August 21, 2024 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL)
Racing Louisville FC News Release
An Olympic gold medalist and NWSL champion is coming to Louisville.
Racing Louisville acquired Canadian national team forward Janine Beckie in a trade with the Portland Thorns, the clubs announced Wednesday. In turn, Beckie signed a two-year contract extension with Racing through the 2026 season.
In exchange, Portland landed rookie forward Reilyn Turner.
“We are prioritizing NWSL experience and a winning history as we add to our team,” said Racing general manager Ryan Dell. “It is always a difficult decision to trade a player, especially a young talent like Reilyn. We are intent on building a team that can make a serious pursuit of a playoff spot, and we know Janine will help us immensely in that effort. Her combination of playmaking ability and locker room leadership makes us a better squad.”
“I’m really grateful and excited to be joining Racing!” Beckie said. “I’m honored to have an opportunity to bring my leadership and experience to an incredibly talented group of players. It is a club that aligns so well with my aspirations and values as a player and person, and I am really looking forward to making a lasting impact on the field and off in the Louisville community. I can’t wait to play in front of the incredible fans at Lynn Family Stadium and look forward to many incredible moments with Racing. See you all soon!”
“Janine has a winning mentality and is someone we’ve paid close attention to for a long time,” said Racing coach Bev Yanez. “We can’t wait for her to get here and continue to move us forward as we make a playoff push in the last half of the season. Her experiences are incredibly valuable to our group and what we’re trying to build here.”
Beckie, who just celebrated her 30th birthday on Tuesday, is one of the most decorated players to sign with Racing in the club’s young history. She won a gold medal with Canada at the 2020 Olympics, which were played in 2021 due to COVID-19, and claimed a bronze at the 2016 Olympics in Brazil. She’s played in two FIFA Women’s World Cups. In 2022, Beckie won the NWSL championship with Portland. She won two FA Cups and two League Cups in England with Manchester City.
The winger has made 109 appearances for the Canadian national team, tallying 36 goals and 17 assists. Over multiple seasons with the NWSL’s Houston Dash, Portland Thorns and the club now known as NJ/NY Gotham FC, Beckie rang up eight goals and seven assists in 86…