Orlando Pride
2025 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Viviana Villacorta
The midfielder played sparingly in NWSL play but was a key contributor in continental competition.
The Orlando Pride selected UCLA midfielder Viviana Villacorta with the ninth overall pick of the 2021 NWSL Draft. Villacorta didn’t join the Pride right away, opting to remain in school for her senior season. Unfrotunately, she tore her ACL during that season, which kept her out of action for the 2021 NWSL campaign. She suffered an ankle injury in the 2022 season that required surgery, and another ACL tear late in the 2023 season served as yet another setback for the Torranc, CA native.
Villacorta returned to the pitch late in the 2024 season, making a couple of brief league appearances and a playoff appearance, helping the Pride down the stretch en route to winning the double a year ago. The defensive midfielder was used sparingly in 2025, adding depth during the regular season and starting during Concacaf W Champions Cup play.
Let’s take a look back at Villacorta’s 2025 season.
Statistical Breakdown
Villacorta didn’t play in the NWSL Challenge Cup against Washington or in the NWSL playoffs. She made just six regular-season appearances (all off the bench) with the longest lasting only 25 minutes. She totaled just 83 minutes in league play in 2025 without recording a goal contribution. Villacorta did not attempt a shot in NWSL action. She completed 76% of her 33 passes and three of her four long balls (75%) without recording a single key pass or attempting a cross. Defensively, Villacorta contributed five tackles, one interception, and three clearances. She committed one foul, drew two on the opposition, and was booked once, earning a yellow card in the second match against the Utah Royals.
In Concacaf W Champions Cup play, Villacorta started all four matches and played 315 minutes, going the full 90 in the first three games. She did not score a goal, but she contributed an assist in Orlando’s 3-0 win over LD Alajuelense on Sept. 2. The midfielder attempted two shots, putting one on target and passed at an 85.3% success rate on 204 attempts without a key pass. She compiled eight tackles on the defensive end, committed four fouls, drew six fouls on her opponents, and was not booked in the competition.
Best Game
Villacorta was much more involved in her extended Concacaf W Champions Cup matches than the snippets of time she got coming off the bench in NWSL play. Her best match was her 90-minute performance against Alajuelense. Not only did she record her loan goal contribution, but she was also involved in the buildup for the Pride’s first goal. Villacorta fired a shot from just outside the box that was on target — her only shot on target all season — but it hit teammate Simone Jackson in front. The ball deflected left to Carson Pickett, who centered the ball off an opponent and fell to Doyle, who redirected it into the net for a 1-0 lead. It was Orlando’s first goal in Concacaf W Champions Cup play.
Her assist came on Orlando’s second goal, as Villacorta played a simple layoff to Pickett near the left corner of the box. The veteran smashed a rocket into the net to give Villacorta an assist and stake the Pride to a 2-0 lead on the way to a comfortable win.
In addition to her shot on target and assist over her 90 minutes, Villacorta completed 81.2% of her 69 passes, contributed a season-high six tackles on the defensive end, committed two fouls, and drew two free kicks from the competition. It was a solid outing for the midfielder.
2025 Final Grade
The Mane Land staff gave Villacorta a 5.5 for the 2022 and 2023 seasons, but she didn’t play enough minutes to get a grade in 2024. This year, she played a combined 398 minutes, falling just short of qualifying for a player grade under our rating system, which uses a percentage of all available minutes for qualification. As a result of coming up just short, Villacorta didn’t play enough minutes for us to fairly determine a season-long grade. She receives an incomplete for the second consecutive year.
2026 Outlook
The Pride and Villacorta mutually agreed to trigger the midfielder’s 2026 option back on June 30, so she is under contract through next season. Assuming she isn’t loaned out, bought out, or transferred, she will likely remain as a depth piece in the midfield for another year. At 26, she’s in the prime of her career. If she can stay healthy and raise her level just a bit, may be able to work her way into more regular minutes, helping see matches out late. If nothing else, she provides some coverage in case the team sustains some injuries in central midfield, but her role is unlikely to change much given the current roster situation.