Melanie Barcenas Soccer Pro

Melanie Barcenas The Youngest Female Soccer Player to Debut in NWSL History

Melanie Barcenas is a 15-year-old soccer player from Clairemont, California, who recently made history by becoming the youngest player to ever sign with a National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) team. She signed a three-year contract with the San Diego Wave FC on March 21, 2023, breaking the record set by Chloe Ricketts earlier in the month (15 years and 283 days) . Barcenas is also the first youth homegrown player in the NWSL and the youngest player signing in

Early Career

Barcenas played her youth club days with San Diego Surf. She became the first high school player to sign a name, image and likeness (NIL) deal with Nike when she signed on Jan. 1, 2022. She has been called up for U-14, U-15 and U-16 U.S. Women’s National Teams training camps and her most recent camp was with the U-17 team for matches against England.

Signing with San Diego Wave FC

Barcenas’ signing with San Diego Wave FC made history, as she became the youngest player to ever sign with a National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) team . Her signing broke the record set by Chloe Ricketts earlier in the month (15 years and 283 days).  Barcenas is also the first youth homegrown player in the NWSL and the youngest player signing in NWSL history at 15 years and 138 days

Nike Deal

Barcenas made history again when she became the first high school player to sign a name, image and likeness (NIL) deal with Nike on Jan. 1, 2022. This deal allowed her to monetize her social media presence and opened up new opportunities for her as a young athlete.

Social Media

Barcenas is active on social media, with over 58K followers on her Instagram account @mel.barcenas. Her social media presence has helped her gain recognition as a young athlete and has opened up new opportunities for her in the sports industry.

Did Melanie Barcenas have any family member who played soccer?

Melanie Barcenas has a family that has been supportive of her soccer career. Her father is a soccer coach, and her younger brother also plays soccer. Melanie is of Mexican descent and played for the Mexican national team at the youth level before choosing to play for the United States, where she grew up.  She has a strong bond with her family, who have played a significant role in shaping her character and have helped her become the talented athlete she is today.

Melanie Barcenas Plays Alongside Her Idol Alex Morgan on San Diego Wave FC

Melanie is playing alongside her idol, Alex Morgan. Barcenas is wearing a pink headband, similar to the one Morgan wears, and Morgan has taken on a mentorship role for the young star.The team also includes other talented players such as Abby Dahlkemper and Amirah Ali whom Barcenas will grow and develop as a footballer.

In this video, we’ll take a look at Melanie’s remarkable journey from playing for the San Diego Surf to joining the San Diego Wave and making her professional debut against Orlando Pride