Alyssa & Gisele Thompson Have A Need For Speed

Alyssa and Gisele Thompson want to be the Venus and Serena Williams of soccer. “Since we were little, we’ve always looked up to them,” Alyssa, 21, tells Bustle. “We love their fierceness and how they embody women's sports.” The soccer player sisters are well on their way.

The pair grew up in Los Angeles and both joined the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) right out of high school with the hope of playing for the same professional team. That dream came true in 2023 — in their hometown, no less. Alyssa was selected the No. 1 overall pick by Angel City FC in 2023 at 18 years old, making her the youngest player ever drafted to the league, and went on to play forward. Gisele, now 20, was signed later that year as a defender.

In May 2025, Gisele scored her first NWSL goal, assisted by Alyssa. The sister combo made history, being the first of its kind. That season, the Thompsons continued to make a name for themselves, and both became known for their impressive speed and fancy footwork.

In September 2025, Alyssa signed a five-year contract with Chelsea FC in England’s Women’s Super League (WSL), and packed her bags for London. On May 16, she closed out her debut season as one of the team’s top scorers, and was also nominated for the WSL Player of the Season. Throughout 2026, she’ll play internationally with the United States Women's National Team.

Ahead of the upcoming FIFA World Cup this summer, the sisters are also busy off the field working with Verizon’s sweepstakes program, Golden Call, which offers surprise phone calls to fans, pitch-side access, and exclusive tickets to games.

Below, Alyssa and Gisele joke about family rivalries, living apart for the first time, and being each other’s biggest fans.

Are you competitive with one another?

Gisele: Our whole family is competitive. Whenever we would play a board game, it would get so intense we’d start crying.

Alyssa: We always support each other, but as individuals we just don't like losing. It’s why I never want to compete against Gisele on the field. I don't like losing, and I definitely don't want to lose to my little sister.

What’s been the most memorable moment of your careers so far?

G: My first goal was surreal. We always dreamed about wanting to score together and playing at the highest level. It was in Washington, D.C., at an away game, though, so the crowd was completely silent. I was like, “Wait, did it go in?” I’ll never forget that.

A: I think about my first goal with Angel City. It was a home opener, and my first professional start, and it was so cool to hear the crowd and to have my family and friends there. Soccer caused us to miss out on a lot in high school, like graduation and prom. But in that moment, I knew I had made the right decision by going pro.

Alyssa, what’s your favorite thing about living in London?

A: Probably the sushi place that I go to. London's so different from LA, but this sushi place reminds me of home.

Gisele, what’s your favorite thing about living in LA? Have you visited?

G: The sun, my family's here, the beach, all my friends. Just the whole vibe. I visited Alyssa last December and it was so cold, but it was nice to see how different her life is and how she’s grown as a person compared to when we lived together in LA.

Alyssa, what do you love about football culture in England?

Soccer is still growing in the U.S., but here it feels built into the culture. They find a team and support them for life, and everyone’s mood changes based on scores. It’s been fun playing somewhere with so much history.

You’re both so incredibly fast on the field. Where does the speed come from?

A: A lot of it is genetic. Everyone in our family is pretty fast. My mom, dad, and aunt all ran track, so we got it from them.

Have you ever raced each other?

A: We raced our dad a lot growing up. For a while he would always win, but when we were about 15 or 16, we started to beat him.

How did it feel making the Verizon Golden Call to fans?

A: It was really sweet. One person cried. We loved to see how much of an impact our game has on other people. For little girls, especially, who look up to us as we achieve our dreams and know that they can achieve theirs, too.

What are your goals for the future?

G: We’d like to go to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. We've talked about it for so long and being able to play in our hometown would be a dream.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.