Remembering the Kansas City Current’s first-ever international signing, Mariana Larroquette

The 2021 NWSL season marked the return of professional women’s soccer to the Kansas City area. Under head coach Huw Williams, the Kansas City Current began a new era and needed recognizable talent to lead the project on the field.

The club’s first marquee international addition arrived on December 22, 2020, when Mariana Larroquette signed from Norwegian side Lyn. Larroquette brought not only European experience, but also the pedigree of being an established Argentina international.

The signing was significant. Kansas City were not simply adding another player, but they were bringing in the first international signing in club history, a forward expected to help give the expansion side an attacking edge.

Larroquette’s reputation as a goal scorer

Larroquette arrived in Kansas City with a reputation for scoring goals. Before joining the Current, she starred in South America with River Plate, Universidad de Chile, and UAI Urquiza.

Her listed goal total across those clubs exceeds 300, although exact verification is difficult due to inconsistent record keeping in women’s soccer in South America during that period. Even so, Larroquette’s profile was clear: she was viewed as a proven attacking player capable of being a high-quality finisher to a new NWSL side.

Supporters hoped that type of signing would help Kansas City compete immediately for major honors in season No. 1.

A difficult expansion season

That optimism faded quickly once the 2021 season began. Like many expansion teams, the Current struggled to build chemistry over the course of a 24-game campaign. Results never stabilized, and the club finished dead last in the NWSL with just 16 points, 17 behind the final playoff position.

The attack was one of the biggest issues. Kansas City scored only 15 goals all season, the lowest total in the league.

Unfortunately for both the club and Larroquette, the Argentine forward was unable to provide the breakthrough supporters had hoped for. She scored two goals and added one assist in 19 appearances. Those numbers reflected not only her own struggles, but also the attacking limitations of a team that found very little rhythm in the final third.

A short stay in Kansas City

Despite signing a two-year contract, Larroquette lasted only one season with the Current. Months after the 2021 campaign ended, she moved to Sporting CP in Portugal on a six-month deal.

Her career remained nomadic after leaving Kansas City. Larroquette scored three goals in eight appearances for Sporting before joining Club Leon in Mexico, where she netted nine times in 26 matches. She returned to the NWSL in 2023 with the Orlando Pride and scored on her debut against the Chicago Stars, although regular minutes were limited.

After a short loan-spell with Lexington SC, Larroquette signed for Santos in Brazil in January 2026. The 33-year-old has scored three goals in six appearances at the time of writing for the club in Serie A1.

Larroquette’s time in Kansas City was brief and statistically underwhelming. As the Kansas City Current’s first-ever international signing, she represented the ambition of an expansion team trying to establish itself quickly.

Her two goals in 19 appearances did not change the Current’s fortunes, and the club’s last-place finish likely shaped her departure.

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