Latest news with #Macario
Forbes
08-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
U.S. Soccer Star Catarina Macario Scores 10-Year, $10 Million Sponsor Deal From Nike
Golden Boot: Catarina Macario, a midfielder for the U.S. national team, will be one of the highest-paid players in women's soccer thanks to a new shoe and apparel deal with Nike. Robin Alam/W hile knee injuries have cut into Catarina Macario's playing time the last three years, the 25-year-old knows how to put the ball in the back of the net, piling up 11 goals in 25 career appearances as a midfielder for the United States women's national soccer team and six goals in 18 Women's Super League matches last season as a striker for Chelsea. Now, Macario has her biggest score yet. On Tuesday, Nike announced that Macario, who was born in Brazil but moved to the U.S. at age 12 and went on to become the first naturalized citizen to compete for the American national team, would join its stable of soccer ambassadors, replacing Adidas as her shoe and apparel sponsor. Between a signing bonus and annual payments, the deal is set to pay Macario $10 million over 10 years, with options in the final two years of the contract, according to a person with knowledge of the arrangement. Macario can also boost that figure through incentives and royalties tied to signature products. Apparel and boot deals have become quite common for women's players, now representing 27% of all soccer deals in the category versus the men's share of 73%, according to research firm SponsorUnited—a significant shift from the 83-17 gender split four years ago. Few, however, can match the value of Macario's new deal. Industry insiders estimate that a typical apparel and boot deal will pay a women's professional soccer player between $60,000 and $70,000 per year. The sport's top stars can earn considerably more, ranging up to about $800,000, with additional performance incentives available for individual or team achievements such as a World Cup victory. On the other hand, contracts generally contain financial penalties or reductions for injury absences or a significant decline in form. With the growth of professional women's soccer leagues, those requirements have evolved to include club play in some cases, but traditionally they have been linked to international competition. 'The biggest companies, especially with women's soccer, are quite obsessed with the national teams,' says Josep M. Figueras, who does not work with Macario but runs the athlete image rights and branding division of Spanish sports and entertainment agency You First. 'These days, with UEFA investing so much, with the Champions League getting a lot of exposure and with the men's teams investing so much, the level of the leagues and the clubs' competitions have increased a lot. And that's why in terms of contracts, you can negotiate even more.' Macario seemed destined for stardom from the moment she arrived at Stanford University eight years ago, eventually leading the Cardinal to national championships in 2017 and 2019, scoring 63 goals in 69 career matches and twice winning the Hermann Trophy, given to the nation's top collegiate soccer player. Since making her debut with the U.S. national team in 2021, she has claimed trophies at the 2021, 2022 and 2024 SheBelieves Cups and a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, although she missed the 2023 Women's World Cup after tearing her ACL the previous June and withdrew from the 2024 Paris Olympics because of knee irritation. At the club level, Macario won France's Première Ligue and the UEFA Women's Champions League with Lyon in 2022. She signed with Chelsea on a free transfer in 2023 and has won titles in England's Women's Super League in each of her two seasons with the team, as well as this year's Women's FA Cup. Now, her Nike deal cements her status as one of the sport's highest-paid players. Between that partnership and her contract with Chelsea, which Forbes estimates is worth roughly $1 million annually, Macario is set to collect at least $2 million during the 2025-26 season. That figure, which does not include pay for her appearances with the U.S. national team or her other sponsorships, would have landed her no lower than fifth on Forbes' list of the highest-paid players at the 2023 Women's World Cup, which was headlined by now-retired American stars Alex Morgan ($7.1 million in total estimated earnings) and Megan Rapinoe ($7 million), followed by Spain's two-time Ballon d'Or Féminin winner Alexia Putellas ($4 million) and U.S. forward Trinity Rodman ($2.3 million). Nike was responsible for another landmark contract in women's soccer when it lured Ada Hegerberg away from Puma in 2020 for a reported $1.1 million over 10 