Midfielder Ally Lemos is capping her steller Orlando Pride performance this season by joining the USA squad for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
Orlando Pride finished their 2024 season atop the NWSL. They were the only squad with no losses and edged out second-place Kansas City Current with a Goal Differential of 20. Midfielder Ally Lemos claims part of that success story.
In this, her rookie season. Lemos appeared in 14 Pride matches across all competitions after her debut as a substitute against Racing Louisville. She started for the first time on the May 5 return match vs. Racing Louisville, playing 87 minutes and helping the Pride get a 1-0 win.
She carries her winning momentum to the USA FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup squad. This team begins its 11th World Cup competition, having made the champion finish in three – 2002, 2008, and 2012.
The U-20 team also claimed championship titles in Concacaf competition seven times so far.
Lemos gets her first shot at the action when the USA meets Spain, the reigning U-20 champion, on Sept. 1. They then face Morocco on Sept. 4 and finish their group stage against Paraguay on Sept. 7.
Her experience representing the USA includes matches in those Concacaf championships and U-16s at the UEFA Tournament in England.
She’s proved her stamina when given the opportunity. During the Pride’s league-leading 2024 season, she had the 87-minute appearance noted above, plus a 78-minute run against Seattle Reign FC, ending in a 3-2 win for the Pride.
In NWSL alone, she logged 293 minutes in 11 matches.
The Pride selected Ally Lemos out of the University of California, Los Angeles, in the first round of the 2024 NWSL Draft, the ninth pick overall. She entered the draft in her sophomore season to become the fourth-youngest draftee in league history.
She appeared in 44 Bruins matches, all starts, tallying three goals and 11 assists.
She shows tremendous potential and has demonstrated her eagerness to develop, while ready at any time to help Orlando Pride win.
She’ll turn much of that potential into match-winning skills during this with the USA U-20 FIFA Women’s World Cup squad.