There is an extent to which the American women’s football game is ahead of the English equivalent, thanks in no small part to the fact that it is treated about as seriously as the men’s game over there. That might well be damning both with feint praise, but Mia Fishel is a product of the American game that Chelsea have been able to take advantage of. It will forever be the shame of the English women’s game that the Football Association treated it so appallingly when the sport was making a breakthrough for both sexes, but the Americans made no such mistake.
Who is Mia Fishel?
Not all footballers, either male or female, come from a sporting family, but Mia Fishel does. Born Mia Renee Fishel on the 30th of April 2001 in San Diego, California, the five foot seven forward attended Patrick Henry High School and played both ‘soccer’ and basketball there before concentrating on her football. The family link to sport comes from the fact that her two uncles, Andrew Bascome and David Bascombe, both played for the Bermuda national team. When the United States met Bermuda in the 2018 CONCACAF Women’s Under-17 Championship, she played against her cousin, Druw Bascombe.
Getting into Football
Having played both ‘soccer’ and basketball at high school, Fishel was a first-team All-CIF played in football as a sophomore. She played club soccer for the first time with San Diego Surf, then went to the University of California in Los Angeles in 2019. At that point, majoring in psychology, she was signed up to play for the UCLA Bruins. When she was a freshman she played all 24 games and was the Bruins’ lead goalscorer, finding the back of the net 14 times. That included five post-season goals as they reached the semi-finals of the College Cup.
Her exploits in front of goal meant that she ranked third amongst freshmen in the nation, earning Pac-12 All Freshman Team and All-Pac-12 third-team honours as a result. In 2020, her six goals and six assists helped the Bruins side win the Pac-12 title for the first time since 2014, earning her an All-Pacific Region first-team slot as well as an All-American second-team selection by the United Soccer Coaches. A year on and UCLA went unbeaten for the season, retaining the championship prior to a shock defeat in the NCAA Tournament.
Gaining a Club Career
Given her success at UCLA, it should come as no surprise that Fishel earned a decent playing career at club level. On the 18th of December 2021 she was picked in the first round of the 2022 NWSL Draft by Orlando Pride, with Fishel having decided to forgo her senior year by declaring early. The fact that her head coach at UCLA, Amanda Cromwell, had been given the Pirate job earlier in the month. On the 14th of January, however, she decided to make a move to play outside of the NWSL by signing for the Tigres UANL.
The move to sign for the Mexican Liga MX side instead of staying in American was seen as a surprise by many, by Fishel felt it was the best way of gaining experience for her long-term future. That was largely on account of the fact that the Pirates were rebuilding, whilst the Tigres offered her a chance at immediate titles. Her debut came in a 1-1 draw with Tijuana on the 31st of January, making her first start four days later as she got a brace in a 4-2 win away to Mazatlán. She scored 17 goals in 17 games in her debut season.
Joining Chelsea
The fact that her performances earned her the Liga MX Femenil Golden Boot, becoming the first foreign player to lift it, did not go unnoticed elsewhere. Although she only beat Christina Burkenroad by a single goal, it was enough to make history and earn the admiration of the English Women’s Super League side Chelsea. The Blues announced the signing of Fishel from Tigres on a three-year deal on the fourth of August 2023, with a reported transfer fee of $250,000 being paid to the Mexican side in order to secure her signature.
Her Chelsea debut came on the first of October 2023, coming in the London derby against Tottenham Hotspur. If Chelsea supporters were wondering why the club had spent money signing her, she soon put their minds at rest when she found the back of the net in the 28th minute in a game that the Blues would go on to win 2-1. Affectionately known as ‘Big Fish’, she scored more goals during the season in the FA Cup against West Ham United and the Champions League against Paris FC before suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury when on international duty in the February.
She underwent a ‘successful surgery‘ on the injury the following month, having made just ten WSL appearances for the Blues before it happened. She was quick to thank both her management and the surgical team on her Twitter account, also saying that Chelsea had offered their ‘unwavering support’ during a difficult time. In the January of 2025, Fishel was included in the squad for Chelsea’s winter training camp alongside Australia international Sam Kerr, who had suffered the same injury in the January of 2024, proving her importance to the Chelsea team.