years. Since then, endorsements have only grown more lucrative for female athletes. SponsorUnited found that marketing partnerships in women's sports grew 12% year-over-year in 2024, continuing a years-long run in the double digits, and across Forbes' 2024 list of the world's 20 highest-paid female athletes (from all sports), off-field earnings rose nearly 11%, from a combined $172 million in 2023 to $190.5 million last year. That surge coincides with a broader investment boom in women's sports. The 14 clubs in the National Women's Soccer League are now worth $134 million on average, according to Forbes estimates, an astonishing rise in a sport where franchises had historically traded for less than $5 million. Meanwhile, the popularity of Caitlin Clark, along with broader optimism around women's basketball, has helped send the value of WNBA teams skyrocketing to an average of $272 million. A recent report from Deloitte projects that women's elite sports will collectively record $2.35 billion in global revenue this year, a sizable gain from 2024's $1.88 billion and 2023's $981 million. Apparel and boot deals are seeing similar acceleration. 'You feel that it's not good for a player to sign a deal longer than two or three years because you know that the prices are going to go up,' You First's Figueras says. 'It's growing, and you can feel it.' MORE FROM FORBES Forbes A Whole New Shoe Game For Women By Justin Birnbaum Forbes The World's Highest-Paid Female Athletes 2024 By Brett Knight Forbes The NWSL's Most Valuable Teams 2025 By Brett Knight Forbes Inside Michele Kang's Plan To Revolutionize Women's Soccer: 'Not Some Corporate DEI Project' By Justin Birnbaum
Straits Times
01-06-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Catarina Macario and US women coast past China in friendly
US forward Catarina Macario wheeling away in celebration in a friendly at Allianz Field in Saint Paul, Minnesota, on May 31. PHOTO: AFP – Catarina Macario scored and had an assist for the United States women's national football team as 'security blanket' Naomi Girma made her return during a comfortable 3-0 friendly victory over China in a friendly in Saint Paul, Minnesota, on May 31. It was the 17th win in 21 games for the English coach Emma Hayes, who was tasked with restoring the Americans to the summit of the women's game following their early 2023 World Cup exit. She has already started the revival with gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics. On May 31, the former Chelsea manager hailed the return of defender Girma – the first million-dollar player in women's football history. It was her first appearance for the US in 2025. Hayes said: 'We've missed her... Just in terms of the way we control the game; her, in a deeper space, just making decisions when to play forward, when not to.' Sam Coffey added: 'Having her on the field is like having a security blanket.' Macario scored in the 28th minute and set up Coffey's goal in the 35th minute. Lindsey Heaps made it 3-0 in the 54th minute at Allianz Field. This was the first of five matches for the US ahead of Concacaf qualifying for the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil. Next up for the US are Jamaica in St Louis on May 3. Macario proved she is fully recovered and back to brilliance after an anterior cruciate ligament injury cost her nearly two years of action and saw her miss the 2023 World Cup. She has eight goals and five assists in her past nine starts and was in the right spot at the right time for the opening goal. Macario opened the scoring after 28 minutes, bundling home a close-range finish after good work from Alyssa Thompson. The US doubled their tally seven minutes later with a brilliantly worked goal, which began when the gifted 17-year-old midfielder Lily Yohannes released Thompson down the right, who crossed for Macario. Macario played a short pass into Coffey, who swept home with aplomb. Heaps bagged the US' third in the 54th minute, nodding in past China goalkeeper Pan Hongyan to effectively seal the win. A milestone occurred in the 70th minute when Lo'eau LaBonta replaced Yohannes. LaBonta, 32, became the oldest player to make her US debut, surpassing 30-year-old McCall Zerboni. LaBonta is more than 14 years older than Yohannes. LaBonta said: 'When they called my name, I was sitting being the best cheerleader I could be on the bench. I was like, 'This is amazing. I've never been field view watching the national team'. It was so cool. And they were like, 'Lo, go.' And I was like, 'Go where? All right, let's go!'' REUTERS, AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Sun
01-06-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
USA Women Beat China 3-0 in Friendly Under Emma Hayes
