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Melanie Barcenas

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Melanie Magali Barcenas (born October 30, 2007) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for San Diego Wave FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She was the youngest player in the NWSL when she was signed at the age of 15 in 2023. She won bronze with the United States at the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.

Melanie Barcenas
Barcenas with the San Diego Wave in 2024
Personal information
Full name Melanie Magali Barcenas[1]
Date of birth (2007-10-30) October 30, 2007 (age 17)[2]
Place of birth San Diego, California, U.S.
Height 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m)[3]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 San Diego Wave FC
Number 25
Youth career
2013–2023 San Diego Surf
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023– San Diego Wave FC 17 (1)
International career‡
2022–2024 United States U17 16 (5)
Medal record
Women's soccer
FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup
Bronze medal – third place Dominican Republic 2024
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 5, 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of November 3, 2024

Early life

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Barcenas was born and raised in San Diego, California.[4][5] At age 10, she accompanied United States players out onto the pitch before a match against Brazil at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego; after the match, she asked for and received a jersey from her favorite player and future Wave teammate Alex Morgan.[3]

Barcenas played during her youth career with San Diego Surf.[3][4] She was part of the Surf under-8 team that won the 2014 Albion Cup National Soccer Showcase in San Diego[6] and the leading goalscorer for the Surf's under-12 team at the 2019 Far West President's Cup in Norco, California, which the Surf won on two goals by Barcenas in the championship match.[7]

Club career

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On March 21, 2023, Barcenas signed a three-year contract with San Diego Wave FC through the NWSL Under-18 Entry Mechanism at the age of 15 years and 138 days. This contract made her the youngest NWSL signee at the time, breaking the record set by Chloe Ricketts earlier in the month (15 years and 283 days). She made her first appearance with the team during a pre-season match against Angel City FC on March 18, 2023.[3][5]

Barcenas made her NWSL regular-season debut on April 29, 2023, in a 3–1 loss to the Orlando Pride, entering as a substitute in the 72nd minute. Her appearance, somewhat delayed by an illness, nonetheless made her the youngest NWSL player to appear in a regular-season match (15 years and 177 days).[8][9]

International career

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Barcenas has Mexican American heritage.[10] On January 17, 2022, Barcenas attended training camp for the Mexico national under-17 team.[11][12]

On April 11, 2022, Barcenas was the youngest player named to the initial roster of the United States national under-17 team for the 2022 CONCACAF Women's U-17 Championship,[13] but was forced to withdraw before the start of the tournament due to an ankle injury.[14] She was called into United States under-17 friendlies in August 2022[15] and under-16 training camp in October 2022.[16]

In February 2023, Barcenas played in two exhibition games with the United States under-17 team.[5] Barcenas was named to the roster for the 2024 CONCACAF Women's U-17 Championship in Mexico where she scored 1 goal en route to the US team winning the championship for the sixth time as well as qualifying the team for the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.[17]

Barcenas started every game for the United States as they placed third at the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, their best result since 2008.[18] She scored three times in the group stage, with one goal in a 3–1 loss to Spain and two goals in a 5–0 win over South Korea.[19]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of October 5, 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup[a] Playoffs[b] Continental[c] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
San Diego Wave FC 2023 NWSL 7 0 0 0 0 0 — 7 0
2024 10 1 3 0 — 3 0 16 1
Career total 17 1 3 0 0 0 3 0 23 1
  1. ^ Includes the NWSL Challenge Cup & NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup
  2. ^ Includes NWSL Playoffs
  3. ^ Includes CONCACAF W Champions Cup

Honors

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San Diego Wave

United States U-17

References

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  1. ^ "2024 CONCACAF Women's Under-17 Championship – National team roster: USA" (PDF). CONCACAF. January 28, 2024. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 29, 2024. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  2. ^ "United States Women's Under-17 Roster". CONCACAF. Archived from the original on October 30, 2023. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d Krasovic, Tom (March 26, 2023). "Column: Wave sign 15-year-old San Diegan". San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on June 8, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Williams, Madison (March 21, 2023). "Wave's Melanie Barcenas Becomes Youngest Player in NWSL History". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on April 29, 2023. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c "Melanie Barcenas youngest player ever to sign with NWSL team". Spectrum News. Associated Press. March 22, 2023. Archived from the original on October 31, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2023. San Diego Wave forward Melanie Barcenas controls the ball during a preseason soccer match against Angel City FC Saturday, March 18, 2023, in San Diego.
  6. ^ "San Diego Surf Academy Select GU8 win soccer showcase". Del Mar Times. The Baltimore Sun. July 29, 2014. Archived from the original on October 30, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  7. ^ Rubin, Gideon (July 12, 2019). "Unselfishness pays off for San Diego Surf U12 girls team in Far West Regional Championships". Del Mar Times. Archived from the original on May 7, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  8. ^ Yang, Steph (April 30, 2023). "San Diego Wave's Melanie Barcenas, 15, becomes youngest to play in NWSL game: How did she fare?". The Athletic. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
  9. ^ Stone, Ken (April 30, 2023). "San Diego Wave Is Pounded by Pride, Falls 3-1 to Winless Orlando at Home". Times of San Diego. Archived from the original on April 30, 2023. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
  10. ^ Gerardo, Xiomara (September 27, 2023). "Meet Melanie Barcenas, the 15-year-old Latina trailblazer in the NWSL". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on November 26, 2023. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  11. ^ "La SNM Femenil Sub -17 inició concentración" [The Sub-17 Women's SNM began concentration] (Press release) (in Spanish). FMF. January 17, 2022. Archived from the original on October 30, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  12. ^ "Solo una felina" [Just one feline]. Once. January 17, 2022. Archived from the original on November 3, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  13. ^ "USA roster unveiled for 2022 Concacaf Women's U-17 Championship". SoccerWire. April 11, 2022. Archived from the original on October 31, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  14. ^ "Five Things to Know About the 2022 CONCACAF Women's U17 Championship" (Press release). United States Soccer Federation. April 21, 2022. Archived from the original on October 31, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  15. ^ "U.S. U-17 Women's Youth National Team roster unveiled for Spain trip". SoccerWire. August 16, 2022. Archived from the original on October 31, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  16. ^ "U.S. U-16 Women's Youth National Team heads to Nike World Headquarters for training camp". SoccerWire. October 19, 2022. Archived from the original on October 31, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  17. ^ a b "Game Details". Concacaf. March 12, 2021. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  18. ^ "USA Defeats England 3–0 to Take Third Place at 2024 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup". United States Soccer Federation. November 3, 2024. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  19. ^ "U.S. U-17 WYNT Reaches Semifinals for the First Time Since 2008 to Square Off With Korea DPR". United States Soccer Federation. October 29, 2024. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  20. ^ "San Diego Wave claim 2023 NWSL Shield". CONCACAF. October 17, 2023. Archived from the original on October 30, 2023. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  21. ^ "San Diego Wave FC Defeat 1-0 NJ/NY Gotham FC in 2024 UKG NWSL Challenge Cup". March 16, 2024.
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