Angel City is not wasting any time in filling a major void.
Angel City made a big move on Wednesday to address a huge gap at the forward position, as they announced the acquisition of Sydney Leroux from the Orlando Pride. In exchange for Leroux, Orlando will receive a 2024 first round pick, $75,000 in allocation money plus an additional $10,000 this year and another $10,000 depending on how Leroux performs in Los Angeles.
“We are delighted to welcome Sydney Leroux to Angel City,” ACFC Sporting Director Eniola Aluko in a statement. “Sydney has valuable experience as an NWSL player that will be a great asset to the team. Sydney’s goal-scoring ability, her tenacity, and her passion on the field will be exciting for our fans to watch. We are also delighted to add another mother of two beautiful children to our team and organization.”
The need for a forward, particularly a forward of Leroux’s caliber became urgent for Angel City as far back as early June when Christen Press was lost for the season after she tore her ACL in the team’s 3-2 win over Racing Louisville back on June 11. Press’ absence in Angel City’s attack was apparent in its first game without her, a 1-0 loss to OL Reign in Seattle back on June 18, where despite holding the Reign to that one goal, Angel City was unable to capitalize on offensive end.
Leroux has been one of the top goal scorers in NWSL since the league’s inception. Leroux has played 120 NWSL matches and scored 39 goals for five different teams. Leroux’s most successful stint was her most recent stint, which was with the Pride going as far back as 2018, in which she scored 16 goals in 53 matches. Angel City fans got a glimpse of Leroux’s goal-scoring ability back on May 8, as she scored the lone goal in Orlando’s win over Angel City at Banc of California Stadium. Leroux is also familiar with Southern California, as she played her college soccer at UCLA.
“I am so excited to be a part of Angel City and everything being built with this club,” Leroux said in a statement. “The atmosphere I felt playing at the Banc [of California Stadium]on Mother’s Day was unbelievable. It really feels like I’m coming home, between going to UCLA and living in LA. Angel City is truly putting women’s soccer on the map in Los Angeles and it shows if you invest in women, great things will happen. I am excited to be a part of that.”
Born in Surrey, British Columbia, Leroux started her international career with Canada’s youth national program, but shortly after switched to the United States. Leroux has earned 77 caps for the USWNT and scored 35 goals. Leroux was on the USWNT’s Olympic goal medal squad in the 2012 London Olympics and its World Cup winning squad in Canada in 2015.
Angel City FC
