Who is Sophia Smith? Cardinals rookie Michael Wilson's girlfriend gets candid on mental health before World Cup
Sophia Smith and Cardinals rookie Michael Wilson have been together since 2019.
The pair started dating when they were student-athletes at Stanford University. While Wilson was playing wide receiver for the school’s team, Smith was playing as a starter on the women’s soccer team.
Sophia Wilson is currently the reigning National Women’s Soccer League MVP for Team USA. She is also the 2022 U.S. Female Player of the Year. The young soccer player is getting ready to participate in the World Cup.
Although her professional career has touched the sky, she encountered a tragedy in her personal life when she lost her best friend and former Stanford teammate, Katie Meyer.
"From the outside, she was the happiest -- the most full of life person, like had so much energy. You wouldn't know she was hurting. So I think that's what makes mental health scary -- you don't know what someone's going through."
Meyer passed away due to suicide in March 2022. She was a senior, majoring in international relations and minoring in history. She was also the team’s captain and goalkeeper. Her death started the discourse about student-athletes facing pressure and sent shock waves through the Bay Area community.
While speaking on NBC’s “My New Favorite Futbolista,” Sophia Smith gave advice to everybody who suffers from stress. She also said that the best thing one can do is be kind to others.
"Take the time to say hi to someone. Send a text if you feel like you haven't checked in on someone in a while."
Sophia Smith then delved deeper into how stressful it is to be a student-athlete.
"There's a lot of stress that comes with being an athlete and a student-athlete and I think just the mental side of that needs to be talked about more."
What helps Sophia Smith the most is exercising her mind and body. She likes to meditate, use healing crystals, and drink matcha tea. But when she feels anxious, she turns to her family, close friends, and her NFL athlete boyfriend.
A brief timeline of Sophia Smith and Michael Wilson's relationship
As mentioned previously, the pair met each other when they were in college. But their journey was never a cakewalk. The duo faced several bummers during this period. In 2020, Smith left Stanford to play professionally in the NWSL. She then signed with the Portland Thorns and continued her long-distance relationship.
As Smith reached new heights in his career, Wilson faced a career low with a foot injury in 2020. Despite the setback, he bounced back and was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2023 NFL Draft as their third-round pick.