Lionesses: Jade Moore joins star-studded Orlando Pride

News of Jade Moore’s decision to depart the Women’s Super League (WSL) was lost in the noise emanating from the ongoing disruption caused to the sporting calendar by the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only did the England midfielder’s switch to Orlando Pride fail to generate the number of column inches it warranted, the magnitude of the Doncaster Belles academy product’s achievements slipped under the radar.

Simply put, Jade Moore’s transfer to the American National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) is testament to her rise to the upper echelons of the women’s game. Moore made her debut for Lincoln City in the Women’s National League North in 2005, appearing on a further nineteen occasions during her rookie season. In her second, and final, season with Lincoln, Moore’s stock rose dramatically after scoring five times from midfield while still a teenager.

Moore’s fine form in the second tier earned the future Lionesses star a move to Leeds United, who she helped win their first piece of silverware in the form of the Premier League Cup three years later. In December 2010, Moore was unveiled as a Birmingham City player ahead of the launch of the WSL, a moment that changed the path both of Moore’s career and women’s football in this country more broadly.

Moore left the club after buying-out her own contract in 2016 to facilitate a move to Notts County

In 2012, Moore performed confidently in the heart of the Birmingham City midfield in the FA Cup final against Chelsea, which the West Midlands club eventually won via nail-biting penalty shootout. Moore left the club after buying-out her own contract in 2016 to facilitate a move to Notts County, who folded just a year later.

By the time Moore arrived in Reading, she had already established herself as an important member of the England squad that finished third at the 2015 Women’s World Cup, and it has always felt inevitable that she would, at some point, seek pastures new once more. After three years in Berkshire, Moore announced earlier this month that she had agreed terms to sign for Orlando Pride – a star-studded team that is yet to truly fulfil its potential.

Since forming in 2016, the Pride have qualified only once for the NWSL playoffs, a return many supporters have criticised given the team’s evident quality and commercial appeal. In 2017, Orlando finished third in the regular season, but lost convincingly to Portland Thorns in the playoffs.

Moore’s arrival in the Sunshine State once again underscores the global appeal of playing for Orlando

For a team that has Alex Morgan, Marta and Ali Krieger on its books, the Pride should be expected to challenge for silverware on all fronts, although the club is yet to see those kinds of results materialise. Upon the resumption of football following the COVID-19 pandemic, Orlando Pride will once again face imposing expectations, but could 2020 be the year they finally deliver?

Moore’s arrival in the Sunshine State once again underscores the global appeal of playing for Orlando. The Floridian franchise benefits from the appeal of the lifestyle that comes attached with being a professional athlete in the warmer climes of the United States: the club has everything it needs in order to succeed.

Moore’s decision to up sticks in favour of a transatlantic transfer surprised many while a period of gross insecurity impacts sport around the world, but it is a sign of her unwavering desire to build upon an already impressive CV. Moore is yet to win a domestic league title and told BBC Sport of her excitement about “coming overseas, and taking me out of my comfort zone to play against different players and play against the best players in the world.”

Orlando Pride have a new star among their ranks; it is Moore’s time to shin under the blue skies of the Sunshine State

Moore will once again team-up with, head coach, Marc Skinner, having already worked with the English manager during their time at Birmingham. Skinner has been full of praise for Moore since the announcement, commenting: “she possesses a great skill to travel quickly in small spaces, control the pace of the game and her ability to not only read the game well but destroy attacks before they start will bring a much needed dynamic to our midfield.”

If Moore is ever likely to win a league title, there are few places where her impact could prove so pivotal. Orlando Pride have a new star among their ranks; it is Moore’s time to shine under the blue skies of the Sunshine State.