Makea and Makeli Leonard are set to make history in October as the pair will represent the Samoan national team at the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
In October of last year, both Leonard sisters were approached by one of their high school coaches who said that Juan Chang Urrea, head coach of the Samoan national team, was looking for players on his team. He had sent over 300 emails to clubs and organizations around the world and discovered the pair in the Santa Clarita Valley.
Makea, who led the Saugus girls’ soccer team in goals last season, was found alongside her sister and teammate, Makeli, as among the very few who Urrea wanted for the team.
Urrea sought girls of Samoan lineage, specifically those who are separated by two generations of someone who was born in Samoa.
Makea and Makeli’s grandfather was born in the village of Satapuala on Upolu. Savai’i and Upolu are the two islands that make up Samoa.
“My coach came up to me and my sister and said, ‘You two are Samoans, right?’ and we said yes, and (he) told us that the coach has been trying to recruit people from the United States,” Makeli said. “He told us, ‘He found you two and wants you two to go be with the team and train with them for the World Cup they qualified for in Fiji last year.’”
Samoa qualified for a spot in the competition this year after finishing as the runner-up in the 2024 OFC U-16 Women’s Championship.
Following the call to go practice with the team, the sisters traveled to two separate training camps in Irvine and Dallas and participated with the Samoan team for the first time in April for the Dallas Cup.
The Dallas Cup, in which the Samoan team participated in preparation for the World Cup, was an environment where players can play against other international competition.
And, the competition in Dallas served as a welcome moment for the sisters as they met their future teammates for the first time.
“I loved all my teammates, we all clicked so fast,” Makea said. “Meeting other teams from the other countries was also really eye-opening, seeing how different we are but all loved doing the same thing.”
The one memory that stuck out the most for Makeli was the introduction ceremony that left her in awe as 10,000 players walked out onto the field with cheers from the stands.
“We went to the ceremony, and we got called out onto the field and met literally all the countries,” Makeli said. “We took pictures with them and talked to them about how excited they were and the tournament and how their games have gone.”
Once the competition was all said and done, Samoa became the first-ever Pacific Island team to reach the semifinals of the Dallas Cup by winning their pool.
The World Cup officially begins on Oct. 17, but before that the Leonards will travel to Spain for a two-week training where the team will prepare.
With such a short turnaround, and school and practice at home, it can be overwhelming for one to get ready for what is at stake, but for the Leonard sisters, it can be easy knowing they’ll have each other along for the ride.
“It’s a dream come true to be able to go play in the World Cup,” Makea said. “Especially representing Samoa, small islands with a small population, and I love it even more because I get to do it with my sister.”
Samoa is one of 24 countries in the World Cup and has been grouped alongside Canada, France and Nigeria.
Regardless of what the outcome is by the end of the competition, both players are just happy to be representing Samoa and be an inspiration for those who are watching all around the world.
“I’m excited for the younger generation to see us play and hopefully inspire them to know that they can do whatever they dream to,” Makeli said. “I’m excited for them all to see and watch and represent all our family who’s helped us get there.”
“I’m really lucky that I’m eligible to go and represent Samoa,” Makea said. “And especially for the younger girls out there who want to play soccer, who live in Samoa and maybe don’t get the chance to play at a competitive level, that they’re able to look up at us.”
The Samoan National team opens group play against France at the FIFA U-17 World Cup on Sunday, Oct. 19, with the game set to begin 5 p.m. local time.