USWNT star Alyssa Thompson didn’t expect to score for ‘four months’ after completing ‘scary’ transfer to WSL title holders Chelsea

Leaving her hometown of Los Angeles and moving across the Atlantic was never going to be easy for a 20-year-old, especially one who had become a household name at Angel City FC. Thompson traded the familiarity of the NWSL for the rigors of the WSL, a decision she described as necessary but daunting.

"When an opportunity like Chelsea comes up, you can't pass that up. But as a person too, it was good for me to get out of my comfort zone," Thompson explained in an interview with Sky Sports. "I knew I was moving away from everything that had been so... easy for me - I feel like I was just finding my groove at Angel City. It was scary and uncomfortable, but I knew it was something I needed to do for my career."

Despite her status as one of the most exciting young talents in world football, Thompson arrived with a humble mindset. Joining a squad that had just completed a domestic season unbeaten, she was realistic about her chances of walking straight into the starting XI. In fact, she was prepared to wait a significant amount of time before making any tangible impact on the scoresheet for the Blues.

"I just had low expectations of myself," she added. "There are so many amazing players here. I didn't know if I was going to play that much and there was so much change to get used to. I didn't think I was going to score for maybe the first four months or play at all, so I was super excited when I was playing and I was able to score. That mindset helped me have more grace with myself, and this big change."

"I knew I was moving away from everything that had been so... easy for me - I feel like I was just finding my groove at Angel City," Thompson explained. "It was scary and uncomfortable, but I knew it was something I needed to do for my career. When an opportunity like Chelsea comes up, you can't pass that up. But as a person too, it was good for me to get out of my comfort zone."

The transition has been smoothed by the presence of familiar faces, including international team-mates Naomi Girma and Catarina Macario. Thompson has also continued to thrive on the international stage under former Chelsea boss Emma Hayes, recently proving her worth by scoring an 82nd-minute winner to secure the SheBelieves Cup for the USWNT.

Thompson credits her sister and team-mate Gisele for maintaining her confidence during this whirlwind period. “I think she always brings my confidence up,” Thompson said to Turner Sports after the match against Colombia. “I can always count on her to make me happy and smile.”

While the Blues face a difficult task in the WSL title race as they look to close a nine-point gap on Manchester City, the focus shifts to immediate silverware in the League Cup final against Manchester United this Sunday. For Thompson, representing a club like Chelsea means carrying an inherent expectation of success.

"We're disappointed about the standings in the WSL and we want to win in any tournament or any cup that we're in," Thompson said. "So being able to get this win would be really important for the confidence in the squad... Winning trophies and playing for Chelsea is something that is synonymous. So I hope that we are able to win this one - we all love winning and I feel like Chelsea stands for winning."