MISSION WOODS, Kan. — Kansas City NWSL is bringing one of the best goalkeepers back home. The club has acquired Salina, Kansas, native Adrianna Franch from the Portland Thorns in exchange for goalkeeper Abby Smith and $150,000 in allocation money.
On Thursday, the World Cup winner, Olympian, two-time NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year and NWSL champion said she’s grateful for her journey and all of the places she has been able to play.
“Kansas has been home. Kansas definitely is home, home away from my other home,” Franch said. “Clearly I love this sport, and I hope that shines through to everyone.”
AD in KC 💥 pic.twitter.com/j6EWirncNP
— KC NWSL (@KCWoSo) August 19, 2021
Kansas City NWSL head coach Huw Williams sang Franch's praises.
“There’s no coach in this league that would not want AD on their team,” Williams said. “I'm being very serious when I say that. She is truly one of the best goalkeepers in the world.”
Franch talked about her love and passion for the game, emphasizing the community’s passion as well.
“When you bring people together who are passionate about something, that passion just grows," Franch said. "And so clearly the ownership, coach, club, and I know that this community has a lot of soccer fans in general, and the more that we can keep tapping into the community to bring them to understand and learn the passion that this can bring, it's just going to continue to grow. So it's not just my passion that will grow, it's everyone's.”
Franch had four clean sheets in seven starts for the Thorns and was a member of the U.S. Women's National Team that won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics.
