Olympic Gold Medalist to join Wave FC on two-year deal

SAN DIEGO (Feb. 24, 2025) – San Diego Wave FC announced today the Club has acquired Olympic gold medalist and Canadian international forward Adriana Leon via transfer from Aston Villa of the Women’s Super League (WSL) for an undisclosed fee. Her contract with the Club includes a two-year deal through the 2026 season with a mutual option for 2027, pending receipt of her P-1 Visa and International Transfer Certificate (ITC). 

“Adriana is a fantastic addition to our team, bringing a dynamic attacking presence and a wealth of experience at the highest levels,” said Sporting Director and General Manager Camille Ashton. “She is a proven playmaker with technical quality, creativity, and a relentless work ethic that will complement our style of play. Her experience in top leagues and on the international stage will be invaluable, and we’re excited to welcome her and see the immediate impact she’ll have both on and off the field.”

Leon, 32, made her international debut with the Canadian Women’s National Team at 20 years old. Leon has 121 appearances (64 starts), 41 goals, and eight assists for Canada and is currently the nation’s all-time leading active goal scorer across both the men’s and women’s national teams. She was a vital contributor to Canada’s gold medal-winning campaign at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, appearing in all six matches, including scoring a decisive penalty in the shootout victory over Sweden in the final. She has also represented her country in three FIFA World Cups (2015, 2019, 2023), the 2024 Paris Olympics and helped secure three Concacaf silver medals. Last year, she was named 2024 Gold Cup Golden Boot winner and led Canada in scoring throughout 2024 with 10 international goals, the most in a single calendar year for her career. 

“I’m incredibly excited to join San Diego Wave FC and can’t wait to get to work with my new teammates,” Leon said. “This is a Club with big ambitions, and I’m ready to give everything I have to help the team succeed. The passion of the fans and the energy around this city make it an amazing place to play, and I’m looking forward to stepping on the field and representing San Diego with pride.”

At the club level, Leon has built an impressive professional career across both the WSL and NWSL. The forward spent six seasons in the NWSL playing for the Boston Breakers (2013), Chicago Red Stars (2013-15), Western New York Flash (2015), Seattle Reign (2017), and Sky Blue FC (2018). She also had a brief loan spell in 2016 with FC Zürich, where she scored three goals and tallied three assists in the UEFA Champions League, in addition to one goal and three assists in the Swiss Cup.

Leon made the move to the WSL in 2018, where she has spent nearly eight years of her career, making 77 appearances, scoring 19 goals, and providing four assists across three clubs – West Ham (2018-22), Manchester United (2022-23) and Aston Villa (2023-25). In 2023, while at United, Leon made a brief return to the NWSL on a three-month loan with the Portland Thorns, making five appearances in her stint.

Leon will occupy an international roster slot on the Wave’s roster in 2025. 

Transaction: San Diego Wave FC acquire Adriana Leon via transfer from Aston Villa on a two-year contract with a mutual option for 2027.

Name: Adriana Leon
Position: Forward
Height: 5-3
Date of Birth: Oct. 2, 1992
Hometown: Ontario, Canada
Citizenship: Canada
Last Club: Aston Villa