It’s far too early to call the 2024 NWSL Rookie of the Year race, but Washington Spirit playmaker Croix Bethune has emerged as a clear frontrunner.
The Georgia native was pivotal as the Spirit claimed an impressive 2-0 home win over NJ/NY Gotham FC before 15,004 at Audi Field. Bethune scored a highlight-reel goal to give Washington a deserved first-half lead, and then an attempted audacious volley ended up winning a penalty kick that Ashley Hatch converted to seal the win.
“She did an amazing job today, again, a really good performance,” Spirit coach Adrián González told reporters after the match. “I think she’s very intelligent, she can identify [dangerous] spaces.”
Bethune added three successful dribbles and won four fouls, giving Gotham fits throughout the match. The 23-year-old has scored three times in five games to start her professional career, developing obvious on-field chemistry with U.S. women’s national team star Trinity Rodman in the process.
Bethune is now the team’s leading goalscorer, but there’s an added “wow” factor in her play that sets her current trajectory beyond being a name that reliably appears in box scores.
Her goal against Gotham involved the finer points of modern soccer, as she found a pocket early against an organized Bats side, showing the field sense and technique to dodge a collapsing defense.
Pair that with the precision and power to beat Cassie Miller from 24 yards, and you have the ingredients for a place on an NWSL Best 11, not to mention the USWNT.
Receives the ball in half space, turns, beats 2 players &smacks this shot w her weak foot on a crazy angle into the near post. PLUS she makes the mid fielder & center back make the decision on who steps to her. Prob 1 of the best rookies I’ve seen in @nwsl history. EMMA HAYES 👀 https://t.co/kSW2JbffYs
— Jessica McDonald (@J_Mac1422) April 20, 2024
Bethune’s other goals were just as impressive: a perfectly-timed run to get wide open and cap off a 3-1 triumph over the Houston Dash on April 12, and an audacious bit of improv to juggle and juke through Bay FC’s defense and bag a last-gasp winner on March 23.
Washington’s veterans see Bethune every day, and they’re just as impressed as everyone else.
“I mean, right away, you could just tell she’s a special player, technically very gifted,” Spirit and USWNT defender Casey Krueger told reporters in a mixed zone interview. “I think as time has gone on, she’s just continuing to find the dangerous spaces. And then her confidence I think is just really through the roof. She’s been unbelievable.”
“She’s hit the ground running, which is pretty impressive,” added Andi Sullivan. “I think what I love about Croix is, she’s so creative, but she’s so strong, and she’s so smart. And she knows when to play simple, and she knows when to just do her own thing.”
Bethune, meanwhile, pivoted quickly away from what she did on the goal to highlight the sequence that came before it, which saw the Spirit methodically maneuver through Gotham’s midfield.
“It really started off of Andi’s pickup from defense,” said Bethune in a post-match press conference. “From her to pick it up and us switching it, and Hal [Hershfelt] finding me just to beat the player, and then…” — the rookie allowed herself just the slightest grin — “Strike it, back of the net.”
It’s telling how quickly the tone has changed in Washington, where a draft-day trade of the club’s previous playmaker Ashley Sanchez went down like a lead balloon with fans. 2024 figured to be a season of uncertainty with an influx of rookies and newcomers, and an unorthodox coaching situation with González hired from Espanyol to lead the side until Barcelona coach Jonatan Giráldez can join the side in June.
Just over three months later, Washington is not just (for the moment) top of the table after the win, but is rejuvenated, playing stylish soccer and getting the results to go with it. Thus far, Bethune is at the center of the show.
Despite all that, if you ask anyone with the Spirit, this is just the start for the team’s new young star.
“I’m so excited for her, because it’s early on, like we’re just scratching the surface with her,” summed up Krueger. “I think as the season goes on, she’s gonna continue to be an even bigger piece of the team.”
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