CARY, N.C. – Jessica McDonald is staying put.

A three-time National Women’s Soccer League champion and 2019 Women’s World Cup champion, McDonald has extended her contract with the North Carolina Courage through 2021, the club announced Monday.

McDonald, a forward, will return for her fifth season with the Courage and her ninth pro season.

“Jessica is a rare breed in today’s modern game and continues to improve and evolve as she gets older,” Courage head coach Paul Riley said in a statement. “She’s a bonafide striker in the league who plays both sides of the ball and understands the intricacies of how forwards run. It’s a great signing for the club.”

McDonald has put up impressive numbers for the Courage uniform, scoring 20 goals since 2017. She has scored a goal against every NWSL team, except the Courage. McDonald also has 14 assists.

“We are extremely pleased to bring back Jessica in 2021 as she is an experienced veteran in the NWSL and a fantastic leader,” North Carolina Football Club president and general manager Curt Johnson said. “We are thrilled that she has chosen to extend her time with the NC Courage as she is one of the Club’s all-time greats.”

In 2018, McDonald was named the MVP of the NWSL Championship after scoring twce in the final against the Portland Thorns. After recording 10 goals that year, she caught the eye of former U.S. women’s national team head coach Jill Ellis. After a solid showing at the beginning of 2019 at camps and the SheBelieves Cup, McDonald was named to the World Cup roster.

McDonald scored five goals following the World Cup in 2019, including one in the NWSL Championship. She is tied with Debinha for most goals scored in playoff games by a Courage player.

“Jessica will continue to score in the NWSL and she will continue to be a huge impact on the culture and environment inside the club,” Riley said. “She is a Supermum who is still hungry to play on the biggest stages in the world and Courage Country will reap the benefits of the determination and desire to continue her development.”

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.