“The main things are just excitement, obviously there were nerves, but this has been my dream,” Sanchez said. “Obviously first to play for the U.S. but then to go to a world cup is unbelievable.”
Sanchez is just one of the 21 players selected for the tournament that runs Oct. 11-30 in India and believed to be the first Kentuckian to be called up for a World Cup for the U.S.
“To get called up to the World Cup just instilled some confidence in me because obviously I was extremely nervous getting thrown into that,” Sanchez said. “So I think definitely just feeling like okay I can do this, I deserve to be out here.”
Soccer runs in the Sanchez family, so it’s no surprise that Ella continues to take her game to the next level. Her father, Mario Sanchez, leads both Soccer Holdings’ youth academies and serves as a first team assistant. Her brother, Sebastian, plays professionally for Louisville City FC after coming through the Louisville City Academy.Sanchez, a 17-year-old midfielder, is not playing this season at Ballard High School and will focus on her game with Racing Louisville FC Academy. During her time at Ballard, she was named 2021-22 Gatorade Player of the Year after scoring 64 goals and having 14 assists, with a high school career total of 144 goals and 60 assists.
Now, Sanchez is training with the pros, quite literally. The 17 year old trains with Racing Louisville’s first team and played over the summer for the nation’s premier pre-professional women’s soccer circuit.
“Coming to Kentucky, we didn’t even have any CNL teams a couple years ago, so then to have the academy and then have the opportunity to train with Racing is amazing,” Sanchez said.
Training with the best has pushed her to play at the next level, something her non-soccer playing friends don’t quite understand yet.
“I think they think it’s crazy. Most of the time they don’t even understand it. They think I’m playing soccer, which yeah I am, they just think it’s funny,” Sanchez said.
But with time they will understand, as Sanchez gets the opportunity to play at the international level.
“They are an amazing group of girls and a great team so I think anytime you go into an environment like that, it’s obviously going to be super competitive but I think just the family that’s also there is really cool to see,” Sanchez said.
Goalkeeper Ameerah Maamry has become the second Racing Louisville FC Academy player called up for the FIF U-17 Women’s World Cup.
The U.S. will face India on Oct. 11, Brazil on Oct. 24 and Morocco on Oct. 17.