”It’s an honour to be given this opportunity,” Clegg told the Herald.
“It was obviously a huge dream of mine and for it to be happening is amazing and there are no words to describe it, really. I’m over the moon. Such a quality league with some of the world’s best players, some players I’ve been looking up to since childhood.”
The move continues Clegg’s rapid footballing ascension and it’s hard to think of another Kiwi female who has climbed the ladder so quickly. Less than 18 months ago, Clegg was still playing club football in Auckland, while studying at Mt Albert Grammar, before signing with the Wellington Phoenix last November.
She gained one of the last squad spots but made an instant impression, finishing as the leading scorer last season, despite mainly being used in a wide role.
Clegg made her Ferns debut last April – and was then selected for the Women’s World Cup squad – before agreeing to a move to Western Sydney Wanderers last July, with then-Wanderers coach Kat Smith describing her as “the best centre forward prospect New Zealand has produced in at least a decade”.
”It’s crazy to think about,” said Clegg. “Even when I was in Sydney there was a lot of time to reflect and it’s amazing to have all these opportunities coming to me and quite quickly, but that’s been my dream and I am kind of living the dream right now. I’m very grateful for the opportunities that I have been given and the path that has led me here.”
Clegg made her mark on the global stage in 2022, when she impressed at the Fifa Under-20 World Cup in Costa Rica that August (as a 16-year-old), then stood out at the Fifa Under-17 World Cup in India three months later.
”A lot of hard work I’ve put in,” said Clegg, when asked about the recipe for her success. “Doing well under pressure at World Cups probably helped me, various factors, but a lot of dedication and hard work has helped me the most.”
The signing is even more remarkable given Clegg has only taken the field once for Western Sydney. She couldn’t play until her 18th birthday – due to minimum age requirements for visa players – then injured her hamstring in her first appearance in early November. After taking time to recover, Clegg then tweaked her hamstring again in a training session, days before she was meant to return to first-team action.
But she had been monitored by Racing Louisville for quite some time and put Clegg on their “discovery list” last July.
”They reached out to my agent and then it progressed from there,” said Clegg.
“I signed part of the contract when I turned 18 and the rest a few days ago,” said Clegg.
The former Ellerslie and Bucklands Beach striker also took the advice of former Fern’s captain Abby Erceg, who has been at the Kentucky-based club since last January.
”I spoke to her when I was in talks with them,” said Clegg.
“She was amazing; I hadn’t met her before but I had looked up to her all my childhood, especially with her being the captain for a long time. She told me all about Louisville and how much she enjoyed it. It was amazing to have a Kiwi perspective.”
Due to her current injury, Clegg has agreed to a mutual termination of her contract with Western Sydney. She currently is back in Auckland, where she will complete further rehabilitation before relocating to the US at the end of next month, a few weeks before the new season starts.
She admits the spell in Sydney has been immensely frustrating but has no regrets about the move.
“That’s life as a footballer … I’m looking forward to being back on the pitch as soon as possible.
”It was amazing to live in one of the best cities in the world and I met a lot of people that I am really good friends with now,” said Clegg.
”Pre-season was great and then these injuries struck, which made it quite hard but it was a good lesson. There were lots of lessons learned and it was a good challenge for me to live away from home, especially with the adversity that I faced.”
Clegg will be one of only three Kiwis in the National Women’s Soccer League, with Erceg and Ferns captain Ali Riley (Angel City FC). Racing Louisville FC is an expansion team, established in 2021. They have finished 9th in each of their three seasons and play at the purpose-built 15,000-capacity Lynn Family Stadium.
”Everything has happened pretty quicky,” said Clegg. “I am very excited to get over there as soon as possible.”
Sportswriter Michael Burgess covers league and football for the Herald.
