022
CONCACAF Women’s Championship: 2018
FIFA Women’s World Cup: 2019
Discussion about this post