Nobody in the world scored more goals in 2023. Now she’s signing with the KC Current

No player — not even Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo — scored more goals in 2023 than Malawi forward Temwa Chawinga. She scored 63 goals in 84 matches.

And now she’s coming to Kansas City.

The KC Current of the National Women’s Soccer League announced the signing of Chawinga on Wednesday via a free transfer from Wuhan Jianghan in China.

She’ll be signed through the 2025 season.

“I’m excited to join the Kansas City Current,” Chawinga said in a KC Current news release announcing the acquisition. “This team is world-class in every way, from the facilities to the environment at the club. I am excited to get started and hopefully bring home a championship.”

Chawinga, 25, scored 51 goals in 2023 for Wuhan Jianghan and another 12 for the Malawi national team. She finished ‘23 with nine more goals than Ronaldo and 24 more than the other leading female goal-scorer, Charlyn Corral of Pachuca in the Liga MX Femenil.

With Wuhan Jianghan, Chawinga won four straight league titles and has scored 83 goals in 84 matches. She was recently named captain of the Malawi women’s national team for the 2023 COSAFA Women’s Championship.

She won the Golden Boot with nine goals and was recognized as the tournament’s best player with the Golden Ball award.

KC Current coach Vlatko Andonovski says he’s excited for Chawinga’s arrival here.

“She is a dynamic player who has shown she can find the goal at every stop along her path,” Andonovski said. “She will be fun to watch.”

Previously, Chawinga played for Kvarnsveden in Sweden, where she registered 55 goals in 57 games from 2017-19. She then followed her sister, Tabitha Chawinga, to China to play for Wuhan Jianghan in 2020.

Tabitha Chawinga recently transferred to Paris Saint Germain in France, where she became the first Malawian to score in the Women’s Champions League.

Temwa Chawinga is the Current’s third new player this offseason, joining Alex Pfieffer and Claire Hutton. The Current also made deals to retain Gabrielle Robinson and Izzy Rodriguez.

The Current will continue to shape their 2024 roster through the NWSL Draft on Friday, Jan. 12. The draft will take place during the United Soccer Coaches Convention at the Anaheim Convention Center in California. Coverage of the draft will begin on ION at 7 p.m. Central.

Daniel Sperry covers soccer for The Star. He can be reached at sperry.danielkc@gmail.com.

This story was originally published January 3, 2024 at 10:18 AM.