Croix Bethune

Croix Bethune has not stopped her rising through American football at speed. She started out at Concorde Fire Soccer Club in Alpharetta, Georgia, where she was named to the ECNL Platinum Best XI in both 2017 and 2018, and went on to represent the United States at U-15 and U-17 level.

Bethune committed to the University of Southern California in 2019 and was named Pac-12 Midfielder of the Year in 2021 before transferring to the University of Georgia as a graduate student, where she was named SEC Tournament MVP as the Bulldogs won the conference championship. Washington Spirit took her third overall in the 2024 NWSL Draft, and she led the league with 10 assists that season and was named both NWSL Rookie of the Year and Midfielder of the Year.

Her form earned her a first senior USWNT cap on 13 July 2024, against Mexico. Named only as an alternate for the Paris Olympics that summer, she was activated during the tournament after Jaedyn Shaw's injury. She has since added to her international tally, scoring her first senior goal against Chile in January 2026.

The following month brought a switch in the NWSL itself: Washington Spirit traded her to Kansas City Current in a deal involving Claire Hutton, reportedly worth $1 million in total. She now wears the number 8 shirt for Kansas City on a contract that runs through 2027.