THE UNITED STATES romped to a 3-0 win over China in a women's international football friendly on Saturday, as the former world champions' renaissance under coach Emma Hayes continued. Goals from Catarina Macario, Sam Coffey and Lindsey Heaps delivered a convincing win for the American women, who dominated a fragile Chinese side at Saint Paul, Minnesota. It was the 17th win in 21 games for the USA's English head coach Hayes, who was tasked with restoring the Americans to the summit of the women's game following their early 2023 World Cup exit. Hayes, who led the USA to a gold medal at last year's Olympics, is preparing her squad for this year's qualifiers for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil. The former Chelsea manager would have liked what she saw in a fluid first half performance that saw China's risky tactical decision to play with a high line punished ruthlessly. Macario opened the scoring after 28 minutes, bundling home a close-range finish after good work from Alyssa Thompson. The USA doubled their tally seven minutes later with a brilliantly worked goal, which began when the gifted 17-year-old midfielder Lily Yohannes released Thompson down the right who crossed for Macario. Macario played a short pass into Coffey, who swept home with aplomb. Macario and Heaps both threatened to add to the USA tally with long-range shots that were just off target before half-time. Heaps though bagged the USA's third in the 54th minute, nodding in past China goalkeeper Pan Hongyan to effectively seal the win. The USA face Jamaica in a friendly in on Tuesday,
The Sun
01-06-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
US women cruise past China in friendly win
THE UNITED STATES romped to a 3-0 win over China in a women's international football friendly on Saturday, as the former world champions' renaissance under coach Emma Hayes continued. Goals from Catarina Macario, Sam Coffey and Lindsey Heaps delivered a convincing win for the American women, who dominated a fragile Chinese side at Saint Paul, Minnesota. It was the 17th win in 21 games for the USA's English head coach Hayes, who was tasked with restoring the Americans to the summit of the women's game following their early 2023 World Cup exit. Hayes, who led the USA to a gold medal at last year's Olympics, is preparing her squad for this year's qualifiers for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil. The former Chelsea manager would have liked what she saw in a fluid first half performance that saw China's risky tactical decision to play with a high line punished ruthlessly. Macario opened the scoring after 28 minutes, bundling home a close-range finish after good work from Alyssa Thompson. The USA doubled their tally seven minutes later with a brilliantly worked goal, which began when the gifted 17-year-old midfielder Lily Yohannes released Thompson down the right who crossed for Macario. Macario played a short pass into Coffey, who swept home with aplomb. Macario and Heaps both threatened to add to the USA tally with long-range shots that were just off target before half-time. Heaps though bagged the USA's third in the 54th minute, nodding in past China goalkeeper Pan Hongyan to effectively seal the win. The USA face Jamaica in a friendly in on Tuesday,
France 24
01-06-2025
- Sport
- France 24
US women cruise past China in friendly win
Goals from Catarina Macario, Sam Coffey and Lindsey Heaps delivered a convincing win for the American women, who dominated a fragile Chinese side at Saint Paul, Minnesota. It was the 17th win in 21 games for the USA's English head coach Hayes, who was tasked with restoring the Americans to the summit of the women's game following their early 2023 World Cup exit. Hayes, who led the USA to a gold medal at last year's Olympics, is preparing her squad for this year's qualifiers for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil. The former Chelsea manager would have liked what she saw in a fluid first half performance that saw China's risky tactical decision to play with a high line punished ruthlessly. Macario opened the scoring after 28 minutes, bundling home a close-range finish after good work from Alyssa Thompson. The USA doubled their tally seven minutes later with a brilliantly worked goal, which began when the gifted 17-year-old midfielder Lily Yohannes released Thompson down the right who crossed for Macario. Macario played a short pass into Coffey, who swept home with aplomb. Macario and Heaps both threatened to add to the USA tally with long-range shots that were just off target before half-time. Heaps though bagged the USA's third in the 54th minute, nodding in past China goalkeeper Pan Hongyan to effectively seal the win. The USA face Jamaica in a friendly in on Tuesday.
