2024 Washington Spirit season explained

The 2024 Washington Spirit season is the team's twelfth season as a professional women's soccer team. The Spirit play in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the top tier of women's soccer in the United States.

Background

See also: 2023 Washington Spirit season.

The Spirit finished the 2023 National Women's Soccer League season in 8th place of 12 teams. The top six teams qualified for the NWSL playoffs, and the Spirit ended one point out of playoff contention. On October 17, 2023, two days following the team's final defeat against North Carolina Courage, the team released head coach Mark Parsons from his duties after one season.^{[1] [2]}

Hirings

On January 9, 2024, the Spirit announced the hiring of FC Barcelona Femení manager Jonatan Giráldez as the club's head coach, to arrive in June following the conclusion of the 2023–24 UEFA Women's Champions League, which Barcelona won. Adrián González, formerly manager of RCD Espanyol Femení, served as interim head coach until Giráldez's arrival and remained with the staff as an assistant coach.^{[3] [4]}

Stadium and facilities

The Spirit continued to play in Audi Field, their full-time home since the team's 2022 season, and trained at the United Performance Center in Leesburg, Virginia, a facility shared with D.C. United, D.C. United's youth academy, and Loudoun United FC.^{[5] [6]}

Broadcasting

In addition to the league's national and international broadcast agreements, ten Spirit matches of the 2024 season aired on the regional Monumental Sports Network.^[7]

Team

Staff

Players

^{[8] [9]}

Competitions

Regular season

See main article: 2024 National Women's Soccer League season.

Results by matchday

Playoffs

The Spirit finished the regular season in 2nd place and qualified for the NWSL playoffs as the second-seeded of eight teams.

Matches

NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup

See main article: 2024 NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup.

The Spirit finished last in Group D of the Summer Cup and failed to advance to the tournament knockout stage.

Group stage standings

See main article: 2024 NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup group stage.

Group stage matches

Awards

NWSL annual awards

See main article: NWSL awards.

• 2024 NWSL Rookie of the Year: Croix Bethune^[10]
• 2024 NWSL Best XI: Casey Krueger, Croix Bethune, Trinity Rodman^[11]
• 2024 NWSL Second XI: Tara McKeown, Hal Hershfelt^[11]

NWSL monthly awards

Best XI of the Month

Month			Player
March/ April	DF		Casey Krueger	[12]
	MF		Croix Bethune
May	DF		Croix Bethune (2)	[13]
	FW		Ouleymata Sarr
June	DF		Casey Krueger (2)	[14]
	MF		Croix Bethune (3)
September	FW		Trinity Rodman	[15]
October/ November	FW		Makenna Morris	[16]

Rookie of the Month

Month! style="background:#000; color:#fff;" scope="col"

	Rookie of the Month		Statline
March/April			Croix Bethune	Led rookies with 3 goals, 2 assists in 5 matches	[17]
May				1 goal, 7 assists in 5 matches; set rookie record for assists in a season; first rookie to score 3 assists in a match	[18]
June				1 goal, 1 assist; first rookie to win award in three consecutive months	[19]
August				1 assist, tying all-time record for assists in a season; first rookie to win award four times in one season	[20]
October/November				3 goals, 1 assist; brace vs. LOU was only multi-goal match for a rookie during the season	[21]

Weekly awards

Week! scope="col"

Winner
12		[22]
13	Trinity Rodman	[23]
19	Trinity Rodman (2)	[24]

Week! scope="col"

