She's earning gushing plaudits for her performances on the pitch as Portland Thorns vy neck-and-neck with North Carolina Courage and Samantha Kerr's Chicago Red Stars for the NWSL title.

But when Raso met eight-year-old Portland Thorns fan Rohen during a hospital visit in July, she won the hearts and minds of the entire league, forming a strong connection with the youngster and inviting him to a Thorns game later in the season.

There the two posed for photos and exchanged Thorns memorabillia, the resulting images earning immense praise from NWSL fans on Twitter.