Cary, NC (August 19, 2020)- Brazilian superstar Debinha has extended her contract with the North Carolina Courage through 2022 which includes a one-year option, the club announced today. Allocation money was used to secure the contract extension. Debinha has been a member of the Courage since 2017. She was named the NWSL Championship MVP in 2019.

“Debinha is the top playmaker in the league and a massive piece of our attacking arsenal,” said NC Courage head coach Paul Riley. “She is tremendously gifted, incredibly soccer savvy, and has a work rate second to none in the squad. She can unlock defenses both on the dribble and by passing. Her spacial recognition and ability to change games make her a huge impact in the NWSL and we are delighted to have such a fantastic footballer back with this squad.” Known for her impressive goals, Debinha has scored many meaningful tallies in her NWSL career including the first NC Courage goal in Sahlen’s Stadium in 2017, the first goal of the 2018 season, the Courage’s 100th team goal, and the first goal of the NWSL Challenge Cup. In the 2019 NWSL Semifinal game, Debinha trademarked her shoulder shrug goal celebration when she placed a perfectly curved free-kick from outside the box in the upper corner of the net to give the NC Courage the lead in overtime. The midfielder has scored 24 total goals since 2017 and is tied with Jessica McDonald for most goals scored in the NWSL playoffs by a Courage player. Debinha also has 11 assists in her career with the NC Courage. In 2019, Debinha had the second-most assists in the NWSL with seven. “Debinha is a one-of-a-kind player and has been very important to the overall success of the Courage since her arrival in 2017,” said NC Courage and North Carolina FC President and General Manager Curt Johnson. “There are few in the world that play with the ball at their feet in the way Debinha can and no doubt she is one of the all-time fan favorites here and with our youth players. She continues to develop her game in the Courage training environment both because of the players and coaches she is working with and the fact that she has a huge desire to grow and be challenged. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Debinha in a Courage uniform.” During the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Debinha started all four games for Brazil, playing a total of 390 minutes. She had one assist in the World Cup. Debinha has made over 50 appearances with the Brazilian Women’s National Team. In the NWSL Challenge Cup, Debinha took 14 shots, 11 of which were on goal. She had a passing accuracy of 71.9% in the five games played. The midfielder played for a total of 419 minutes. “Courage Country loves Debinha and she is a very special player that we get to admire daily,” Riley said. “She is a creative genius that has been a huge impact not just on our professional club but on our youth component as well.”