Teen No More, Mal Pugh Turns 20

Even though she’s well on her way to being considered a “veteran” of the U.S. WNT after regularly being part of the squad for the last two years and earning 35 caps, it’s easy to forget for as long as we’ve known her – through two U-20 Women’s World Cups, a sparkling WNT debut and a goal in the Olympics – she’s been a teen. Today, the immensely talented forward (who was born in 1998!) leaves life as a teenager and enters her 20s.

In honor of Mallory Pugh’s 20th birthday, we’ve compiled some fun facts about the Highlands Ranch, Colorado native which she added to her resume during her teenage years as part of the senior U.S. WNT.

Pugh’s WNT Career as a Teenager

Age	Caps	Starts	Goals	Assists
17	11	7	2	5
18	11	8	2	5
19	13	12	7	2
TOTAL	35	27	11	12

• On Jan. 23, 2016, against the Republic of Ireland, Pugh entered the game in the second half, coming on for Alex Morgan in the 58th minute. She was 17 years, 8 months and 25 days at the time, thus becoming the youngest player to debut in the last 11 years of the U.S. WNT program. She also became the 19th player to score in her first cap when she added the fifth and final goal of the game in the 83rd minute, a header off an assist from Christen Press.
• She earned her second cap with the WNT on Feb. 10, 2016, coming in for Crystal Dunn in the second half of the USA’s Olympic Qualifying opening match against Costa Rica. With her appearance, she became the youngest player in WNT history to play in an Olympic Qualifying match at 17 years, 9 months and 12 days old. Five days later, on Feb. 15, she earned her first start for the USA, playing 66 minutes against Puerto Rico and contributing with an assist, the first one of her international career.
• Pugh turned 18 on April 29, 2016 and is fifth all-time for most U.S. caps before the age of 18 (11). Third for most goals before the age of 18 (2), fourth in most starts before the age of 18 (7) and first for most assists before the age of 18 (5).

Pugh made her senior debut on Jan. 23, 2016

• Pugh was named to the 18-player U.S. Olympic Women’s Soccer Roster on July 12, 2016, less than six months after making her WNT debut. That made her the second youngest women’s soccer Olympian in U.S. history, and the only amateur player on the roster. Pugh played in three of the four games in Brazil, starting two. Against Colombia on Aug. 9 in Manaus, Pugh, who came in as sub in the 33rd minute, became the youngest player in U.S. history to score at an Olympic Games when she tallied in the 60th minute.
• Also in 2016, Pugh became the first player in U.S. WNT history to play at both an Olympic Games and at a U-20 FIFA Women’s World Cup in the same year, captaining the U.S. team to a fourth-place finish in the latter. Pugh also played in the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup as a 16-year-old, and is still age-eligible for the 2018 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
• In April of 2017, Pugh decided to leave UCLA, which she attended for one academic quarter but never played in an official match, and turn professional. Pugh signed with the Washington Spirit in the NWSL through the league’s allocation process and went on the lead the team in scoring as the youngest player on the roster by far.
• She turned 19 on April 29, 2017 and tied with Mia Hamm for third in U.S. history for goals before age of 19 (four), was fourth in caps (22) and second in starts (15).
• Pugh is the youngest WNT player ever to compile 10 career assists (she currently has 12), surpassing Kristine Lilly.

She scored twice against Mexico in April 2018.

• She is tied with Christie Welsh for third all-time for goals before the age of 20 with 11 (behind Cindy Parlow-15 and Mia Hamm-14), first in assists with 12, second in caps with 35 and second in starts with 27, moving past Hamm (Tiffany Roberts is first with 41).
• Pugh played in 17 games with the senior team in 2016, and started 12 of them. She scored four goals and had seven assists, third most on the team behind Carli Lloyd (11), Crystal Dunn (8) and Tobin Heath (8). In 2017, she played in 12 games, scored two goals and had four assists, second-most on the team behind Megan Rapinoe (5) and tied with Lindsey Horan (4). In 2018, she is tied with Alex Morgan for the team lead in goals with five so far.