Seattle Reign FC officially announced on Monday that the club has signed Haiti captain Nérilia Mondésir through 2026, with a mutual option for 2027. Mondésir is expected to arrive in Seattle the first week of August to begin training with the team, pending receipt of her International Transfer Certificate. She will wear the number 30.
According to Ride of the Valkyries sources, the Reign paid Montpellier HSC an estimated $200,000 transfer fee to acquire Mondésir, who will become the first Haitian-born player in the NWSL.
“Nérilia is an exciting addition to the club. She brings with her a host of international and high-level league experience. She'll add a new dimension to our attack and complement the current players on our roster. I look forward to our fans getting to know Nérilia, her story and her journey in the game," said general manager Lesle Gallimore in a team release.
Seattle Reign Head Coach Laura Harvey said of Mondésir, "We are thrilled to add a player of Nérilia’s caliber to our roster. She is known for her creative ability with her speed of play and has experienced success for both her club and country. We look forward to utilizing her skillset to elevate our attack and help the club reach its goals this season and beyond."
What Mondésir can bring to the Reign
The Reign attack has struggled to consistently link up in the final third and finish their chances. Mondésir brings a different ability to get in behind and either score or set up her teammates. At just 25 years old, Mondésir serves as Haiti's captain and played a critical role in their first World Cup qualification. She scored one goal in the 2022 Concacaf W Championship, which helped Haiti secure a 3-0 win over tournament hosts Mexico.
HAITI HIT THEIR SECOND PENALTY OF THE NIGHT TO TAKE A 2-0 LEAD OVER MEXICO. 😤
— Attacking Third (@AttackingThird) July 8, 2022
The tournament hosts are in big trouble with under 25' left. 😬 pic.twitter.com/hrx58T3DE9
After Haiti finished third in the Concacaf W Championship behind the U.S. and Canada, they advanced to an inter-confederation playoff in February 2023. There, Mondésir scored and assisted a goal as a young Haiti squad took down Senegal and Chile to qualify for their first Women's World Cup.
Playing on both wings in the frontline and as a central attacking midfielder, Mondésir is truly dangerous on the dribble. She has the speed and vision to get herself into space and set up her teammates. Mondésir completed the second most dribbles per game in the 2023 Women's World Cup.
"I prefer to play either as a left winger or centrally, which allows me to use my speed and offensive skills to help the team," Mondésir told Ride of the Valkyries via e-mail. When asked what three words would she use to describe her game, she said, "Speed, technique and explosiveness."
After playing in France for seven years, where she scored 20 goals and claimed 16 assists in 89 starts, the move to the NWSL is obviously a big one. So what about the NWSL's style of play attracted Mondésir?
"I see that more and more teams are trying to play a game based on technique, and I feel like there are lots of spaces during games for me to express my qualities on the pitch," said Mondésir.
Mondésir has really stepped up her goal contributions in recent years. She scored 19 of her goals for Montpellier over the last three seasons. According to FBref, during the 2023-24 D1 Féminine season, Mondésir was:
- 2nd in the league in successful take-ons (45)
- 3rd in carries into the penalty area (26)
- 5th in progressive carries (54)
- 8th in expected goals (7.3) and progressive passes received (140)
- 10th in passes into the penalty area (25)
Mondésir had a similar impact during Montpellier's 2022-23 season. She was fifth in D1 Féminine in expected goals (8.0), seventh in goals (9), and fourth in shots (58). In addition, she created the third-most chances in the league from carries, as 25 of her dribbles ended in shots, 5 in goals, 8 in key passes, and 1 with an assist.
In 2018, Mondésir finished second on the scoring chart behind Jordyn Huitema at the Concacaf U-20 Championship, helping Haiti qualify for their first World Cup at any level. At the U-20 World Cup, she notched all three of her country’s goals: one against China and two against Germany. According to Wikipedia, she's gone on to score 30 goals in 25 senior national team caps.
Mondésir told Ride of the Valkyries that listening to music is an important match-day routine – sharing the latest song on her playlist, "You Do This One," by Nigerian gospel singer Mercy Chinwo. Reign FC fans are obviously excited to see what Mondésir can do on the field and she is looking forward to exploring Seattle off the field as part of the move.
"In all honesty, I don’t know that much [about Seattle] besides what I saw on [the] Internet about it. Being a big city, it looks like there is a lot to do and I am excited to explore around," said Mondésir. Another aspect that Mondésir is excited about is representing the Haitian community and being able to meet fellow Haitians in Seattle and across the United States on away matches.
"I will do my best to represent the Haitian community well in the NWSL, and I hope to meet all of you at the stadium on game days. Please also send me the best Haitian restaurants!"
