Christen Press was one of the biggest headline signings to Angel City FC ahead of their inaugural season in 2022. Then disaster hit for both Press and the club: In June of 2022, the veteran tore her ACL in a game against Racing Louisville.
She wound up missing all of 2023 and only returned to lineup towards the end of the 2024 season. After a healthy offseason, though, she has now played in nine games so far in 2025 and has begun to show some glimmers of the old Press.
That player was a staple on the United States National Women's Team between 2013 and 2021. She won two World Cups and a bronze model at the 2021 Olympics, establishing herself as one of the more prolific goal scorers in program history.
She has played professionally in both the United States and Europe, and twice has been named NWSL Player of the Month in her career. Her role now, though, has changed: She has returned and provided many valuable minutes off the bench for Angel City, an elder stateswoman looked upon to mentor a young roster.
She has scored twice since her return in 2024 and now is becoming a role model for young stars to the team and the league.
Christen Press relishing one more opportunity with Angel City in 2025
One player Press seems to be taking a keen eye on helping is Alyssa Thompson. Thompson is a star of both the NWSL and USWNT; their club relationship seems only fitting as almost a passing of the torch between the two.
“The thing that I’m good at is scoring goals. It is an art and I love it,” Press told the LA Times. “I’m now kind of showing Alyssa how I trained to become a goal scorer. How you can think about goal-scoring in a very nuanced and methodical way."
In addition to her one goal this season, she has eight shots thus far. It is impressive that she stills knows how to generate chances even despite the fact that she is mainly playing as a substitute at this point.
Now as her career is winding down, she appreciates the chance in front of her as 2025 continues on. "I think about ‘Wow, what an opportunity to show the next generation that this can — and should be — fun and rewarding and it’s a gift that we get to chase greatness,'" Press said.
Now her legacy is steeped in what will come next for Angel City. They currently are in a playoff spot and Press would love to lead them into the postseason in what may be her final season.