At the end of Maribel Flores’ junior season as a midfielder for USC women’s soccer, she began discussing her next steps to play professionally with her mom and agents. As the winter transfer windows opened in early January, Flores narrowed down the list of potential teams. Flores jumped on a call with the coaches at SC Braga in Portugal, and within three days, the team told Flores they wanted her in Portugal.
“Playing overseas was the plan eventually, but later in my 20s. I didn’t think it would happen this quick, but we’re here now,” said Flores, also a senior majoring in journalism.
Flores has plenty of experience playing internationally, making a strong World Cup debut playing for the U-17 Mexico team with eight goals and seven assists. During the 2023 U-20 Championship, she also started all five games and scored three goals during the group stage of the tournament, which Mexico won.
Still, Flores would only travel to play a limited number of games in quick trips. She said the first couple of months in Portugal were challenging as she adjusted to a new team and life abroad.
“I’ve finally been able to find a routine that works for me, and also calm down a little and just embrace the roles that I’m in, and enjoy my time here,” Flores said. “I’m super grateful for the opportunity and to just be living out the dream.”
Flores joined Braga during the second half of the season. She said she has been integrating and trying to catch up with the rest of the team.
“The pro level is a lot faster. It’s a lot more discipline,” Flores said. “Coming in midseason, it was a lot of extra work for me in terms of getting me game-fit.”
At 16, Flores committed to play soccer at Stanford University, but said she then realized USC better fit her social life, academics and athletic career. Flores said the soccer program drew her in because it prepares its players for the professional level.
Flores said choosing to play at USC, as well as obtain her degree from the university, was “one of the best decisions” she’s made. She also credited Coach Jane Ahmad and other staff with getting her and her teammates “ready for the next step.”
Flores said the versatility of the team’s playing style, as well as its player diversity, makes the program special.
“We had a lot of internationals, a lot of people from different backgrounds and different cultures, and, of course, that also showed on the field,” Flores said. “My playing style and the way I grew and developed as a player were all thanks to my teammates.”
Flores plans to finish her degree online and graduate at the end of the Fall 2026 Semester. She said she hopes her impact on USC soccer has been positive and pushed them to succeed.
“I hope that I left the place better than I found it, whether that was holding a higher standard on the field, even off the field, holding a high standard for the team culture and implementing my morals and values,” Flores said.
USC Soccer Head Coach Jane Alukonis said Flores was a player who rose to the occasion, always finding a way to score while being a technical and fun flary player to watch. She also said Flores would be the first to communicate areas for improvement for the team.
“She’s creative in the sense where she likes to combine with other players,” Alukonis said. “She was also somebody who tried to lift up the people around her and make sure that she always pushed the level and tried to bring up others next to her.”
Flores said playing for Mexico and being able to represent the country where her family is from was a “cherry on top” for her career.
“It’s a beautiful feeling to be able to represent my people and play for something bigger than myself, especially at the World Cups,” Flores said. “I’m super thankful and grateful and blessed to be able to have opportunities like that, and it took a whole village.”
Flores’ mother, Edith Lopez, said Flores began playing soccer for the Fullerton Rangers when she was about 5 years old. As Flores grew up playing club soccer, her grandparents drove her to trainings and games, while her mother applied to scholarships for Flores to play competitively every year.
“To see that she was able to simultaneously balance her education and this sport was just really, really amazing to see her thrive on an international stage,” Lopez said. “[Maribel] gets to somehow tie us back to our and my parents’ native land.”
Flores currently plays and trains with Mexico’s U23 team and has goals of playing with the Mexico national football team in the future.
“The goal is to make my first team, get my first team call-up eventually,” Flores said. “For now, just finding my feet in this professional environment is the first step, and then just waiting and trusting and keep on working, and everything else will follow.”