Catarina Macario
PRONUNCIATION:
HEIGHT:
5’5"
DOB:
Oct. 4, 1999
HOMETOWN:
San Diego, California
COLLEGE:
Stanford
POSITION:
Forward
JERSEY NUMBER:
20
AGE:
CITIZENSHIP:
USA, Brazil
LAST CLUB:
Chelsea FC
HOW ACQUIRED:
Signed a contract through the 2030 season under the NWSL’s new High Impact Player Rule, marking one of the largest contracts in women’s soccer history.
Macario, 26, joins San Diego with extensive experience competing at the highest levels in the world. Since making her professional debut in 2021, she has made 105 appearances across all competitions, scoring 44 goals while winning nine major trophies during that stretch. Additionally, the forward has earned 29 caps for the USWNT, scoring 16 goals and establishing herself as one of the nation’s most prolific scorers in recent years, including leading the team with eight goals in 10 matches in 2025.
Macario originally rose to prominence in college soccer at Stanford University, where she won two NCAA Championships (2017, 2019) and claimed the MAC Hermann Trophy twice (2018, 2019) as the nation’s top player. She turned professional with OL Lyonnes in January 2021, quickly becoming a key part of one of Europe’s most dominant teams. In her time with Lyon (2021-2023), she contributed to a UEFA Women’s Champions League title (2021-22), two Première Ligue championships (2021–22, 2022–23), the Coupe de France (2022–23), and the Trophée des Championnes (2022–23).
Macario joined Chelsea in the summer of 2023, helping the club secure back-to-back Women’s Super League titles (2023-24, 2024-25), along with an FA Women’s Cup (2024-25), and Women’s League Cup (2024-25) during her time in London.
On the international stage, Macario has scored 16 times in 29 appearances for the USWNT since her debut in 2021. She was also a member of the U.S. Olympic Team at the 2020 Tokyo Games, where the United States earned a bronze medal.
