The San Diego Wave has secured former Chelsea forward Catarina Macario on a contract extending through the 2030 NWSL season. The 26-year-old U.S. Women's National Team player returns to her childhood home where she developed as a youth player.
On Friday, the San Diego Wave revealed they have acquired former Chelsea forward Catarina Macario for their roster.
The 26-year-old veteran of the U.S. Women’s National Team has committed to a contract that runs through the 2030 NWSL season.
Born in Brazil but raised in the San Diego region, Macario developed her skills with local youth clubs before starring at Stanford University.
In a video statement from the Wave, Macario expressed her emotions about returning home: “It’s amazing to see all of (my family’s) sacrifices paying off. San Diego means so much to me. It’s where I grew up. It’s where I became a young woman, where I learned to speak English and made lifelong friends. To be back here and actually represent the city and play for San Diego, it means a lot to me.”
Following her collegiate success where she captured consecutive MAC Hermann awards as the top player in the nation during 2018 and 2019, plus helped Stanford claim NCAA titles in 2017 and 2019, Macario took her talents overseas to compete professionally with Lyon in France from 2021-2023, then with Chelsea in England from 2023-2026.
On the international stage, Macario has contributed 16 goals and five assists across 29 matches for the USWNT after gaining American citizenship in 2020. Her achievements include earning a bronze medal during the Tokyo Olympic Games.
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