Ella Masar

Ella Copple Masar (formerly Ella Masar McLeod; born April 3, 1986) is an American-Canadian soccer forward. She previously played for FC Rosengård, Houston Dash, Chicago Red Stars, Paris Saint-Germain, magicJack, and VfL Wolfsburg. She made one appearance for the United States women's national soccer team in 2009.

Ella Masar
Ella Masar playing for the Houston Dash in 2015
Personal information
Full name Ella Copple Masar[1]
Date of birth (1986-04-03) April 3, 1986
Place of birth Urbana, Illinois, U.S.
Height 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Position(s) Winger/Defender
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2007 Illinois Fighting Illini
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004 Windy City Bluez 1 (0)
2005–2006 Chicago Gaels 16 (10)
2007 Vancouver Whitecaps 8 (1)
2008 Washington Freedom 7 (3)
2008 Team Strømmen
2009–2010 Chicago Red Stars 38 (8)
2011 magicJack 16 (4)
2011–2012 Paris Saint-Germain 17 (6)
2013 Chicago Red Stars 20 (3)
2014–2015 Houston Dash 37 (5)
2016–2018 FC Rosengård 39 (26)
2018–2019 VfL Wolfsburg 19 (4)
National team‡
2007 United States U-21 12 (2)
2008–2009 United States U-23 8 (3)
2009 United States 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of October 2, 2017
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of November 12, 2009

Early life

Born in Urbana, Illinois, Masar attended Urbana High School, where she holds the school record for most goals in a season (40) and career (92).[2] Masar also played club soccer for Little Illini Soccer Club (now Illinois FC).[3] Her mother was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when Ella was a teen, and her parents later divorced. Her father died from a heart attack in October 2011 while Ella was playing in France.[4]

University of Illinois

Masar enrolled at the University of Illinois in 2004. She was a college walk-on[5] and played for the Fighting Illini for four years. In 2006, she was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and NSCAA Second Team All-American. During Masar's senior year, she was named All-Big Ten First Team and Lowe's All-American First Team. Over the course of the 2007 season, Masar tallied 12 goals and 3 assists. Throughout her career, Masar compiled a total of 20 assists – the second most in the program's history. She also added 27 goals, good for fourth most.[2]

Club career

W-League

Masar started to play in the W-League in 2004 with Windy City Bluez. She appeared in just one game for the team, playing the full 90 minutes.

In 2005, Masar switched to the Chicago Gaels, for whom she appeared in seven games for (650 minutes). She scored 9 goals and added an assist. She stayed with the team the following season and played in 9 more games (791 minutes). In 2006, she scored 1 goal and 1 assist.

Vancouver Whitecaps marked the next stop for Masar, who played for the Canadian team in 2007. She appeared alongside Cori Alexander, Tiffeny Milbrett, Jill Oakes, and McCall Zerboni. She played in eight games (632 minutes) and scored one goal and assisted on five others.

Masar moved to Washington Freedom in 2008, where she appeared in seven games (321 minutes) and scored three goals, while helping the Freedom to a first-place finish in the Northeast Division.

Team Strømmen, 2008

After the 2008 W-League season, Masar played in Norway with Team Strømmen for part of the 2008 Toppserien. The team advanced to the Norwegian Cup final, where they lost to Røa IL, 3–1. Masar scored Strømmen's sole goal in the final.[6][7]

Chicago Red Stars (WPS), 2009–10

With the introduction of top-flight women's soccer back to the United States in the form of Women's Professional Soccer, Masar declared herself eligible for the WPS. She was drafted in the second round (9th overall) to the Chicago Red Stars in the 2008 WPS General Draft on October 6, 2008. In the inaugural 2009 Women's Professional Soccer season, Masar appeared in 16 games (five starts, 655 minutes) and recorded two assists. However, her season was hampered by a hip injury sustained on June 7, 2009 during a match against FC Gold Pride, which resulted in four torn muscles.[8]

It was announced on September 28, 2009 that Masar's contract option had been picked up by Chicago, who held her playing rights for the 2010 Women's Professional Soccer season.

magicJack (WPS) and Paris Saint-Germain, 2011

During the 2011 WPS season, Masar played for magicJack. She made 16 appearances for the club and scored 4 goals.[9] Masar was the only player to condemn publicly the team owner, Dan Borislow, accusing him of mistreating players, including her.[10]

Masar played with Paris Saint-Germain for the 2011–2012 season. She made 17 appearances (1107 minutes) and scored six goals.[11]

Chicago Red Stars (WPSLE, NWSL), 2012–13

Masar rejoined the Red Stars for the 2012 WPSLE season, and was re-signed by the Stars for the 2013 NWSL season.[12]

Houston Dash (NWSL), 2014–2015

Masar was left unprotected by the Chicago Red Stars during the 2014 NWSL Expansion Draft and on January 10, 2014 was one of 10 players selected by the Houston Dash.[13]

In the 2015 season, Masar took over as Dash captain from her girlfriend Erin McLeod (whom Masar married in July 2015), who was on Canada's 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup squad.[14]

In November 2015, the Dash waived Masar at her request. She cited a desire to be close to McLeod, who was pursuing a chance to play for a club competing in the UEFA Women's Champions League. Masar ended her time with the Dash with 37 appearances and 5 goals.[15]

FC Rosengård 2016–2018

In December 2015, FC Rosengård announced the signing of Masar for the 2016 season. McLeod had previously told the press that the two would be playing together in Sweden.[15] For the 2016 season she was tied, with Marta, for most goals. As of October 17, 2017 she has tied her season high of 13 goals from last year, and is tied for 2nd with most goals in Sweden's Damallsvenskan. There are 3 league games remaining.

