Opal Courtney Curless (born May 18, 1998) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Cruz Azul in the Liga MX Femenil.
_cropped.jpg) Opal Curless of Fatih Vatan Spor (February 2024) | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Opal Courtney Curless | ||
| Date of birth | May 18, 1998 | ||
| Place of birth | Mount Desert Island, Maine, United States | ||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Defender / midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Cruz Azul | ||
| Number | 26 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Mount Desert Island HS | |||
| FC Stars | |||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2016–2017 | Syracuse Orange | 35 | (0) |
| 2018–2019 | Florida Gulf Coast Eagles | 36 | (0) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2020–2021 | MTK Hungária FC | ||
| 2022–2023 | Valadares Gaia F.C. | 44 | (2) |
| 2024 | Fatih Vatan Spor | 12 | (0) |
| 2024– | Cruz Azul | 8 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of May 5, 2024 | |||
Early years
editCurless is 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) tall at 58 kg (128 lb),[1] and plays as a defender or midfielder.[2][3][4]
She was a member of the school team during her secondary education at Mount Desert Island High School in her hometown, and was named Maine Gatorade Player of the Year in 2016, and also was selected to the All-New England Team.[3] In 2014, she was part of Black Bear United and Acadia Fire FC.[5] She also played for the local club FC Stars.[3]
She played college soccer at Syracuse Orange for the 2016 & 2017 seasons.[6] She transferred to Florida Gulf Coast Eagles, playing there for two years.[3] She played in 36 matches for Florida Gulf Coast.[7]
Club career
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In July 2020, Curless traveled to Hungary and started her professional soccer career,[7] playing for Budapest-based club MTK Hungária FC in the Női NB I. She left the club at the end of 2021.[1]
On January 1, 2022, she went to Portugal to play for Valadares Gaia F.C. in the 2021–22 season of the Liga BPI. She remained there for the next season. She scored two goals in 44 matches played.[1] She also took part in the Taça de Portugal and Taça da Liga Feminina matches. Her last appearance was on January 7, 2024.[8]
In the beginning of February 2024, she moved to Turkey and signed a deal with the Istanbul-based club Fatih Vatan Spor to play until the end of the second half of the 2023–24 Women's Super League.[4] She appeared in 12 matches.[2]
International career
editCurless was called up to the U.S. girls' U-14 team training camp in 2012 held in Carson, California.[3][5]
Personal life
editOpal Courtney Curless was born to Michael and Abigail Curless in Mount Desert Island, Maine.[2][3][9] She has a brother, Audyn.[9]
After graduating from Mount Desert Island High School in Bar Harbor, Maine in 2016, she started her collegiate career at Syracuse University before transferring to Florida Gulf Coast University and majoring in psychology.[3][7]
References
edit- ^ a b c "Opal Curless". Football Database. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
- ^ a b c "Opal Courtney Curless" (in Turkish). Türkiye Futbol Federasyonu. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g "2019 Women's Soccer Roster - 20 Opal Curless". Florida Gulf Coast University FGCU. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
- ^ a b "Transfer Açıklaması - Opal Courtney Curless" (in Turkish). Fatih Vatan Spor Kulübü. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
- ^ a b "U.S. U14 GNT to Hold First Camp of 2012". Top Drawer Soccer. 7 May 2012. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
- ^ "2017 Women's Soccer Roster – 8 Opal Curless". Syracuse University Athletics. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
- ^ a b c Popper, Chris (28 August 2020). "Former Trojan Opal Curless Playing Soccer Professionally in Hungary". WDEA. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
- ^ "88 Opal Curless". SoccerZZ. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
- ^ a b "2017 Women's Soccer Roster - 8 Opal Curless". Women's Soccer. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
External links
edit
Media related to Opal Curless at Wikimedia Commons
