Blessing from Alex Morgan? Melanie Bárcenas got her idol's jersey. Then she broke the record

She was born in California, wears a pink headband, is a striker and celebrates her goals by making the gesture of drinking tea. And no, it’s not Alex Morgan. Her name is Melanie Bárcenas and from a very young age she has begun to break records and set new milestones in women’s football. 

The American player caught the attention of the San Diego Wave and became “the first” of many things. Born in San Diego, Melanie was the first local youth player to sign in NWSL history and the first to join the team through the US league’s new U18 youth system.

The U18 entry mechanism sets rules for how football players below the age of 18 may sign professional contracts in the NWSL, the top division of women’s football in the United States. The NWSL introduced the mechanism on 2022, establishing a formal process for signing players under the age of 18. (Read more about it in an article by Anumita Jain here)

Young record breaker

Melanie Bárcenas made her junior career with San Diego Surf, one of the elite teams in the category before signing with the San Diego Wave. With her arrival at the California team, Mel also became the youngest player to receive a contract in the U.S league at 15 years and 139 days, breaking Chlow Riketts’ record of 15 years and 283 days. Her long-awaited debut came in April 2023, and she also became the youngest player in the NWSL to appear in a league game at 15 years and 177 days old- a debut that was delayed while she recovered from an illness for a few days.

With a roster full of big names, the San Diego Wave continues searching for a replacement for Alex Morgan as the face of women’s football. Melanie Bárcenas not only shines on the field, but also gives nods to the former player, who is also her idol. The two have shared a locker room since Barcenas’ arrival in 2023, but their bond dates back many years before that.

Blessing from her idol

When Melanie was 10 years old, she visited a match between the United States and Brazil. Before the game, she asked Alex Morgan for the jersey and Morgan gave it to her at the end of the match, autographed. When Bárcenas arrived in San Diego, she also posted a photo of herself with the forms U.S player from when she was just a little girl and had her picture taken with her.

Melanie continues to adjust to the league, where she has scored three goals this year. She scored her latest goal on July 5 with a long-range shot that found the top corner of Gotham FC’s net. As if that weren’t enough, the U.S forward took advantage of the fact that the match was at home and that Alex Morgan might be in the stands to celebrate with the traditional ‘tea-drinking’ gesture, just as the No. 13 did at the 2019 World Cup.

After the game, Melanie Bárcenas said she didn’t hesitate to celebrate by imitating her idol: “I think it would have been much more special here, in front of our fans, since she’s an investor in our club. So yes, I’ve been waiting for this moment, and I can’t think of a better way to do it than with a left-footed goal, you know? She’s scored a lot of left-footed goals, incredible goals. So, I’m really happy I was able to do it and help the team”.