VfL Wolfsburg 2018–2019

At the beginning of the year 2018 Masar comes free transfer from the Swedish record champion FC Rosengård and signs a contract with Vfl Wolfsburg until 2019.

International career

Masar's international career began in 2007 with the U-21 Women's National Team. She appeared in 12 games, scoring two goals and adding an assist. In 2008, the U-21 team switched to being a U-23 team. For the newly re-branded U-23 Women's National Team, Masar appeared in eight games and scored three goals, her last appearance coming in 2009 before she became ineligible due to age.

Masar's made her debut for the United States women's national soccer team on October 29, 2009 against Germany, where she was a 73rd-minute substitute for Amy Rodriguez.[16] Masar and Kacey White were late additions to the squad due to the retirement of Angela Hucles and an injury to Megan Rapinoe.

Personal life

Masar is a Christian.[17] Masar came out as lesbian on March 17, 2015.[18] On July 6, 2015, Masar married Canadian teammate Erin McLeod in Vancouver following the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup.[19] The two co-hosted a regular online web show called The Ella and Erin Show while playing for the Chicago Red Stars and later the Houston Dash in order to promote home games and give away tickets to fans. Masar and McLeod underwent an amicable separation in 2019,[20] followed by divorce.[21]

Masar is currently in a relationship with German soccer player Babett Peter.[22] In September 2020, Masar gave birth to a baby boy.[23]

An American citizen by birth, Masar received Canadian citizenship on December 29, 2015, by virtue of her previous marriage to McLeod.[24]

In 2019, Masar co-founded Doyenne Sport, an agency for female footballers.[25]

Honours

FC Rosengård

VfL Wolfsburg

References
  1. Ella Masar at WorldFootball.net
  2. "Ella Masar - 2007".
  3. "SportsEngine". www.illinoisfc.com.
  4. Purpose2Play.com (July 22, 2015). "Ella Masar Unplugged: Loss, Love and Life" – via YouTube.
  5. http://archives.fca.org/vsItemDisplay.lsp?method=display&objectid=43C1CA01-C29A-EE7A-EEDC845D15B2BA6A
  6. "Masar Takes the Road Less Traveled". USSoccer.com. US Soccer. January 25, 2009. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
  7. "2008 Cupfinalen Røa-Team Strømmen highlights". youtube.com.
  8. http://windycitysoccer.net/Home/Entries/2009/6/10_Notes_on_Wednesday__Masar_out_4-6_Weeks.html
  9. Alicia, Tolar (January 15, 2014). "Know Your Dash- Ella Masar". SB Nation. Retrieved January 28, 2014.
  10. "Magic Trick", ESPNW, http://www.espn.com/espnw/news-commentary/article/8336849/why-hope-solo-abby-wambach-back-magicjack-owner-dan-borislow-espn-magazine, accessed 27 Nov 2017
  11. "Ell Masar player profile". Soccer Way. Retrieved January 20, 2013.
  12. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on February 7, 2013. Retrieved February 5, 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  13. "Houston Dash Selects Red Stars Ella Masar in 2014 NWSL Expansion Draft". Chicago Red Stars. January 10, 2014. Retrieved January 28, 2014.
  14. Feldman, Claudia (July 31, 2015). "It's more than a game. Houston couple finds love and acceptance in women's soccer". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
  15. Kassouf, Jeff (December 1, 2015). "Masar signs with Swedish champions FC Rosengård". Equalizer Soccer. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
  16. "U.S. Defeats Germany 1–0 in Augsburg, Germany". U.S. Soccer. October 29, 2009. Archived from the original on July 9, 2013.
  17. "Ella Masar: LOVE – Entry #25". March 17, 2015.
  18. Masar, Ella (March 17, 2015). "Ella Masar: LOVE – Entry #25". www.pitchsidereport.com. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
  19. Feldman, Claudia (July 1, 2015). "It's more than a game. Houston couple finds love and acceptance in women's soccer". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved June 8, 2016.
  20. Laverty, Rich (May 7, 2019). "ELLA MASAR TALKS RISING FROM A TROUBLED YOUTH, PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL CHALLENGES IN THE WOMEN'S GAME, AND HITTING THE TOP WITH WOLFSBURG". These Football Times. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
  21. "McLeod: Mindfulness would have completely changed my career". fifa.com. October 20, 2020.
  22. https://www.l-mag.de/k-word/k-word-333-neues-aus-der-lesbenwelt.html
  23. "The harrowing and hopeful story of the footballing couple who beat the odds". theathletic.com. May 26, 2020.
  24. "Ella Masar McLeod on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved February 4, 2016.
  25. "Doyenne Sport | home". Doyenne Sport. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
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