After suffering a torn ACL and missing the entire 2025 NWSL season, defender Tatumn Milazzo returned to the pitch by scoring the first goal of 2026 for her new team, the Utah Royals.
The goal, in a 2-1 season-opening loss to the Kansas City Current on March 14, was something she’ll remember forever and one her new coach surely was excited to see from her in the return.
“Seeing her score that goal is just a statement to me that she is one of those players that will do whatever the team needs her to do,” Royals coach Jimmy Coenrates told reporters after her debut and goal. “She showed that she is a player who is eager to contribute to the team performance as a whole.”
The 28-year-old Orland Park native is getting comfortable in her new city after playing 54 games in four seasons with her hometown Chicago Red Stars (now Stars). That was a dream for Milazzo, but she was excited for her next adventure and joined the Royals in free agency ahead of the 2025 season.
“It was exciting. I had gotten a taste of being in Chicago when being the hometown kid and playing for a championship there,” Milazzo said. “And at some point, I feel you need a new challenge.”
Initially Utah was not on her radar and she did not even think the Royals had interest.
“(But) the more I talked to them, it was just like everything I had wanted from a club,” Milazzo said. “They were checking all the boxes and when meeting with the staff, I just loved their vision and kind of what they saw in me.”
She grew up playing in the Midwest and later played college soccer on the East Coast for South Carolina. So taking her career to a new place and seeing new things was an added benefit.
Recalling her early years playing and being recruited, she noted how different things are in today’s soccer world.
“Nowadays, some girls are committing like middle school, like kind of crazy early on,” Milazzo said. “I’m glad that I had the time that I did because it gave me a really good idea of and timeline of places I could visit and kind of see where I could picture myself.”
During her college and professional days, staying on the field has not come easy for Milazzo, who has dealt with a series of injuries.
She’s grateful to have formed meaningful relationships that kept her motivated to return to the field.
“Whenever people get injured, a lot of times the different organizations, fans look at them as broken,” Milazzo said.
Now, in her second season — and first on the field — for Utah, she’s found home and is enjoying the platform she has with the NWSL.
“I feel very authentic in my community here. And so I think that was really exciting to me, and also just a relief,” Milazzo said. “I do think the women’s soccer community has really just allowed space for us to really be ourselves and use our voices for anything we feel we want to.”
Editor’s note: For more on Tatumn Milazzo, check out her conversation with Xavier Sanchez on the Xtra Time Podcast, which is available on Apple and Spotify.