Jaedyn Shaw Is A Baddie & A Baller

In Bustle’s The Pregame, we ask athletes about their pregame rituals. How do they get in the zone? What do they listen to? Do they have any superstitions before a big competition? Here, New York-based soccer player Jaedyn Shaw talks about her trade to the Gotham Football Club, bouncing back after challenges, and the skin care products that keep her glowing.

When 17-year-old Jaedyn Shaw casually scored the game-winning goal in her professional debut for San Diego Wave FC in 2022, she became something of a soccer wunderkind. That same year, she was named U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year, and in 2024, earned a gold medal during the Summer Olympics in Paris.

After a quieter 2024 season and a brief stint with North Carolina Courage FC in 2025, she was traded to Gotham FC in 2025. Now 21, she’s currently enjoying USWNT’s 2026 SheBelieves Cup victory in March.

She calls her recent trade “abrupt,” and says it came at a difficult point in her career. “I didn't realize it at the time, but I wasn't actually playing very well when the deal came about,” she tells Bustle. “What makes me so grateful to be part of Gotham is how they invested in me when I was at a low.”

Shaw’s secret to success is blocking out the noise and embracing adversity. “I learned tools to stay steady. Not letting the highs get too high, and not letting the lows get too low,” she says. “I try to shift my mindset from, ‘Oh, poor me. I'm not playing, I'm not scoring,’ to ‘OK, what is God trying to teach me at this moment?’”

To keep perspective, she looks at the big picture. “These things are going to happen, and it's best to figure them out now, earlier in my career, than hit a slump down the line and not know how to deal with it,” she says.

Through it all, the Texas native focuses on her faith, leans on her tight-knit circle, and, of course, serves some fire tunnel walk looks. Here, Shaw shares how she prepares for a game in style.

Congratulations on crushing it during the SheBelieves Cup! You’ve been traveling nonstop — can you tell us a little bit about your travel essentials?

I've gotten used to living out of suitcases — unpacking, washing clothes, and then packing again. I always have a pair of slippers and a bunch of sweats. My silk pillowcase, my bonnets, and my skin care allow me to feel like me, even when I'm away from home.

Can you drop the skin care routine?

I use two or three products and call it a day because my skin is really sensitive. My holy-grail product is this cleanser from a Korean skin care brand called Anua. It’s fire. I've gone through probably four bottles now. I also use an AHA/BHA toner from Paula’s Choice and moisturizer from CeraVe.

What are your favorite beauty products?

I have my edge control because you get a little sweaty. You got to retouch at halftime. I have so many lip products! Sometimes, in the locker room, I’ll be like, “Friendly reminder to moisturize those lips when we go out there, girls!” I use the elf Glow Reviver Melting Lip Balm. It’s moisturizing and doesn’t give too much color.

You also serve looks at the tunnel walk and New York Fashion Week. Where do you get style inspiration from?

I love a good game day ‘fit. It helps to come in with that confidence — that swag — because I do feel like I play better when I have that mindset. I’ve been working with a stylist [Sydney Bordonaro], and we’ve been putting some really cool stuff together.

I don’t think I have a specific style. Some days, I just want to be a cute, little baddie. And then some days, I want to dress like a little boy. I love accessories and jewelry. I love to put on a bandana, hat, tie, or scarf.

What are your favorite brands at the moment?

I wear a lot of small, independent brands. One of the places I have the most pieces from is Wisdom of Age. They have a lot of knit, jersey-like items. For bigger brands, Coach. I recently did an event with them, and their [brand] revamp has been really great. I feel like, now that I’m in New York, I’m going to be running into little shops. I’m always open to new things.

How do you wind down after a game?

It's really hard to come down from those big moments, whether that's out of the clouds or after a bad game when you replay every play, every mistake. We have to work really hard to know when it's time to move on and think about the next day, the next action, the next training.

For me, the biggest thing is to stay off social media. That’s where things keep replaying. You remember certain things or watch a big goal you scored 500 times. Being disciplined in those things helps you wind down.

Do you have any pre-game rituals?

I don't really like to have superstitions like putting one shoe on first every time. I feel like if I can't do it, I'm going to be like, “Oh my gosh, I didn't do it. I'm going to play badly.” I try to stay away from them. But I always wear a little bit of makeup to play. I mean, I want to be cutesy on TV. I can be a baddie and a baller.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.