Homecoming for Reale

Lilly Reale in her Boston debut on July 5. Photo by Jay Ruzicka.

Sunday, July 5, marked the debut of Boston Legacy's newest player, Lilly Reale. While she is new to the Legacy, she is certainly not new to the Boston area. Reale grew up in Hingham, Massachusetts, and began playing soccer at the age of 3. Reale developed her game on the local pitches, playing club soccer for South Shore Select Soccer Club and for Hingham High School.

After initially committing locally to Boston College, the 22-year-old went on to play for the UCLA Bruins, earning All-American honors three times and helping lead the team to the 2022 national championship. She began her professional career with Gotham FC in 2025, winning the NWSL Championship in her debut season while also being named the NWSL Rookie of the Year.

Lilly Reale in her Boston debut on July 5. Photo by Jay Ruzicka.

Reale also represented the United States at the youth international level, appearing at the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup before making her senior national team debut. In 2025, she was named the U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year.

In June 2026, Reale was traded to the Boston Legacy, where she signed a four-year contract.

Boston Legacy will play its next match against Chicago on Friday, July 10.

Written by Jacqueline Bono