Micayla Johnson

Micayla Johnson
Johnson with the Chicago Stars in 2025
Personal information
Full name Micayla Elaine Johnson
Date of birth (2008-01-18) January 18, 2008 (age 18)
Height 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Position Forward
Team information
Current team
 Chicago Stars
Number 23
Youth career
Nationals Soccer
2023–2024 Michigan Hawks
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2025– Chicago Stars 32 (1)
International career‡
2023 United States U-15 2 (2)
2024 United States U-16 4 (3)
2024–2025 United States U-17 15 (7)
2026– United States U-19 4 (2)
2026– United States U-20 8 (4)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of August 29, 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of September 16, 2026

Micayla Elaine Johnson (born January 18, 2008) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for Chicago Stars FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She signed with the Stars at age 17 in 2025. She won bronze with the United States at the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.

Early life

Johnson grew up in Troy, Michigan, where she attended Troy High School. She helped Nationals Soccer win the Girls Academy (GA) under-14 national title in 2022, earning the Golden Boot as the tournament's top scorer. In 2023, she won the GA Champions Cup with the club. Later that year, she joined Michigan Hawks and led the club to the ECNL under-15 national title. She trained with the NWSL's Racing Louisville FC as a non-roster invitee in the 2024 preseason. Before she went pro, she was committed to play college soccer for the Florida State Seminoles.

Club career

Chicago Stars FC announced on January 24, 2025, that they had signed Johnson to her first professional contract on a three-year deal. She made her professional debut in the season opener, coming on as a second-half substitute for Nádia Gomes in a 6–0 defeat to defending champions Orlando Pride. On October 5, she scored her first professional goal with the late 2–2 equalizer against the Utah Royals; it was her last appearance of the year before departing for the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.

On August 23, 2026, Johnson made her first professional start in a 3–2 victory over Racing Louisville, playing 65 minutes in the Stars' first win under interim head coach Karina Báez.

International career

Johnson began training with the United States under-15 team in 2023. She helped the under-16 team win the UEFA Friendship Tournament in Turkey in 2024, scoring three goals in the friendly event. She appeared in all six games for the under-17s at the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in the Dominican Republic, scoring in a 2–0 win against Colombia, as the United States placed third, its best result since 2008.

The following year, Johnson scored four goals and added two assists in the CONCACAF qualifiers for the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. During that year's U-17 World Cup in Morocco, she scored two goals in four games and became the first American to score in consecutive editions of the competition. In the round of 16 against the Netherlands, she scored a stunning 1–1 equalizer from distance, then converted a penalty in the resulting shutout loss.

Johnson scored twice in four games for the under-20 team at the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Poland, becoming the first American to score at youth World Cups in three consecutive years. Brazil eliminated the United States on penalties in the round of 16.

Honors

United States U-17

References

  1. 1 2 "FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Dominican Republic 2024 – USA Squad List" (PDF). FIFA. p. 15. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  2. ↑ Everson, Bryan (August 14, 2025). "Baumann, Ingles among local girls soccer products continuing to thrive". The Oakland Press. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  3. ↑ Clark, Travis (July 11, 2022). "Girls Academy National Finals Recap". TopDrawerSoccer. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
  4. ↑ Clark, Travis (March 15, 2023). "Girls Academy Champions Cup Final Recaps". TopDrawerSoccer. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  5. ↑ Olorunfemi, Victor (December 27, 2023). "23 Female Players That Dominated 2023". TopDrawerSoccer. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
  6. ↑ "Racing adds two to preseason roster for Colombia trip". Racing Louisville FC. February 20, 2024. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
  7. ↑ "SIMA Recruiting Roundup: May 20–26". TopDrawerSoccer. May 20, 2024. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
  8. ↑ "Chicago Stars FC Signs Forward, Micayla Johnson". Chicago Stars FC. January 24, 2025. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
  9. ↑ "Micayla Johnson 2025 Match Logs". FBref.com. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  10. ↑ Chatz, Joe (October 5, 2025). "Chicago Stars FC Salvage 2-2 Result vs Utah Royals After Two Late Goals". On Tap Sports Net. Retrieved October 19, 2025.
  11. ↑ "Chicago Stars FC Earns 3-2 Victory Over Racing Louisville FC". Chicago Stars FC. August 23, 2026. Retrieved September 16, 2026.
  12. ↑ "Twenty-three Players Called to U15 GNT Camp". United States Soccer Federation. February 7, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2025 – via TopDrawerSoccer.
  13. ↑ "U.S. Under-16 Women's Youth National Team Wins UEFA Friendship Tournament in Turkey, Besting Paraguay 4-2 in a Penalty Shootout". United States Soccer Federation. April 18, 2024. Retrieved October 1, 2025.
  14. ↑ "USA Defeats England 3–0 to Take Third Place at 2024 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup". United States Soccer Federation. November 3, 2024. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  15. ↑ "U17 WNT Qualifies for 2025 World Cup". United States Soccer Federation. April 6, 2025. Retrieved October 19, 2025 – via TopDrawerSoccer.
  16. 1 2 "U.S. U-17 Women's National Team Falls to Netherlands in Penalty Kicks in Round of 16 at 2025 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Morocco". United States Soccer Federation. October 28, 2025. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  17. 1 2 "U.S. Under-20 Women's National Team Falls to Brazil in Penalty Kicks in Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup". United States Soccer Federation. September 16, 2026. Retrieved September 16, 2026.