Mia Bhuta: Making History in World Cup Soccer
Mia Bhuta is not just another talented athlete in the Stanford women’s soccer program—she’s a trailblazer and an inspiration to girls around the world. At just 16 years of age, she was the first Indian-American to represent the U.S. at a World Cup game, making history. However, this moment was not just about her personal accomplishment; it was about her identity and the legacy she’s determined to leave behind.
“Playing in a World Cup in India… is something that’s always been a huge dream of mine,” said Bhuta, while recalling her experience at the 2022 U17 Women's World Cup in India. “But then… being able to see the impact that the game can have on so many people all across the world, and especially on young girls, was something that meant a lot to me.”
Bhuta’s Indian heritage comes from her father, who was born and raised in India before immigrating to the U.S. This made playing in the World Cup an “incredible experience.” “When I’m playing… [I] always get asked, ‘What’s your why?’... ‘What fuels the passion?’” she says. “As much as I love competing and winning…another thing that’s super important to me is leaving this game better than I found it.” During her time in India, Bhuta witnessed firsthand how important visibility was. “Being able to witness…the impact that giving girls who come from a similar background to me someone to look up to…and being able to show them that if you work hard and set the goals for yourself, anything is possible,” she said.
Bhuta is very involved in Yuwa, an organization based in rural Jharkhand, India, that uses sports and education to empower young girls to break the cycle of poverty. She explained that in some parts of India, it is common for girls to marry at a young age. Thus, Yuwa builds schools and teaches girls soccer, in hopes of “giving the parents less of an incentive to marry off their daughter because they’re able to see [that] she’s able to get an education [and] get a job one day and take care of herself.” Not only are they getting an education, but sports also “gives them the outlet to be surrounded by other strong females and the things you learn from being involved in sports... Like different aspects of teamwork, confidence, and hardwork… [are] super valuable, and it gives them the opportunity to have a better future.”
Off the field, Bhuta’s journey has been equally impressive. She graduated high school in just three years, enrolling early at Stanford as one of the first female athletes at the university to do so. “I took extra classes in high school and some summer classes to get ahead there… [I had] a clear vision that I wanted to get here early and start that,” she explains. Now, she’s on track to graduate with a degree in symbolic systems, years ahead of schedule. “It’s been really challenging and tough,” she admits. “But just knowing what goals I have and where I want to be, that’s really helped me get through the hard times.”
Soccer is still central to her life. Impressively, she’s set to graduate from Stanford this summer after just 2.5 years! But she’s not done yet—she plans on playing in the next fall season and using her final year of eligibility while pursuing her master’s degree in Management Science and Engineering. Beyond that, the dream is clear: “My goal is to play professionally in the NWSL or abroad in Europe, and then hopefully one day play in the World Cup or Olympics.” Besides soccer, Bhuta also hopes to start her own company.
Bhuta’s path to Stanford wasn’t without its challenges. Before her recruitment process really got going, she suffered an injury in eighth grade that kept her off the pitch for nearly a year. Additionally, growing up in Pittsburgh, which wasn’t a “huge soccer hot spot,” was hard because the exposure was not as great as schools like UCLA and Stanford were not watching in that area. “I didn’t even know if they knew I existed,” she laughed. “I think I had emailed [Stanford head coach] Paul every year since I was six or something…I don’t know if he’s ever read my emails, but finally, he decided to come to a game.” What she learned from the recruiting process was the importance of doing “as much as you can to put yourself in the best environments possible and being so prepared that whenever you do get that lucky opportunity…you are prepared and..you know that you did everything possible…I think if that’s the way that you prepare and live your life, then it’ll work out in the end.”
Bhuta initially committed to UCLA; however, she decommitted after the coaching staff left for Orlando Pride. That’s when she later committed to Stanford, her other dream school. “Stanford just feels like you don’t have to compromise anything,” she says. “You’re getting the best athletics and academics, and that’s super important to me…I love the coaches here, too. Just through the national team camps, I knew a lot of the girls…so just knowing them and the kind of people they are, I really wanted to be part of the program.”
Bhuta also has an NIL deal with Adidas. While Nike sponsors Stanford—meaning she wears Nike gear when with the team—she loves working with adidas because she “love[s] their brand and what they stand for.” Her favorite player, Lionel Messi, is also represented by Adidas, making the experience even more meaningful; she recalls how she grew up wearing his cleats. Adidas is very supportive of Bhuta’s goals both on and off the field, as well as other projects she’s interested in pursuing. “The biggest resemblance [she] sees between [her]self and the brand is just looking at different ways to push boundaries of potential,” she said. They innovate in “sports through fashion, clothing, and different technologies…I’m very aligned with them on those values, and I’m super excited to be working with them.”
Today, Bhuta is surrounded by “the most hardworking and passionate group of girls” on a team that pushes her to grow both as a player and a person. “It’s just an environment where everyone is super encouraging [and] also you see the amazing things people are doing, and it just makes you want to be better, too,” she says. Her drive to improve, uplift others, and connect with her heritage is what makes Bhuta stand out. Whether she’s playmaking on the field, mentoring girls in India, or creating an AI-powered app to empower athletes, she’s an inspiration to others, always building and looking ahead.
Image credit: Soccer America