On Saturday afternoon, Swangard Stadium was bouncing as Vancouver Rise FC secured their first home win of the season against their fiercest rivals, AFC Toronto. And while fans were celebrating, a large group of family and friends were cheering the name of Rise FC’s latest homegrown star. 

Mia Pante.  

It was a standout performance for Pante, on loan from Italy’s AS Roma. It left fans excited for what’s to come, and for those closest to her, they knew this was just the beginning... 

Love At First Sight 

Pante was a lover of soccer from as early as she can remember.  

Despite her father’s Italian heritage, it was her mother, who played in her youth, that introduced a young Pante to the sport. From her very first game, Pante picked soccer up easily, and then, decidedly, never let it go, despite her parents' persistence for variety.  

“My parents always tried to put me in other sports like softball and field hockey,” she recounted. “But I hated going to them because it wasn’t soccer. I just loved soccer.” 

Her parents eventually came around and accepted her dedication to soccer, and instead directed their efforts to instilling good values in their daughter through the sport. 

“My family has always raised me to be respectful, hardworking and driven,” she explained.

“My dad would always say to me ‘remember who you represent’, every time I would play.” 

That pointed reminder echoed throughout Pante’s early soccer journey, from playing for North Shore Girls Soccer Club to transitioning to the Rise FC Academy (formerly Whitecaps FC Girls Elite Academy). Her dedication to the sport was one of her strongest traits, and it spanned beyond her hours on the pitch. 

With no professional league in Canada when she was a child, her family would drive her down to Seattle so that a young Pante could watch live professional women’s soccer with Seattle Reign FC in the NWSL.  

“I have photos with Megan Rapinoe and some of the legends there,” she recalled.  

Despite it being hours away, it was the closest professional women’s soccer that Pante could access. That is, until Canada’s women’s national team came into town.  

“I always watched the national team growing up, as that’s all we really had to watch for Canadian soccer,” she explained. “That’s why that was always my goal. I wanted to be a Canadian national team player, I wanted to go to the Olympics, I wanted to go to the World Cup.” 

Quickly Rising up the Ranks 

Her goal of playing for the national team kept driving her to work harder, and through that hard work she represented Canada at the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica. 

It was there where she started to seriously think about what it would take to become a professional soccer player.  

“I remember a coach sitting me down and telling me ‘you need to go play professionally after you’re done college’,” she recalled. “That was when I was like ‘okay, I need to do this’.”  

Pante was driven. She graduated high school early to start her college early at Texas A&M, with the idea that she could then begin her professional career as soon as possible.  

That opportunity came when she signed with Italian giants AS Roma on January 4, 2025.  

“I remember talking to my agents before I signed there, and when we got the offer from them [AS Roma], they kept asking ‘do you think you’re ready for it?’,” she recited. “I didn’t even think twice, I had moved away to college, so I thought I could do this.” 

The transition from college to the intense, high standards of the professional level proved to be a tough one for Pante, but one that she thinks helped her grow massively. 

“The move was way harder than I ever imagined,” she admitted. “At the start, you're on the high of being there, and then reality kind of hits. “But I grew a lot. I definitely got more independent, mentally tougher, and I feel like I’ve learned to deal with pressure in different ways.” 

That mental fortitude she developed proved to be exactly what she needed. Pante had a strong debut season in a top European league, making 15 appearances and registering two assists across all competitions. Five of those appearances were in the UEFA Women’s Champions League, where she provided a crucial assist in Roma’s final qualifying match for the group stages.  

Playing at Roma would certainly be no walk in the park. The club is not only one of the most storied in Italy, they are also a team that has won three of the past four Serie A Femminile titles. 

But Pante held her own, and proved that she belonged. She had finally begun her dream of playing professional soccer, and soon would get a chance at another dream she never thought possible. 

Homecoming Setback 

With her first pro year under her belt, Pante was driven for more. Late in 2025, a loan was presented to her to go back to her hometown with Vancouver Rise FC. 

“Being in Canada right now is such an exciting time for women’s sports,” she explained, “Thinking about being able to come home and play in front of my family and friends, to represent North Shore Girls and Rise FC Academy, it made me think ‘okay, I really want to be part of this this year’.”

The opportunity itself was something that Pante had never been able to dream of when she was younger, to be able to play professionally at home. But now, thanks to the NSL and Rise FC, it was a dream that could be realized.  

It was also a dream that she had to wait a little bit longer than she wanted to finally accomplish. 

“I was so excited to get the season started, but then a couple weeks before the home opener, I hurt my knee.” 

It was a frustrating setback. That just meant that Pante had to rely on what she learned her whole life: to be patient, stay focused, and work hard.  

But the anticipation never went away. 

“I had that excitement, nerves and anxious energy just bundling up inside of me,” she admitted.  

Finally, on May 18, Pante made her Rise FC in Halifax. It might have been just a 45-minute cameo, but for Pante, it meant everything.  

“It was so special,” she recalled when she was waiting to come on. “I remember seeing thousands of people there on a random Monday night and thinking it was so cool to be part of something like this in Canada, in your home country.” 

While it marked her first pro match in Canada, it still wasn’t quite the homecoming she was looking for. That would come just five days later. 

Dream Home Debut 

It was the morning of Saturday, May 23, and Pante couldn’t wait for the match to begin. She had been selected to start against Toronto, a clear sign of trust from the coaching staff.  

Yet, as much as her thoughts were on the tactics, roles and match preparations, she couldn’t help but think about what this moment represented. Not only for her and for her family, but to the young fans that were about to watch her play for her local professional club – something that she was unable to do when she was their age.  

“I think back to when I was younger and I would drive down to Seattle to watch the NWSL,” she explained. “That was the closest thing I had. Now, the little girls growing up in Vancouver can have the aspiration to play for Vancouver Rise FC. They can say ‘I want to be a Rise FC player one day’.” 

If Pante wanted to inspire those young fans dreaming of playing for Rise FC on Saturday, it’s safe to say she certainly left a mark. Her performance down the left wing raised fans out of their seats time and time again, and undoubtedly left them wanting more.  

It was exactly what Pante wanted to do, following through with what her dad told her all those years before – to remember who you represent.  

“Honestly, I’m just so proud to represent Vancouver and this team,” she beamed, “And I hope that I can bring something truly special to it.” 

After the match, Pante greeted her fan club with a huge smile and a sense of pride. Hugs, kisses, and congratulations ensued, before they all crowded around her for a photo that immortalized this incredible moment of her career.  

It was a moment that she may never have dreamed of when she was just a little girl.  

But now, it is one that she’ll never forget.