For 10 years, dependable defender Mandy Freeman has symbolized Gotham FC’s growth into two-time NWSL champions.
The 31-year-old has seen it all since her introduction to the club as a 2017 first-round draft pick when the club was known as Sky Blue FC.
There were rebuilding moments and struggles for both Freeman individually and within the club. In present day, Gotham has risen to a place among the most successful women’s football clubs by winning trophies and competing into the later rounds of multiple competitions across the globe.
Freeman captained the Bats to a trophy double last season while first-choice captain Tierna Davidson was sidelined due to a left ACL tear.
The 5-foot-8 defender inherited the captain’s armband and helped guide Gotham to victories at the 2025 Concacaf W Champions Cup final over Tigres UANL Women and the 2025 NWSL Championship against the rival Washington Spirit.
Gotham FC and Fans Celebrate Mandy Freeman’s 10-Year Journey
Prior to Sunday’s 1-0 home victory over the Houston Dash, Gotham FC players donned warm-up t-shirts that celebrated Freeman’s 10 years of service.
After the match, Freeman, who has missed the majority of the 2026 season due to a lower leg injury, was honored by teammates, the technical staff, club executives and supporters with her family watching on.
Cloud 9, Gotham’s fanatical supporters club, chanted “10 more years, 10 more years” from Sports Illustrated Stadium’s South Ward standing section. The club played a video with special messages from teammates, coaches and other important figures who played a role in Freeman’s journey.
Gotham general manager and head of soccer operations Yael Averbuch West presented Freeman with a flower bouquet and a framed jersey commemorating her 10 years at the club.
Once the post-match ceremony ended, Freeman reflected on her decade-long association with the club in the mixed zone.
Freeman Looks Back on Her Memorable Decade With Gotham
“It’s a privilege and an honor to truly be in this moment, too, to make it this far,” she said. “Just trying to stay present year after year and focusing on getting better, improving. How can I shape myself? How can I improve my shape for the players around me?
“The club does a really good job of our motto: Always building, never finished, but always pushing for more and for better for the players and for the standard of the league.”
The veteran defender admitted that seeing special figures up on the screen paying tribute to her brought some happy tears and feelings of pride.
“I’m not a crier, but it definitely did bring some tears to my eyes,” she said. “It was just really special to be able to see everybody who’s ever shaped me or come through this club. I feel like they’ve left a lasting impact on me. I feel like everyone knows, the days weren’t always so good. So being able to really bond and form really great connections that I’ll have for the rest of my life is something that I really cherish.”
Teammates and Staff Praise Freeman’s Impact On and Off the Pitch
Longtime teammate Midge Purce struggled to find the words to sum up Freeman’s on and off-pitch contributions across a decade of service to the club.
“I don’t think you can sum it up, to be quite honest,” Purce admitted. “I don’t think I do a good job of putting all of that into a quick soundbite. She is the heartbeat of the locker room, and she has been integral to the success on and off the field. She’s a dear friend, and I can’t be happier for her.”
Andrea Kitahata spoke of the impact and inspiration that Freeman has provided for her in her rookie season.
“Mandy deserves all the flowers,” Kitahata said on Saturday. “We’ve felt her absence heavily on the field this year and can’t wait to have her back. She’s been such a great mentor and leader for me personally, on and off the field, and she really deserves all of this recognition.
“Ten years is no easy feat, and to do it all with Gotham is incredible. She really lives and breathes this club and has been here through the ups and downs and ebbs and flows. She’s been so true to Gotham from day one. She’s an inspiration to me, and I hope maybe I can make it to 10 years at this club one day. That would be incredible.”
Juan Carlos Amorós Reflects on Freeman’s Influence
Head coach Juan Carlos Amorós wore a t-shirt of Freeman during his post-match press conference and offered a heartfelt appreciation for her importance to the club.
“I think Mandy, for me, she really embodies the values of Gotham Football Club,” Juan Carlos Amorós explained. “Every time I talk about her, I talk about overcoming challenges, difficulties, with the right attitude, always putting the team first, above herself. I use it a lot for the young players.
“I think I always highlight that in 2023. Even some players, when they come into the team, they honestly don’t even know. In 2023, Mandy didn’t [make the] roster for the final and she didn’t play. Two years later, thanks to her work, her attitude, how she started to perform, how she did certain things that we say were important in 2025.
“She was the captain in the final and lifted a trophy. I think while doing all that, while still being a leader, taking care of the young players, the senior players, the staff, she does so many things behind the scenes that really get everyone going. She always does it in a very calm way and very honest.
“I think, for me, she’s such a special human being because we’ve lived so many ups and downs together throughout these four years.
“She’s still not been able to perform this year, but she’s still behind the scenes doing everything she can to help the team. I can’t wait to have her back. I was glad that the family was here. She couldn’t play today. That was the day for her celebration.
“I think it’s someone that deserves to be celebrated every day. I’m sure that when she comes back, especially when she comes on or here in the first game, and she plays back, I’m sure the stadium is going to be rocking. I’m looking forward to that.”
Freeman Targets Return After NWSL Break
As for when Freeman will return to game action, it appears that she’s closing in on possibly being available for selection when Gotham returns after the midseason break.
Next up on the Bats’ schedule is a June 26 meeting with the Kansas City Current in the 2026 NWSL Challenge Cup at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field in Columbus, Ohio.
“Unfortunate timing with the injuries at the beginning of the season,” Freeman stated. “We’re working hard, and I definitely should be out on the field soon. I start playing with the team next week. So from there, awesome.”
As Amorós said, Gotham’s supporters will be ready to welcome Freeman back with huge cheers when No. 22 steps back onto the pitch.
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