During a 2024 filled with internal upheaval and coach and roster turnover, the San Diego Wave lost the legendary Alex Morgan to retirement, traded U.S. Women’s National Team rising star Jaedyn Shaw to the North Carolina Courage and sold world-class defender Naomi Girma to an English club.
Monday, they got a star back.
Canadian forward Adriana Leon will the Wave on a transfer from Aston Villa of the Women’s Super League in exchange for an undisclosed fee, the teams announced. The Wave signed Leon to a two-year contract with a mutual option for 2027.
Wave sporting director and general manager Camille Ashton called Leon, 32, “a fantastic addition to our team, bringing a dynamic attacking presence and a wealth of experience at the highest levels.”
Leon has played in three Women’s World Cups and two Olympics for Team Canada. Last year, she won the Gold Cup Golden Boot after scoring 10 international goals, the most in her career.
Leon made her first Canadian Women’s National Team appearance at age 20, and has made 121 appearances for her country, scoring 41 goals and logging eight assists. A longtime teammate of Wave goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan on the national team, Leon is Canada’s active leading scorer among men and women.
Her penalty kick helped Canada beat Sweden and capture Olympic gold in 2021.
“She is a proven playmaker with technical quality, creativity, and a relentless work ethic that will complement our style of play,” Ashton said. “Her experience in top leagues and on the international stage will be invaluable, and we’re excited to welcome her and see the immediate impact she’ll have both on and off the field.”
It’s a return to the NWSL for Leon, who spent six seasons playing for the Boston Breakers (2013), Chicago Red Stars (2013-15), Western New York Flash (2015), Seattle Reign (2017), and Sky Blue FC (2018). She moved to the Women’s Super League in 2018, where she has appeared for West Ham (2018-22), Manchester United (2022-23) and Aston Villa (2023-25).
Leon said she is excited to the club, which kicks off the 2025 season March 16 at Angel City FC.
“This is a club with big ambitions, and I’m ready to give everything I have to help the team succeed,” she said. “The ion of the fans and the energy around this city make it an amazing place to play, and I’m looking forward to stepping on the field and representing San Diego with pride.”
