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United States Cheyna Matthews has transitioned from a professional soccer player to an advocate for mothers in sports, sharing insights from her career as an NWSL forward and Jamaican international.
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After announcing her retirement towards the end of 2023, shortly before her 30th birthday, Cheyna Matthews became involved in a FIFPRO taskforce of women’s players to help develop the Postpartum Return to Play Guide.
Cheyna Matthews, born on November 10, 1993, in Lynn, Massachusetts, established a notable career as a professional footballer. Her collegiate career began at Vanderbilt University, where she made 17 appearances, scoring six goals and registering six assists in her freshman year (2012). Her sophomore year (2013) saw her start all 18 games, scoring 16 goals and five assists, earning her First-Team All-SEC honors. In 2014, Matthews transferred to Florida State University, contributing to their first NCAA National Championship win in program history. During her time at Florida State, she made 51 appearances and scored 24 goals, including 10 goals in her senior year’s 25 games.
Matthews was drafted seventh overall by the Washington Spirit in the 2016 NWSL College Draft and signed with the team in April 2016. In her rookie season, she played in 17 regular season games, starting 8, totaling 779 minutes, and scored three goals. Her first professional goal was on July 31, 2016, against Sky Blue FC. She supported the Spirit in reaching their first NWSL Championship appearance in 2016. In 2017, she made 21 appearances and scored 5 goals for the Spirit, tying for second on the team. After sitting out the 2018 season due to pregnancy, she returned to play, making 17 appearances and scoring three goals in 2019. That same year, she represented Jamaica, her mother’s home country, in the FIFA Women’s World Cup, making two starts and earning 9 international caps.
After giving birth to her second child in December 2020, Matthews joined Racing Louisville FC in November 2020 via the NWSL Re-Entry Wire. She returned to the field on June 3, 2021, against the Portland Thorns and scored her first goal back on August 8 against Kansas City. She made 17 appearances for Racing Louisville FC between 2021 and 2022. In March 2023, she signed with the Chicago Red Stars, making 14 appearances and scoring one goal before announcing her retirement from professional football on October 13, 2023. Post-retirement, Matthews became involved with a FIFPRO taskforce to develop a Postpartum Return to Play Guide, addressing the lack of support for mothers in sports. She is married to NFL free agent receiver Jordan Matthews, and they have three children.
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