Mackenzie "Macca" Arnold's time with the Portland Thorns has not been smooth or easy, not one bit.
In both of her seasons with Portland, Arnold has had to make the difficult transition to the NWSL. To make matters even worse, she dealt with injuries, especially in 2025, missing time at different parts in the season.
Bella Bixby stepped up during those absences, breaking the club's all-time shutout records in the process. It proved the club had two starting-caliber goalkeepers, but also created an environment that was less than ideal. Even in a season where Macca is near the top of the NWSL in goals prevented and saved multiple penalty kicks in her tenure, it has been tough for her to win over the Rose City's supporters and fans.
That 'outside noise' continue to creep it's way through and added even more adversity to her already full plate.
"She doesn't get the credit even from our fanbase," Thorns head coach Rob Gale said, after a 1-1 home draw back in September. "Before or after the game, I heard some comments I didn't really like. We need to support these ladies, we need to support every one of them."
The head coach has never wavered from his support of the Matilda.
We root for the Thorns. #BAONPDX
— Rose City Riveters (@rosecityriveters.org) 2025-10-01T03:10:03.444Z
“I put so much pressure on myself,” Arnold said in an interview with Leo Baudhuin of Willamette Week. "Trying to come into this league and make an impact and be there for my team and win over the fans—which has proven harder than I thought.”
“I was trying to prove everybody wrong all the time,” she says. “And at the end of the day, I didn’t really have anything to prove because I wasn’t playing as bad as I thought.”
Throughout it all, the co-captain has leaned on her teammates, coaches, and staff for support. The special culture fellow co-captain Sam Coffey and her have built was so important on and off the pitch.
"This is the best group of people that I've ever shared a locker room with on and off the field," Arnold said. "We can't get enough of each other, we're always hanging out. And I think it just goes to show on the field. At the end of the day, you just want to do it for each other."
Down the stretch of the season, Arnold and the backline are peaking at the right time. They ended the regular season with back-to-back shutouts, and took that into the playoffs against San Diego Wave and made it three consecutive clean sheets.
During that quarterfinal match, the Rose City goalkeeper took some nasty hits and went down multiple times. But she kept getting back up – every single time. There was no way she was leaving that game without the win and clean sheet.
The nearly 20,000 fans rose up on their feet and showed her the appreciation she's tried to win over parts of two seasons. For the first time, the "she's our keeper" chants serenaded throughout Providence Park for her, not once, but multiple times in the thrilling 1-0 victory.
"Yeah, I think it's the first time I've heard it all season, to be honest – it was pretty special. After you go down with a head-knock like that and it's little bit taken aback after hearing the crowd, and they just get around you every single time."
"It's really special to play at Providence Park, and it's a place that I've never experienced before for club soccer."
After all of the adversity, Arnold has shined brightest when the team has needed it the most.
Mackenzie Arnold's journey in Portland has been one defined by her mental fortitude. This path she's on, has been one many would not be able withstand. Through every test, she has continued to smash every obstacle in her path along the way.
Macca and the Portland Thorns may not be at home this week for the semifinals, but they head into the Washington Spirit match with the entire support of a city. The team have refused to allow low expectations define them in 2025, and hope their continued defiance can take them into the NWSL Championship.
As Sam Coffey said after the quarterfinal win, "Why the f***, not us?"
