Mia Renee Fishel (born April 30, 2001) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for Women's Super League club Chelsea and United States Women's National Team.

Mia Fishel
Personal information
Full name Mia Renee Fishel[1]
Date of birth (2001-04-30) April 30, 2001 (age 22)
Place of birth San Diego, California, United States
Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
Chelsea
Number 2
Youth career
San Diego Surf
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2021 UCLA Bruins 59 (32)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022–2023 Tigres UANL 48 (38)
2023– Chelsea 8 (1)
International career
2015–2016 United States U15
2017–2018 United States U17 22 (6)
2020 United States U20 6 (13)
2023– United States 3 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of January 14, 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of December 2, 2023

Fishel spent her collegiate career with the UCLA Bruins, winning two Pac-12 titles before being drafted fifth overall in the 2022 NWSL Draft by Orlando Pride. However, she instead chose to sign with Mexican club Tigres UANL. Internationally, she has represented the United States at under-15, under-17 and under-20 level, winning CONCACAF tournaments with each.

Early life edit

Born in San Diego, California, Fishel attended Patrick Henry High School and played two years of high school soccer as well as basketball.[2] She was first-team All-CIF in soccer as a sophomore. Fishel played club soccer with ECNL team San Diego Surf SC.[1][3]

UCLA Bruins edit

Fishel played three seasons of college soccer for the UCLA Bruins at the University of California, Los Angeles between 2019 and 2021 while majoring in psychology. As a freshman, Fishel appeared in all 24 games and led the Bruins in scoring with 14 goals including five in the postseason as UCLA reached the College Cup semi-finals before losing to Stanford.[4] She ranked third among freshman in the nation in goals scored and earned Pac-12 All-Freshman Team and All-Pac-12 third-team honors.[5] In 2020, Fishel ranked second in goals for the Bruins with six and tied for the team lead with six assists as the Bruins won the Pac-12 title for the first time since 2014. Fishel earned All-Pacific Region first-team[6] and All-American second-team selections by the United Soccer Coaches[7] as well as All-Pac-12 first-team honors.[5] Ahead of her junior year, Fishel announced she would be declaring early for the 2022 NWSL Draft at the end of the season.[8] UCLA went unbeaten on the season, retaining the Pac-12 championship[9] before the team's 26-match unbeaten streak was ended by a 1–0 defeat in an upset to unranked UC Irvine in the first round of the NCAA Tournament having been ranked #3 nationally.[10] Fishel led the team in goals with 12 in her final season and earned her second consecutive United Soccer Coaches All-America honor, being selected to the third-team. She was also first-team All-Pacific Region[11] and All-Pac-12 for the second time.[12]

Club career edit

Tigres UANL (2022–2023) edit

On December 18, 2021, Fishel was selected in the first round (5th overall) of the 2022 NWSL Draft by Orlando Pride having opted to declare early and forgo her senior year.[13] Her head coach at UCLA, Amanda Cromwell, had been appointed Orlando head coach earlier that month.[14] However, on January 14, 2022, she instead opted to sign outside of the NWSL with Mexican Liga MX team Tigres UANL.[15] Critical of the draft system, she stated she had turned down Orlando because she did not want to be part of a rebuilding team and Tigres offered the chance of championships.[16] She made her debut on January 31 as a 65th-minute substitute in a 1–1 draw with Tijuana during the 2022 Clausura.[17] Four days later she made her first start and scored twice in a 4–2 win away to Mazatlán.[18][19] Fishel scored 17 goals in 17 appearances during the 2022 Apertura, becoming the first foreign player to win the Liga MX Femenil golden boot. She beat Christina Burkenroad by one goal.[20]

Chelsea (2023–present) edit

On August 4, 2023, English Women's Super League club Chelsea announced the signing of Fishel from Tigres on a three-year contract.[21] Chelsea reportedly paid a $250,000 transfer fee.[22] On October 1, 2023, Fishel made her Chelsea debut in a Women's Super League match against Tottenham Hotspur and scored her first goal for the club in the 28th minute in a 2–1 victory.[23]

