Whitham, 13, scores preseason game winner for NJ/NY Gotham

Thirteen-year-old soccer phenom McKenna “Mak” Whitham on Tuesday scored the last-minute winning goal as a nonroster invitee for NJ/NY Gotham FC in a preseason tournament in Colombia.

She is the youngest player ever to score a goal for a National Women’s Soccer League club.

– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)

Whitham’s goal comes just one week after she signed a name, image and likeness deal with Nike, making her the youngest women’s soccer player and youngest athlete in any sport to sign an NIL deal.

“It was definitely a very difficult game. I think the conditions, the opposition was fantastic. They knew the game plan to make it very difficult for us. But we knew we needed to stay calm and the longer the game goes, the more tired they were going to get,” Gotham FC head coach Juan Carlos Amorós said afterward. “And the final minute goal from Mac was fantastic because obviously she is a special young player we decided to give a chance. We’re very happy to see her score the game-winning goal.”

Gotham heads into the preseason tournament final on Friday night vs. Racing Louisville after the 1-0 win over Deportivo Cali.

The forward, who is home-schooled, will graduate with the Class of 2028. Whitham plays for the Southern California club team Slammers FC HB Koge and is a member of the U.S. under-15 youth national team.

This past year, she made a name for herself at the club and national level by her ability to score with either foot outside the 18-yard box.

Should she be offered a contract with an NWSL this season, she will become the league’s youngest player but will join a growing group of teens making an impact there. A total of seven players aged 15 to 19 featuring in the NWSL regular season or Challenge Cup in 2023.

Over the past few months, Whitham has joined Kansas City Current, Washington Spirit and NJ/NY Gotham FC for preseason workouts and trainings.