Under-17 United States forward Maddie DiMaria has signed with Angel City FC through 2030, the NWSL club announced on Thursday.
DiMaria scored 12 goals at the U17 World Cup, which is still ongoing, and she is likely to win the tournament's Golden Boot. The U.S. lost to North Korea on Sunday in the quarterfinals.
DiMaria had previously committed to play college soccer at the University of North Carolina.
"I am so excited to be joining Angel City Football Club," DiMaria said in a statement. "It is a club that I am so happy and proud to be a part of. I was able to train with the team over the summer, and it was such a welcoming environment. Seeing all that Angel City has to offer and everyone associated with the club made me excited to learn, compete, and help the team however I can. I can't wait to get started."
DiMaria will be available for Angel City in Saturday's NWSL quarterfinal match against the Kansas City Current, the team said in a statement. The NWSL's roster freeze was Oct. 8 -- exactly a month before Thursday's announcement.
ESPN confirmed that DiMaria signed with Angel City prior to the Oct. 8 roster freeze. The NWSL does not have any rules requiring teams to announce signings within a certain amount of time of a roster freeze or transfer deadline, and teams frequently make announcements in the days following those cutoffs.
Angel City is unbeaten in 10 games and heads into Saturday's quarterfinal as the No. 5 seed. The Current are the No. 4 seed.
DiMaria's 12 goals at the U17 Women's World Cup in recent weeks were the most scored by a U.S. player, or any player of any nationality, at any age level in a single World Cup.
DiMaria scored the eventual game-winning goal in a round-of-16 upset over two-time champions Spain.
Her six goals in a 17-0 win over Samoa in the group stage also set a new record for a female player in a single World Cup game at any level.
"Maddie is one of the world's top young talents, and we are thrilled she has chosen to call Angel City home," Angel City sporting director Mark Parsons said in a statement. "We are proud to be building a high-performance environment with player development at the center, which continues to attract elite talent. Maddie spent time with us this summer and immediately made an impact in training, and we are excited to officially welcome her as a member of this team for years to come."