Her Journey In Teal Town: Alex Pfeiffer
A Wonderkid Of Our Own
# Seasons as a Kansas City Current Player:
Three Word Description: Wonderkid. Record Setter. Self-Assured.
There’s an old saying in the beautiful game attributed to legendary Manchester United manager, Sir Matt Busby, that goes “if you’re good enough, you’re old enough”. Sometimes, it feels like the National Women’s Soccer League is a breeding ground to test that hypothesis, with high school age players joining professional clubs turning from an anomaly to a full-fledged thing. Joining a pro team at a young age carries some level of risk to it; playing with your age-group peers involves much less pressure, and much more regular playing time. There are obvious benefits that come with joining a professional setup (getting to use top quality facilities, receiving professional coaching and mentorship from NWSL pros, getting acclimated to a professional environment. But the lingering question remains, as talented as these players are, as bright of futures as they have - are they good enough to be playing professionally yet? Without making a value judgement on an understandably controversial topic that requires a lot of nuance - let’s take a look into the debut season of the Kansas City Current’s wonderkid.
In terms of announcing your arrival on your professional debut, it’s hard to imagine a more perfect moment than the one Alex Pfieffer got, scoring the fifth goal (aka the winner) in the first ever match at CPKC Stadium. And in terms of ways to announce the end of your professional debut season, there aren’t many more heartbreaking outcomes than getting an article on the team website informing the public that you’ve been placed on the season ending injury list due to a torn ACL and meniscus.
Alex Pfeiffer is a forward, who splits time between the center forward and left wing positions. Kansas City Current fans only got to see Alex Pfieffer for 10 substitute appearances, with a majority of them lasting less than 15 minutes. As you’d expect from a sixteen year old, not all of those appearances were particularly memorable. She showcased a diverse set of skills: positional awareness, the ability to take on defenders, and the fearlessness that so often comes with youth. Her debut goal was a microcosm of this. In the right place at the right time, taking a first time shot instead of trying to take a dribble, fully celebrating and enjoying the moment.
Usually with young players, you see a switch flip at some point. They go from being given playing time as a way to give them lived experience, to help with their development. These tend to be when their team is up by a goal or two, very late in matches, where their only real expectation is to not completely screw up. But eventually, hopefully, they start getting onto the pitch on pure merit. They’re brought on as subs because they’re the best equipped to help the team win.
It really felt like that switch started to flip for Pfeiffer during the 2-0 win against the Houston Dash, where she was brought on with about a half hour to go and with the score tied at 0-0. The team needed a spark, and she was trusted to provide it. And for a second, it felt like she did exactly the job asked of her, taking a pass from Chawings, cutting inside, and placing the ball calmly into the bottom corner. The celebrations proved to be premature, as the goal was called off for offside, but her incredible potential was on full display in that moment.
Even outside of that action, she looked fantastic. Wanting the ball, taking players on with confidence, fully expressing herself on the pitch. It was easy to get carried away and imagine her role on the team being carved out - a “finisher” who could give the team a lift from the bench. Less than 10 minutes later, she was making her way off the field, substituted off with what seemed to be, what fans truly hoped to be, a minor injury. It turned out to be a major injury, the aforementioned ACL/meniscus, and that would be the last time we saw her on the pitch. “My heart broke when I heard about Alex’s injury, especially at a time when she was playing so well,” said Vlatko Andonovski in the report about her injury. I don’t think we need to wonder if he believes in her.
I have no doubts in my mind that the 2025 season will feature a few things for Alex Pfeiffer. She will get a raucous applause when she steps back onto the pitch for the first time since her injury. The same way that she has shown a clear appreciation for the KC Current fans, she will feel that love back in spades. We haven’t forgotten about her, we haven’t stopped being incredibly excited for her potential, we still believe in the player that she can become.
If she can stay healthy, I have no doubt in my mind that she will continue to impact the team and play with a smile on her face. If I were a betting man, she’ll eclipse 10 appearances off the bench and eclipse her single goal next year. There is so much to be excited about when it comes to next season for Current fans, and the development of our own young talent is one of the biggest ones. If she were healthy and available, it’s likely that Pfeiffer would’ve been called upon in the NWSL playoffs when the team needed a lift.
If you’re good enough, you’re old enough, right?