Winner
3	Aubrey Kingsbury	[25]
21	Aubrey Kingsbury (2)	[26]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Diamond . Drew . October 18, 2023 . Washington Spirit sack Mark Parsons after second stint in charge . October 23, 2023 . Her Football Hub . en-GB . October 24, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231024021005/https://herfootballhub.com/washington-spirit-part-ways-with-mark-parsons-after-second-stint-as-manager/ . live.
2. October 17, 2023 . Head Coach Mark Parsons Will Not Return to Washington Spirit for 2024 Season . October 20, 2023 . Washington Spirit . en-US . October 17, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231017211250/https://washingtonspirit.com/blog/2023/10/17/head-coach-mark-parsons-will-not-return-to-washington-spirit-for-2024-season/ . live.
3. News: Jonatan Giráldez built his life around soccer. Now he’s a coaching prodigy. . June 28, 2024 . October 21, 2024 . . Thomas . Floyd . subscription.
4. Washington Spirit . January 9, 2024 . Washington Spirit Names FC Barcelona Femení's Jonatan Giráldez Costas New Head Coach . October 21, 2024 . en-US . January 9, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240109203939/https://washingtonspirit.com/blog/2024/01/09/washington-spirit-names-fc-barcelona-femenis-jonatan-giraldez-costas-new-head-coach/ . live .
5. Web site: Fleming . Margaret . March 17, 2024 . The Washington Spirit are ready to move forward . The Equalizer . May 26, 2024 . en-US . subscription.
6. Washington Spirit to play 2020 games at Audi Field, Segra Field and the Maryland SoccerPlex . November 12, 2019 . Washington Spirit . November 14, 2019 . November 18, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191118043934/https://washingtonspirit.com/2019/11/12/washington-spirit-to-play-2020-games-at-audi-field-segra-field-and-the-maryland-soccerplex/ . live .
7. Web site: Monumental Sports Network & Washington Spirit Announce Regional Broadcast Partnership for 2024 Season. March 8, 2024 .
8. Web site: Roster – Washington Spirit. Washington Spirit. July 6, 2023. May 13, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200513104946/https://washingtonspirit.com/roster/. live.
9. Web site: Washington Spirit Announces 24-Player Roster Ahead of Season Kickoff . March 13, 2024 . Washington Spirit.
10. Washington Spirit Midfielder Croix Bethune Named 2024 NWSL Rookie Of The Year, Presented By Ally Financial . November 19, 2024 . November 19, 2024 . National Women's Soccer League.
11. NWSL Announces Winners of 2024 NWSL Best XI Awards, presented by Amazon Prime . November 18, 2024 . November 18, 2024 . National Women's Soccer League.
12. NWSL Announces March/April Best XI of the Month, Presented by Amazon Prime. . May 7, 2024 . May 7, 2024.
13. NWSL Announces May Best XI of the Month, Presented by Amazon Prime. . June 7, 2024 . June 7, 2024.
14. NWSL Announces June Best XI of the Month, Presented by Amazon Prime. . July 12, 2024 . July 12, 2024.
15. NWSL Announces September Best XI of the Month, presented by Amazon Prime. . October 4, 2024 . October 4, 2024.
16. NWSL Announces October and November Best XI of the Month, presented by Amazon Prime . . November 8, 2024 . November 8, 2024.
17. Washington Spirit Midfielder Croix Bethune Named March/April Rookie of the Month, Presented by Ally . . May 7, 2024 . May 7, 2024.
18. Washington Spirit Midfielder Croix Bethune Named May Rookie of the Month, Presented by Ally . . June 6, 2024 . June 6, 2024.
19. Washington Spirit Midfielder Croix Bethune Named June’s NWSL Rookie of the Month, Presented by Ally. . July 11, 2024 . July 11, 2024.
20. Washington Spirit Midfielder Croix Bethune Named August Rookie of the Month, Presented by Ally . . September 5, 2024 . September 5, 2024.
21. Washington Spirit Forward Makenna Morris Named October and November Rookie of the Month, presented by Ally . . November 7, 2024 . November 7, 2024.
22. National Women's Soccer League . National Women's Soccer League . NWSL . 1803163469849518220 . WHAT CAN’T SHE DO, SHE’S CROIX BETHUNE ‼️. en.
23. National Women's Soccer League . National Women's Soccer League . NWSL . 1805727822201434243 . Trinity Rodman’s rocket of a finish wins her Goal of the Week!!! . en.
24. National Women's Soccer League . National Women's Soccer League . NWSL . 1836488961080086609 . Trin Spin ➡️ Upper 90 finish . en.
25. National Women's Soccer League . National Women's Soccer League . NWSL . 1775275989087772726 . April 2, 2024 . Not just 1 but TWO big saves from Aubrey Kingsbury. en.
26. National Women's Soccer League . National Women's Soccer League . NWSL . 1841249341685559739 . DENIED BY KINGSBURY ❌ . en.