Sydney Leroux

At 33 years old, Sydney Leroux has this physical status:

College career

Leroux played for UCLA from 2008 to 2011, under head coach Jill Ellis (2008–10) and B. J. Snow, 2011: She appeared in 18 of the 19 games in which she competed during her freshman season. With five goals and six assists for a total of 16 points on the season, she was the sixth-highest scorer on the team, and she was invited to the All-Freshman Team in the Pacific-10 Conference. (Pac-10). She led UCLA in scoring with 48 points (23 goals, two assists) in her second year as a semi-finalist for the Hermann Trophy. Her 23 goals ranked second in the Pac-10 and tied for second-season record at UCLA. Leroux's second team, Second-team All-Pac-10, and 2009 NCAA All-Tournament Team awards were given in the same year. She tied the school's record for most goals scored in a single match after scoring four goals during the team's 7–1 victory over Boise State.

Leroux finished fifth in UCLA history for career points (91) as well as fourth in goals (41) and game-winning goals (15). She ranked third in the Pac-10 for goals (13) and second in game-winning goals (6), earning her First-Team Soccer America MVP, Third-team NSCAA All-Pacific Region, and First-Team All-Pac-10 All-Pac-10 honors the same year. She scored four goals against Cal Poly Pomona during her Bruins' first game of her junior season in 2010, winning 7–0. She was subsequently named Pac-10 Player of the Week after being named Pac-10 Player of the Week. During the second round of the 2010 NCAA Tournament, Leroux scored the game-winning goal, assisting the Bruins in defeating the UCF Knights 2–1 and advance to the third round, where they lost to Stanford.

She led the team in scoring for the third straight season as a result of 35 points in her last year with 16 goals and three assists. She was selected first-team NSCAA All-American, Soccer America's MVP First Team's MVP First Team, and was a semi-finalist for the Hermann Trophy. She scored eight game-winning goals, more than any other player in the recently renamed Pac-12 Conference. During a 6–1 victory over Arizona State in October 2011, she scored her first hat trick of the season (the third of her collegiate career) in 21 minutes. Leroux scored another hat trick during her team's next game against Colorado, winning 8–0. She finished her collegiate career ranked fourth in UCLA's history for points (126), dreams (57), and game-winning goals (23).

Club career

Leroux played for the Vancouver Whitecaps in 2005, becoming the youngest player to play for the team aged 15 years and seven days. For the 2011 season, she returned to the Whitecaps. With 11 points in 11 appearances, she ranked second in the league for goals scored during the regular season. Leroux was named to the All-Western Conference team after the Whitecaps advanced to the W-League Championship Final Four with a goal during the team's 4–3 loss of Santa Clarita Blue Heat in the Western Conference Final on Saturday. She was named 2011 W-League Rookie of the Year after a post-season.

In the 2012 WPS Draft, Leroux was the top pick by the Atlanta Beat, but the league was not allowed to play for the team before she could play for the team. Leroux joined Hope Solo, Alex Morgan, Stephanie Cox, and Megan Rapinoe on the Seattle Sounders Women in the W-League in the summer of 2012. "Sydney is the consummate goal scorer with an incredible attacking attitude," Sounders Women head coach Michelle French said of the signing. She not only makes an effort on the offensive side of the game, but she is also notable in that she prides herself on her defensive restoration and her ability to return the ball back to her team. "No matter where she plays on the track, she has an effect." Leroux made only two regular season appearances for the team due to her national team commitments and preparations for the 2012 Summer Olympics. In her 168 minutes on the field, she scored two goals and had one assist. The Sounders sold out nine of their ten home matches at the 4,500 capacity Starfire Stadium, with the national teammates' presence on the team. During the 2012 season, the Sounders Women's average was four times higher than the next closest team.

Heather O'Reilly, Heather Mitts, and Leroux were the three United States national team players selected to the Boston Breakers for the inaugural season of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). In the 91st minute of the Breakers' season opener against the Washington Spirit, she scored her first goal of the season, tying the game 1–1 in stoppage time. During the Breakers' 4–1 victory over the Chicago Red Stars on May 4, Leroux scored the league's first ever hat trick, and was later named NWSL Player of the Week. She scored another equalizer against the Seattle Reign FC on July 3, resulting in a 1–1 draw. She scored two goals against the Portland Thorns FC on July 6, resulting in a 2–0 victory for the Breakers in front of 12,436 fans at Jeld-Wen Field just a few days later.

During the season, Leroux's 11 goals scored, finishing second alongside national teammate Abby Wambach of the Western New York Flash. Lauren Holiday of FC Kansas City came in first place with 12. The Breakers finished third in the league last season with an 8–8 record.

The Leroux trade to the Seattle Reign FC for the 2014 NWSL season had been confirmed on November 18, 2013, as a result of Kristie Mewis, Michelle Betos, and Reign's first two picks in the 2015 draft. Laura Harvey, head coach of Ebullient Reign FC, praised Leroux's signing: "One of the best forwards in the country." She is a young, natural performer with infinite potential. We will all be relying on Sydney to defeat last season."

During the 2014 season, the Reigns posted a streak of 16 games in the first half of the season. The Reign gathered a 13–0–3 record during a 16 game stretch. For the first time, the Reign came in first in the NWSL Shield regular season, finishing first. The Reign was defeated 2–1 by FC Kansas City in the championship final after defeating the Washington Spirit 2–1 in the playoff semifinals. Leroux scored five goals in 22 games played in the 2014 season. In March 2015, it was announced that she had been sent to the Western New York Flash.

