Trinity Rodman is a rarity in soccer.
At the age of 18, before playing a single minute of university soccer, Rodman felt it was already time to go pro.
According to Sportico, Trinity just recently signed a four-year contract extension with the Washington Spirits, worth $1.1 million. She’s the highest-paid player within the National Women’s Soccer League. She will make an estimated $281,000 annually.
In 2021, Rodman joined the NWSL with a base salary of $42,000 plus housing and bonuses on a three-year deal, becoming the youngest player to be drafted. After a breakout season where she started 22 of 25 games, Rodman was awarded Rookie of the Year by NWSL along with US Soccer’s Young Player of the Year. She was also one of only two players on her team given the chance to attend US Women’s National Team training camp; since then she has been nominated for Ballon d’Or 2022—the top-tier distinction for soccer players across the globe.
"We're incredibly excited to have Trin as a part of the Spirit family for at least the next three seasons," Spirit coach Kris Ward said. "She has a truly special career ahead of her and makes us a better club on all fronts."
The Washington Post reports that Rodman signed a contract last year with the NWSL, earning $42,000 per season in base salary plus housing and bonuses. It was on par with other players in the league. Octagon Soccer, Rodman's agency confirmed that she is the league's highest paid player.
In late January, Trinity accepted her first USWNT call-up. She has nine career U20 international goals in just seven caps and likely would have played in the 2020 FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup had it not been canceled because of the pandemic.
"She was one of the most exciting players in the league this past season, and she proved that she can be impactful at the professional level in NWSL," USWNT coach Vlatko Andonovski said of Rodman.
The Spirit were able to pay Rodman above the league's maximum salary by using allocation money, which is a spending allowance beyond salary limits and team budget caps.
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