On the cusp of NWSL dynasty, the Portland Thorns enter a crucial transition

Are the Portland Thorns a dynasty? They have the defining characteristics: multiple championships, at least one generational star player, flagship presence in terms of atmosphere and attendance and overall profile.

Are three championships in 10 years enough? The first star above the crest was the first in the NWSL — the Thorns were the biggest fish in a small pond when the league launched in 2013 and won it that year according to expectations. They won again in 2017 when the NWSL was in its first expansion era, surpassing the three-year survival mark of the preceding leagues WPS and WUSA. And they won in 2022, a decade in, with team valuations skyrocketing and rich investors planting stakes on land across the league. Only in 2015, the one year they did not qualify for the playoffs, and now this year, when they clinched a playoff spot in the final weekend, did the Thorns finish lower than third in the standings.

There have always been certain expectations of the Thorns, another dynasty indicator. They were the poster team of the league for years; the club you could count on to look good on broadcast and drag up the league-wide average attendance. When NWSL needed a last-minute championship site in 2018, the Thorns were the only team that could serve up a suitable venue in time, a benefit of their control of Providence Park at the time.

On Thursday, a day before the Thorns' final regular-season match of the 2024 season and the last for team captain Christine Sinclair , fans gathered across the street at the Riveters' supporter group headquarters. Even amongst a devoted group, opinions on whether the team qualified as a dynasty were divided.

One fan who identified herself as Kelsey said she thought the answer was yes.

"We've been around since the beginning of the league, that's one criterion," she said. "And throughout all those years, we've only missed the playoffs once. We've had years where we never were less than second place. We just have a history of success. So if that's not a dynasty, I don't know what is in this league."

Another fan named Joe said that the Thorns' championships were too spread out across the years to count as a dynasty.

"They're as close as you're going to get in the NWSL," he said. "When you talk about dynasties, you're talking about three championships in five years, six championships in 10 years. So that's why when I think 'dynasty', I'm thinking of a generation of a team, like the same players winning multiple championships."

Fellow fan Ben said that there was too much roster turnover in NWSL for dynasties to exist in the first place.

"You need some roster continuity. You need an extended period of excellence that I think is pretty hard to achieve in NWSL right now," said Ben.

Another fan, Sarah, said that the Thorns' sustained period of success did count.

"Multiple trophies spanning over five years, with key individuals who have been present throughout that whole time, those are all the characteristics that I think of when I think of a dynasty," she said.

A final answer came from Sinclair herself the day before her final game, although it should be weighted by her noted penchant for humility.

"I wouldn't say dynasty," said the all-time great. "I just think that we've been a force to be reckoned with since day one in this league, and I'm really hoping our season doesn't end tomorrow night, and that we can go and add to our stars on our crest. I'm just proud of what we've been able to accomplish here in Portland, winning shields, winning the championships."

She scanned the room, filled with teammates in Halloween costumes who had come to gently rib her and ask questions under the guise of being members of the press.

"What else have we won?" They pointed out the Challenge Cup and Fall Series.

"Yes, Fall Series, absolutely," Sinclair said before letting out a chuckle she could no longer suppress.

Maybe breaking out the D-word is a little premature given NWSL has barely crossed the decade threshold, but there seems to be a consensus that, if there is a dynasty to be found in the league, it's the Thorns. That's why it's disheartening to see them struggling to find an identity as they close out an incredible chapter in club history with Sinclair's final regular-season game.

All dynasties inevitably hit a trough and no group can win everything all the time. Now, it seems to be the Thorns' turn. They nearly missed the playoffs this year, leaving it to the very last game of the regular season against Angel City to squeak in over the cutoff line.

On the eve of the final game, the venerable Thorns found themselves in seventh place, leading new expansion team Bay FC on goal differential (to be fair, a hefty differential of 10 goals). They needed to get at least a tie, or barring that, for Racing Louisville to beat the San Diego Wave by only two goals or less. But in the end, they came through in style.

Of course, it was Sinclair who opened up the scoring, displaying the patience to wait for an opening instead of hammering the ball into traffic in the 16th minute, as has been characteristic of Sinclair's style for her entire career. The very first Thorns goal scored came from Sinclair in their 2013 debut against FC Kansas City, and it was through her that they continued to advance in 2024.

Angel City looked discombobulated by the early goal, letting in another 10 minutes later courtesy of Sophia Smith , and then a third in stoppage time by Morgan Weaver . It was a bit of revenge for the Thorns as well, as Angel City took the Thorns apart 5-1 in the second-to-last game of the season in 2023. After the game, Sinclair herself noted that the team felt charged and quintessentially Portland after a long season of ups and downs grasping for some stability.

"The performance we had, especially in the first half, it felt like the team from a couple years ago, and it was pretty special," she said.

Even with their playoff hopes kept alive, the Thorns must spend their offseason soul searching. Their most iconic player, so closely identified with all things Portland, is retiring. They transitioned their general manager, Karina LeBlanc, from her current role into a new one . Head coach Rob Gale, though he seems well-regarded by the players, has left the club with a question mark after a dreadfully tepid season, and the new ownership group, the Bhathal family, has yet to definitively put its stamp on the team. What next?

That's been the eternal question that has defined dynasties in all sports. Do you try to keep momentum going, risking the possibility of limping to an undignified finish with a tired team? Or do you admit that it's time for a refresh, let the past be the past, and try to create a new era on new terms?

The 2025 season feels like an unknown for the Thorns. How ambitious will the club be in their search for a new general manager? Will Gale be given time to build after going from interim to permanent head coach, or will management be ruthless in demanding results? In building on their core players like Olivia Moultrie , Sam Coffey , and their superstar Sophia Smith, will they look for big value on clever scouting or play it safe?

There are a lot of questions to answer, and in doing so, the Thorns may very well answer the call of a dynasty — or they might miss it and subside into a rapidly expanding landscape, having had their years to shine.

(Top photo: Troy Wayrynen, Imagn Images)