Leroux played just three games for the Flash due to her appearance in the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup and an ankle injury. In those three games, she scored once.

Leroux was traded to FC Kansas City on January 13, 2016. Leroux revealed later this month that she was pregnant. She missed the 2016 NWSL season due to her pregnancy.

In 2017, she returned to play for FC Kansas City for the first time. She scored a goal in the Boston Breakers' first game of the season, defeating them 2–0. She appeared in 23 games for FCKC in 2017 and scored six goals. Kansas City finished the season in sixth place and did not qualify for the playoffs. Following FCKC's demise after the 2017 season, her rights were sold to the Utah Royals.

In the 2019 NWSL College Draft, Leroux was traded to the Orlando Pride for Orlando's first round pick. Leroux joined the Orlando Pride before the 2018 NWSL season because she was no longer an allocated player by U.S. Soccer.

Leroux returned to pre-season training in March 2019, while pregnant with her daughter. She returned to action in 2019 after giving birth to her 86th minute substitute.

She signed a three-year contract extension as well as an additional one-year option ahead of the 2021 season.

Angel City FC bought Leroux in exchange for $75,000 in allocation funds and Angel City's first-round pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft on June 29, 2022.

International career

Leroux was eligible to represent either Canada or the United States owing to her parents' nationalities. She was the youngest person to compete in the 2004 FIFA World Cup, which was held in Thailand, at the age of 14. She was captain of Canada's under-15 team that traveled to Germany in 2005.

Leroux was allowed by FIFA to rename her affiliation to the United States in 2008 and went on to help the under-20 national team win the 2008 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Santiago, Chile. In the first half of the final against North Korea, she scored. She appeared at the 2010 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup and ended her under-20 career as the country's all-time top scorer with ten goals. She is one of the country's top scorers with 36 games and is the country's top scorer with 30 goals. She was named the 2011 U.S. Soccer Young Female Athlete of the Year in 2012, and she appeared on both the senior and under-23 national teams.

Leroux was a member of the United States senior national team at the 2012 CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Leroux scored five goals in a CONCACAF Olympic qualifying match between the United States and Guatemala, earning the final score of the match 13–0. In a CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Tournament, Leroux tied for the most goals scored in a single match by one player. She also tied for the single-game record for the national team, equiving her colleagues Amy Rodriguez and Abby Wambach's 2012 and 2004 respective performances.

Leroux set a new team scoring record in 2012 as a reserve on the team, with 12 goals scored off the bench in one year. Debbie Keller set the previous record of nine goals in 1998.

In the 93rd minute of the United States' first group stage match against Denmark, which the United States defeated Denmark 5–0, Leroux scored the team's fifth goal in the team's fifth goal in the team's first group stage match against Denmark in which the United States defeated Denmark. In the 81st minute, she scored the game-winning goal against Norway in the team's second group stage match. The team thrashed Japan in the third group stage match before winning 3–0 to clinch third place in the tournament.

Leroux was the youngest player and a goal scorner of the Olympic gold medal winning squad at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. During the quarter final match of the tournament, she scored her second goal against New Zealand, assisting the United States in defeating 2–0.

Leroux led the team's second group stage match at the 2013 Algarve Cup when she scored a goal in the 13th minute. In a 5–0 victory over China, her goal was followed by four others from her teammates. After losing 2–0 in the final, the United States advanced to win the tournament.

When playing in a sold-out friendly match against Canada at BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario, Leroux was booed by Canadian fans throughout the game. Leroux, who scored during stoppage time to lift the score in favour of the United States, commemorated her achievement by hushing the crowd and pointing to the United States symbol on her jacket, which enraged many supporters in the audience. "If you chant racial insults, taunt me, and discuss my family," she said on Twitter, she said, "Don't be upset if I shush you and show pride in what I represent." America is a republic in the United States. Since transferring to the United States national soccer team in 2008, the United States Soccer Federation announced that Leroux had "endured violence verbally and on social media," but Leroux later confirmed that no such incidents occurred at BMO Field. "I didn't respond to anything from yesterday's match at BMO Field," my tweet from this morning said. In fact, the stadium was a welcome improvement in women's soccer. Unfortunately, the abuse I suffered in the past and on social media for my decision to play for the United States is a step forward. "That's what prompted my reaction in the heat of the moment."

Leroux scored a hat trick in nine minutes during a friendly against Mexico in September 2013, assisting the United States in winning 7–0.

Leroux was on the roster of the United States team for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. In the first game against Australia, she appeared in four of the seven games, contributing to a Christen Press goal. She did not participate in the Final against Japan because she did not participate.

It was announced on July 17, 2015, that Leroux would undergo ankle surgery, which would place her on the sidelines for three months. She'll be out of the remainder of the 2015 NWSL Season and the United States WNT World Cup Victory Tour as a result.

Leroux revealed her pregnancy on January 26, 2016; as a result, she did not participate in 2016.

Leroux was named to Roster in the United States for a group of friendlies in Scandinavia on May 27, 2017. This was her first suiting up for the United States after giving birth to her son. Leroux did not participate in either game. Leroux was selected to the roster for the 2017 Tournament of Nations. She didn't appear in the United States' first match but was brought as a second-half substitute in their second match against Brazil. On June 30, 2015, this was her first appearance in the United States since the 2015 World Cup semi-finals.

Leroux hasn't been called up since the 2017 Tournament of Nations, and she wasn't on the 2018 CONCACAF Women's Championship's 35 players previsional roster.

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