Diana Ordóñez is a soccer fanatic.
Of course, the Houston Dash forward hones her own game, watches NWSL rivals and checks in on Liga MX Femenil, but men’s soccer finds its place on her screens, too. It has ever since she was a girl in North Texas, building her life around soccer in hopes of constructing the career she’s now enjoying.
While in Frisco, she joined FC Dallas’ ECNL team and felt proud to wear the same badge of the top men’s players she went to see at Toyota Stadium on Saturdays.
“Growing up, we were season ticket holders, went to every FC Dallas game,” Ordóñez said. “Our weekends revolved around going to FC Dallas games. Growing up that close to it, and getting to wear the badge of a club that was also in MLS, was really cool and part of me wanting to pursue my professional career.”
But don’t get it wrong: Ordoñez also is a competitor. Like, for real. That’s why she won’t even mention the players she’s most excited to compete alongside or against until her job – helping the MLS squad in the 2024 MLS All-Star Skills Challenge presented by AT&T to a victory – is done at Lower.com Field on July 23 (7:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass).
“There are so many names, but I kind of want to keep my cards close to the chest until I get to go up there and meet everybody,” she said. “I’ll be more of a fangirl once it’s over, once we win. Then I’ll give them their flowers.”
A Mexico international who was born in California before moving to Texas and playing in that FCD setup, Ordóñez already has appeared in 55 NWSL matches over three seasons and has suited up for Mexico on 26 occasions. With nine goals for the national team and 18 in her club career, it’s easy to see why she’s become a fan favorite throughout North America.
You only have to look at Ordóñez’s record with the Dash, and before that with the North Carolina Courage and the University of Virginia, to see she is very good at soccer. But while the Skills Challenge will indeed challenge her skills (as the name suggests), it’s not exactly a mirror of what she does on the field at Shell Energy Stadium during a Dash game.
So, having that competitive edge, Ordóñez is putting in extra work at training this week to get confident with the ball at her feet. Ordóñez said her preparation for the Skills Challenge has included a special focus on one of its most daunting elements.
“I feel pretty comfortable with touch and passing, those kinds of things, as they’re typical to just playing a game,” she said. “Crossbar is something I don’t do super often, but this week I’ve been trying to make some time at the end of training. My teammates have been super supportive. They’ve been challenging me to do it and make sure I have it down before I get there. I’m excited. I think it’s going to be really cool.”
Dash general manager Alex Singer approached her earlier this month to gauge her interest in participating in the challenge. Light on the details, Ordóñez simply said she’d want to participate.
After speaking with her management team and the league, she soon realized she’d be the lone player flying the NWSL flag and helping MLS compete against not only its LIGA MX counterparts but also Chivas Femenil forward Alicia Cervantes, her teammate with El Tri.
Ordóñez said being selected is a validation of the work she’s put in and also a result of her religious faith, which she considers the most important part of her life.
“I feel super honored and blessed to be in this position,” she said. “It felt good to not have to force it or ask for it but have it come to me. That always feels good. I think it’s really cool and important they’re including women in this, allowing us to join with them. It’d be cool to see more partnership between NWSL and MLS, so with that in mind, being able to be a part of this hopefully kickstarts more relationships and things of that nature in the future.”
Partnerships, additional events and other collaborations may come down the road, but for now, the 22-year-old is locked in on Tuesday’s Skills Challenge. She has a competition to win. After that, she’ll shake some hands, crack some jokes and take some photos with players she respects – respect she knows will be mutual after she showcases her own skills.
