Mandy Freeman on a decade with Gotham FC and the hope that kept her there – Equalizer Soccer

Photo courtesy of Gotham FC

From the dark days of Sky Blue to the two-time National Women’s Soccer League-winning Gotham FC, Mandy Freeman has seen it all and stuck around. The 10th overall pick in the 2017 NWSL draft, Freeman is now in her 10th season with the same club, a feat that has only happened a handful of times before. She joins the likes of icons including Megan Rapinoe (Seattle Reign) and Christine Sinclair (Portland Thorns) on this exclusive list of legends.

“I keep being told that it’s a great accomplishment, but it doesn’t feel like ten years,” Freeman exclusively tells The Equalizer. “It’s a little crazy to look back on all of the years, realize how long it’s been, and go over all the memories and emotions — the ups and downs of the league, what the club was before, but I’m truly grateful to be able to play this long. Not everybody has this long of a career, let alone with one club.”

During these ten years, Freeman has racked up the stats. She holds the record for most appearances (143) and starts (112) in club history across all competitions, is just 70 minutes away from breaking the all-time minutes played record, and is one of only four players to appear in playoff games in three separate years for the club.

“Mandy is Queen Gotham. I so respect and appreciate a player who is loyal to a club environment, and she’s been here through good times and through really difficult times,” Gotham General Manager Yael Averbuch West told The Equalizer. “As we’re building things at Gotham, part of what I’m thinking about in the role I’m in is how can we give Mandy the experience that she’s always deserved. To have her be here through lifting trophies as our captain and experiencing the trajectory of our club is one of the greatest honors of us building the club. Everything we do here we do for Mandy, but more importantly she’s given so much to this club, more than we could ever ask of a single player.”

To honor Freeman’s ten years, the club will hold a post-match ceremony at this weekend’s game, including printing shirts to be worn exclusively by players and staff ahead of the match — a nod to Freeman’s on-field achievement and also her reputation as the league’s style icon.