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- 3 hours ago
Young prodigy takes a break from American soccer to pursue missionary work
2 min read
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Marisol Stosich is considered one of the most promising young soccer players in the United States.
The 18-year-old is a Guatemalan-American footballer who was born in Meridian, Idaho. She plays as a forward and developed her soccer career in the US, playing youth and high school football before joining Utah Valley University.
Stosich made her senior national-team debut for Guatemala in April of 2024, aged just 16, after being eligible to represent Guatemala through her heritage.
At high school level, Stosich was a prolific goalscorer, finishing her Idaho 6A career with 101 goals and 34 assists.
She also played club football for the Boise Thorns ECNL, where she gained further experience and recognition.
She later joined Utah Valley University and was listed on their women's soccer roster but she is set to take a break from her career in order to pursue missionary work with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
It is fairly common for Mormons to step away from personal and professional responsibilities when they hit adulthood in order to give back to the community or undertake charity work.
Stosich has said in the past that her faith has helped her get through tough moments in her career such as when she suffers injuries. She also credits her faith with allowing her to focus both on soccer matters and in her academic studies.
Despite being just 16 when she made her debut for Guatemala, news outlet Buenas Noticias Guatemala noted that she had received praise for her professionalism, maturity and tactical versatility.
After completing the 18 months of religious service with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Stosich will return to competitive soccer to continue her development in NCAA soccer.
She has had limited playing time so far at Utah, so it's too early to say she'll become an elite professional player. But her youth scoring record and international involvement suggest she has considerable potential.
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