Having made the courageous step to join Chelsea last summer, Alyssa Thompson is happy with her progress in a blue shirt and is hungry to achieve even more next season.
The 21-year-old finished as our second-highest goalscorer, netting nine in all competitions during her maiden campaign in England.
While she understands this was a transitional season for the club as a whole, she explains how the team have built resilience through the challenges they have faced in 2025/26, and will take those positives forward.
‘As a team, we left a lot that we wanted this season on the table,’ she said. ‘And from what I hear, that’s not what Chelsea is about as a club. We have always won a lot of trophies, and being top of the league is something that's really important.
‘I think it was disappointing in that sense, but I know as a team, we stuck together through it all. We had a lot of adversity, and I think we leaned on each other a lot.
‘So I know that next season, whatever comes our way, we have each other, but also we know we can get out of it and still be a great team even if there are a lot of things happening around us.’
Thompson has already spoken about her first Women’s Super League goal for Chelsea, and how that moment against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in November kickstarted her confidence.
Now no longer a newcomer in the team, she can go full steam ahead into next season, without a lengthy settling-in period having moved thousands of miles from her Los Angeles home.
‘I feel like I did a lot better than I thought I would,’ Thompson said. ‘Being able to come to Chelsea was an honour and a privilege, and I was so excited to join this team and get better every day.
‘I feel like as a forward, you always want to score. My first goal with Chelsea was amazing. Being able to contribute to the team in a way that I didn't think I would was really nice. It was a good way to get me into the team and have my team-mates respect me and know who I am on and off the field, which was really nice.
‘It's always nice once you’ve stopped being the newest player at the club. People on the team know you, and it's easier to be yourself.
‘I was super nervous coming in, so just having a year under my belt, knowing what to expect and having the same players around me will be really nice to go into next season and focus just on playing my best.’
The NWSL regular season begins in March and ends in November, meaning Thompson joined Chelsea in August having already played for six months for her previous club, Angel City FC.
That means there is finally time for the pacy forward to enjoy some much-needed rest before we get back to the action in 2026/27.
‘I've been playing for so long, since my last season at Angel City,’ she says. ‘Then I went straight into this season with Chelsea. I’m definitely excited to have a break and go home and chill.
‘I am going to go to LA and hang out with my family. Just spend the time there, catch up with friends and everything.’
Looking ahead to her second season with the Blues means more ambition and a chance to play each of our WSL home games at Stamford Bridge.
Having played at the Bridge on several occasions this season, Thompson is looking forward to the opportunities the move will bring.
‘My hopes for next season are for us to win more trophies than we did this year,’ she smiles. ‘I think that's doable. I want us to be a force in the league and in the Champions League, so hopefully we can do better in that.
‘I want to play my best, get better and do better than I did this season. I just want to help the team in any way that I can, and I hope that means winning more trophies with my team-mates.
‘I'm definitely looking forward to playing at Stamford Bridge. I love playing there. I feel like you can feel the energy from the fans. The pitch is amazing. As a player, I love having a lot of space to get in behind or take people on. It's helpful for me to be playing on a bigger field.
‘I just love the atmosphere there, and I feel like people are excited to watch us play. It’s so cool. I think we played our best football there last season.'