International career edit

Youth edit

Fishel has represented the United States at under-15, under-17 and under-20 level.[1] In 2016, Fishel was part of the winning team at the 2016 CONCACAF Girls' U-15 Championship and was individually named player of the tournament having scored seven goals.[24] In 2018, she was part of the squad that won the 2018 CONCACAF Women's U-17 Championship, scoring in a group stage victory over Bermuda and again in the semi-final against Haiti. The result qualified the team for the 2018 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup where Fishel scored the opening goal in a group stage win over Cameroon, the United States' only win as the team was eliminated as bottom of the group.[25] In 2020, Fishel won her third regional youth title as part of the winning squad at the 2020 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship. She scored a new all-ages national-record 13 goals including two in a 4–1 win over Mexico in the final but finished second in the golden boot race by one goal behind Haiti's Melchie Dumornay. She was, however, voted player of the tournament.[26][27] She was a finalist for U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year 2020 alongside Trinity Rodman and eventual winner Naomi Girma.[28]

Senior edit

In October 2020, Fishel received her first United States senior call-up by Vlatko Andonovski for a 27-player 11 day training camp in Commerce City, Colorado. The camp was the first in seven months as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and included four college players with Fishel being the youngest.[29] Fishel received her second call-up for the senior team in September 2023 for a set of friendlies against South Africa and subsequently made her senior team debut in the second match against South Africa on September 24, 2023.[30] On October 29, 2023, in her hometown of San Diego, Fishel scored her first goal for the national team in her second appearance, a friendly against Colombia which finished 3–0.[31] On February 19, 2024, Fishel tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee while training for the 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup.[32]

Personal life edit

Fishel's uncles, Andrew and David Bascome, both played international soccer for the Bermuda national team.[1] Andrew's daughter, Druw Bascome, is Fishel's cousin. The two played against each other when the United States met Bermuda at the 2018 CONCACAF Women's U-17 Championship.[33]

Career statistics edit

College edit

School Season Division Apps Goals
UCLA Bruins 2019 Div. I 24 14
2020–21 16 6
2021 19 12
Career total 59 32

Club edit

As of January 14, 2024
Club Season League National Cup[a] League Cup[b] Continental[c] Playoffs Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Tigres UANL 2021–22 Liga MX 14 8 4 4 18 12
2022–23 34 30 10 3 2[d] 2 46 35
Total 48 38 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 7 2 2 64 47
Chelsea 2023–24 WSL 8 1 1 1 0 0 3 0 12 2
Career total 56 39 1 1 0 0 3 0 14 7 2 2 76 49

International edit

As of match played December 2, 2023
National Team Year Apps Goals
United States 2023 3 1
Total 3 1

International goals edit

United States score listed first, score column indicates score after each Fishel goal.
No. Date Cap Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 October 29, 2023[34] 2 Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, California, United States   Colombia 1–0 3–0 Friendly

