Who is Rhea Moore? Dallas Trinity teen makes NWSL history with debut goal

15 years and 332 days. That's how old Rhea Moore was when she made her professional debut in Saturday's USL Super League match-up between Sporting Jacksonville and Dallas Trinity.

The score was level when Moore came on for Dallas Trinity's Tâmara Paranaguá in the 74th minute. She would need just seven minutes to announce herself, recovering the ball on the edge of the box, taking aim and launching a powerful shot towards the near post to score the only goal of the match.

It wasn't just a decisive goal; it was an historic goal. Moore became the youngest scorer in the entire history of women's professional soccer in the United States, breaking the record set one week ago by the 16-year-old Utah Royals’ forward KK Ream in the National Women’s Soccer League.

15-year-old Rhea Moore making waves in NWSL

Born and raised in Sacramento, Moore played youth soccer for San Juan Soccer Club and excelled as one of the top players in the area, prompting the attention of Dallas Trinity coach Chris Petrucelli.

Impressed by her family's clear vision for Rhea’s career path as well as her own individual skills, Petrucelli wasted no time in bringing her to the club. Rhea left California for the first time in her life and started a new journey in Texas, joining the club on July 9.

“Coming to Dallas, I was coming in with the mindset of being a sponge and just taking everything in and training with pros,” Moore told The Athletic.

"[Scoring my debut goal] was like a dream come true, really, and it was just amazing having the team there and celebrating."

Moore may have announced herself on the national stage this week, but her rise has been a long time in the making.

She earned a spot on the ODP National Select Team in 2023, showcasing her elite skills with the U-16s and U-17s and demonstrating why she could have a bright future at the club and international level.

The following two years would see Moore make the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) U-15 Playoffs Best XI, as well as win an ECNL event and be invited for the ECNL Phoenix Showcase, in addition to making the NorCal State Roster, winning the Gothia Cup, and making the U-16 All American Team.

You don't need to be a professional scout to see that Moore is a special talent, who thrives at opening up her body and whipping in a dangerous shot from distance.

Rhea Moore | Striker | San Juan Soccer Club | ODP U14 National Team - YouTube

Watch On

Not only does she strike the ball well with impressive accuracy, she's always ready to pounce on an opponent's mistake or a loose ball and pull the trigger with either her left foot or her weaker right.

It's these superb goal-scoring attributes that have seen her emerge as one of the top forwards of her age group and become a regular inclusion in U.S. Youth National Team camps.

Due to the fact she is registered as an Academy Player, Moore will be able to compete at the professional level for Dallas without jeopardizing her collegiate eligibility.

When she graduates high school in 2027, she will return to her home state and join the University of Southern California women's soccer team.

Rhea has spent the past few months adjusting to a new life in Texas, getting to grips with the demands of professional soccer, taking online classes, and touring various colleges before recently committing to USC.

She's had to make a lot of sacrifices from missing school dances to leaving her friend group behind. Slowly but surely, these sacrifices are beginning to pay off.