Friday, March 7, 2025—the stage was set for the NWSL Challenge Cup final between Orlando Pride and Washington Spirit. For Spirit, this match carried a clear mission: revenge. After failing to secure a win in three previous encounters against Pride and missing out on both the NWSL Shield and Championship title, redemption had to be a natural thought in their minds.
But as they say, the third time’s the charm, and who are we to deny it? The Pride initially took the lead in the 40th minute, courtesy of Rafaelle Souza, sparking fears that Spirit was headed for yet another heartbreaking final. But it was far from over, and no one knew that better than Leicy Santos. The Colombian midfielder stepped up when it mattered most, scoring the crucial equalizer to push the match to penalties.
The result? Washington Spirit finally secured their long-awaited victory over Orlando Pride, winning 4-2 in the shootout. While it was a collective team effort, there’s no denying that without Santos’ heroics, it might have remained just a dream. Now that she is quite popular among fans, many are eager to learn more about the new hero in town.
Know everything about Leicy Santos
Leicy María Santos Herrera was born on May 16, 1996 in Santa Cruz de Lorica, Cordoba, Colombia. One can say soccer ran through her family blood, as her father Elizaith Santos was also a player and even a part of the Córdoba Under-20 National Team. However, it was her mother who initially wasn’t open to seeing her daughter pursue the beautiful game professionally and rather wanted her to focus on household chores. Eventually, Leicy started her journey by eventually playing on the boy’s team.
She used to be the only girl in tournaments. Interestingly, the midfielder’s talent somehow caught the eye of one of her father’s friends, César Correa. He suggested Elizaith to send her daughter for a tryout at Club Besser in Bogotá. Fortunately, a call from the Colombia women’s national team and financial support from her close ones saw her make the move. At Club Besser, she initially trained for six months before her parents joined her.
Challenges were faced but Leicy, along with her coach Pedro Rodríguez were able to form a women’s team at Club Besser, where her standout performances earned her call-ups to the Bogotá National Team and Colombia’s U-17 squad. She remained with the club until 2016. A year before, Santos briefly played in the U.S. for Iowa Central Community College. It was only a year at school before she turned pro.
Surprisingly, she managed to net a hat trick within her second game, helping the team secure the NJCAA national title, while also having provided a crucial assist in the championship match. Furthermore, in 11 games, she bagged 7 goals and 3 assists. Later, she represented Santa Fe between 2017 and 2019. In fact, the attacking midfielder’s outstanding performance saw her get called up to the Colombia women’s national team for the 2016 Summer Olympics.
The same year saw Leicy temporarily join Club Deportivo Generaciones Palmiranas to play in the 2016 Copa Libertadores Femenina. Finally, in 2019, the then-Colombian prodigy took one of the biggest leaps of her career by signing for Atlético Madrid. With over 100 appearances, Santos managed to notch 17 goals and 16 assists. Being one of the staters on the team, she continued proving herself as a starter on the team.
Finally, on April 2, 2024, the Washington Spirit signed Leicy Santos on a three-year-long deal. She arrived a month later after wrapping up with the Liga F season. Despite arriving mid-NWSL season, the 28-year-old managed to make 10 appearances, where she also notched 2 goals and an assist. But we reckon the Spirit fans remember her now for her absolute banger freekick that couldn’t have come at a crucial point.
On the international front, Santos has made over 58 appearances so far, having notched 16 goals as well. Remarkably, it’s not just the recent 2025 NWSL heroics that glorify Leicy. During the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, she netted a lob goal against England goalie Mary Earps. It was so impressive that even the commentators likened it to the similar strike that Ronaldinho had coincidentally netted against Three Lions’ goalie David Seaman in the quarterfinal of the 2002 FIFA Men’s World Cup.
While this surely tells us a lot about the early life of Santos, there’s much more to know about the Colombian international.
Not forgetting her roots despite foreign success
With her name, Leicy also carries a heavy No. 10 behind her back. In fact, call it her only favorite number, of course, due to its significance in the history of the beautiful game. Citing her country’s icons who wore this iconic number like Carlos Valderrama, a.k.a. ‘El Pibe’ and James Rodriguez, Santos just had to wear this number.
That explains why she idolizes Argentinian legend, Lionel Messi. Not just Leicy, even her father also loved watching her nation’s arch-rivals. Outside Europe and specifically in the women’s game, she looks after a surprising name: “I admire Aitana Bonmatí a lot for the way she plays and her spirit to always win,” she said.
Rest, her love for coffee, coconut rice with a typical Colombian fried fish called Bocachico and Patacones, as well as renowned Colombian singer Karol G makes it clear how fond Leicy Santos is of her country’s roots. Now, she is making her nation proud by giving such glorifying performances.
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