The Underdog Rises: Gotham FC are Champions Once Again

For the second time in three years, New York’s Gotham Football Club is once again the reigning champion of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Similar to their first championship in 2023, they entered the playoffs as the lowest seed and finished it off with an upset to win it all. This year, they won against their rival, No. 2 seed Washington Spirit, 1-0 in front of a sold-out crowd at PayPal Park in San Jose, California. 

The game started with a strong 10 minutes for Gotham, with forward Jaedyn Shaw getting in three shots. However, after those first few minutes, the game became a show of defense, with both teams shutting down the other’s chances. By the end of the first half, the Spirit had zero shots on target. The second half was a different story, with the Spirit regaining their composure with the help of forward Trinity Rodman, who was making her return from a knee injury. Even with Rodman’s introduction, the Spirit continued to struggle to create chances, even though they had more control of the ball. However, the final nail in the coffin was when Spirit midfielder Hal Hershfelt suffered an ankle injury. It was during this time that Gotham midfielder Rose Lavelle, who was also named the championship MVP, scored the winning goal after 80 minutes of stalemate, capitalizing on a setup from Gotham rightback Bruna Santos Nhaia. 

Gotham’s win this year is fairytale story about having the right timing. For Gotham, this season has been anything but steady, with injuries plaguing the roster, including a season-ending injury to captain Tierna Davidson in April 2025. Although Davidson couldn’t play on the field, she still played an equally important role in the club’s success, with midfielder Emily Sonnett describing her as the “glue” of the team. Along with injuries, the team experienced a lack of consistency during the regular season, underperforming throughout the year—a fact acknowledged by the players themselves. Lavelle reflected on this after the win, telling ESPN, “We know that we underperformed during the season. But with that being said, we know the talent that we have in the locker room, and we know that when we bring our best, the sky’s the limit. We can do so much with this group. So, I think we really leaned on that during this playoff run, and it worked out.” 

Despite these struggles, the team has been able to rise at the right moments, especially at the last minute. They were able to beat the No. 1 seed Kansas City Current in the quarterfinals 2-1, due to a goal in the 121st minute from forward Katie Stengel. Then, they beat the 2024 NWSL champions, the No. 4 seed Orlando Pride, 1-0 in the semifinals with Shaw curling in a free kick in the 97th minute—practically the last kick of the game.  

That ability to deliver when it mattered most was the theme of Gotham’s postseason—a big difference from how they were in the regular season. This was a team that knew how to thrive in tight situations and manage the high stakes. That’s also the uncertainty in the playoff system—nobody would have believed you if you had told them that Gotham was the best team in the league a few months ago, at least not while Current was setting league records for points and wins. But amid the instability, Gotham distinguished itself by staying composed and adapting, which turned uneven stretches into new opportunities. 

In the end, Gotham’s 2025 championship was a testament to its belief, resilience, and depth. Their journey was full of what Lavelle described as “high highs and low lows.” With two underdog runs now under their belt, Gotham has shown how heart and timing are as dangerous as pure talent. As they lift the trophy once again, there’s no doubt that this team has earned every minute of glory.