Honors edit

UCLA Bruins

Tigres UANL

International

Individual

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d "Mia Fishel - Women's Soccer". UCLA.
  2. ^ Clark, Justin (2023-10-25). "PHHS Alumni Mia Fishel Gets USWNT Call Up". Patrick Henry High School. Retrieved 2024-01-31.
  3. ^ "Winners crowned in Region IV championships". TopDrawerSoccer.com. 2014-06-22. Retrieved 2024-01-31.
  4. ^ Kiefer, David (2019-06-12). "Smith Powers Semifinal Rout". Stanford University Athletics. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  5. ^ a b "Pac-12 announces women's soccer All-Conference honors | Pac-12". pac-12.com. 2019-11-13. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  6. ^ "2020-21 United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I Women's All-Region Teams | United Soccer Coaches". Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  7. ^ Coaches, United Soccer. "2020-21 NCAA Division I Women's All-America Team Announced | United Soccer Coaches". Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  8. ^ "Declaring early for the NWSL Draft, Mia Fishel dreams big". Just Women's Sports. December 17, 2021.
  9. ^ "UCLA Beats USC 3-1 to Win Second-Straight Pac-12 Title". pac-12.com. 2021-11-05. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  10. ^ Connon, Sam (13 November 2021). "UCLA Women's Soccer Shut Out, Upset By UC Irvine in NCAA Tournament". Sports Illustrated.
  11. ^ "2021 United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I Women's All-Region Teams | United Soccer Coaches". United Soccer Coaches. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  12. ^ "Pac-12 announces 2021 women's soccer All-Conference honors". pac-12.com. 2021-11-12. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  13. ^ "Declaring early for the NWSL Draft, Mia Fishel dreams big". Just Women's Sports. 2021-12-17. Retrieved 2024-01-31.
  14. ^ Connon, Sam (18 December 2021). "Orlando Pride Pick UCLA's Mia Fishel, Reunites Her With Amanda Cromwell". Sports Illustrated.
  15. ^ "Mia Fishel, seleccionada estadounidense, ya es nueva jugadora de Tigres Femenil". Club Tigres (in Mexican Spanish). January 14, 2022.
  16. ^ "USWNT prospect Fishel fires warning to NWSL with Tigres transfer". www.goal.com.
  17. ^ "Se le escapa el triunfo a Tigres Femenil: ¡1-1!". Club Tigres (in Mexican Spanish). 2022-02-01. Retrieved 2024-01-31.
  18. ^ "Mia Fishel scores debut professional goal for Tigres". Just Women's Sports. February 6, 2022.
  19. ^ "Doblete de Mia Fishel y Tigres Femenil vuelve al triunfo: ¡4-2!". Club Tigres (in Mexican Spanish). 2022-02-05. Retrieved 2024-01-31.
  20. ^ a b "Mia Fishel, primera extranjera campeona de goleo en la Liga MX Femenil". www.mediotiempo.com (in Spanish). 2020-10-25. Archived from the original on 2022-10-25. Retrieved 2024-01-31.
  21. ^ "Welcome to Chelsea, Mia Fishel!". www.chelseafc.com. Retrieved 2023-08-04.
  22. ^ Kassouf, Jeff (2023-08-04). "Mia Fishel joins Chelsea; $250,000 transfer fee, sources say – Equalizer Soccer". Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  23. ^ "Women's Super League: Mia Fishel scores in Chelsea debut". Just Women's Sports. October 2023. Retrieved 2024-01-14.
  24. ^ a b c "TSG reveals CU15G Best XI, Awards". CONCACAF. 14 February 2021.
  25. ^ "USA opens FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup with 3-0 win over Cameroon". SoccerWire.
  26. ^ "USA Rolls Past Mexico 4-1 to Win 2020 Concacaf Women's U-20 Championship". US Soccer.
  27. ^ a b "2020 Concacaf Women's Under-20 Championship individual awards". CONCACAF. March 8, 2020.
  28. ^ "Nominees Set for 2020 U.S. Soccer Female and Male Player of the Year Awards". US Soccer.
  29. ^ "Vlatko Andonovski Names 27-Player Roster for First U.S. Women's National Team Training Camp in Seven Months". US Soccer.
  30. ^ "Fishel: USWNT debut saw dreams become reality". Pro Soccer Wire. 2023-09-25. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
  31. ^ Staff, Steph Yang and The Athletic. "USWNT defeats Colombia in friendly". The Athletic. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
  32. ^ "Veteran Forward Alex Morgan Will Replace Mia Fishel on USWNT Roster for 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup | U.S. Soccer Official Website".
  33. ^ Thompson, Colin (June 7, 2018). "Fishel gets better of cousin Bascome". Bermuda Royal Gazette.
  34. ^ "Fishel and Shaw score first goals for USWNT in victory over Colombia". The Guardian. October 29, 2023.
  35. ^ "Tigres se lleva el Campeón de Campeones en Liga MX Femenil goleando 3-0 en el global al América". Marca México (in Mexican Spanish). 2023-07-11. Retrieved 2024-01-31.
  36. ^ "U.S. tops Canada for CU15G title". CONCACAF. 2016-08-21. Archived from the original on 2016-08-23. Retrieved 2024-01-31.

External links edit