Will Sands grew up kicking a ball around his family's backyard in Rye with his twin brother James. On Wednesday, April 22, he headed one into the back of the net at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta for his first career Major League Soccer goal.

The 25-year-old left-back for the New England Revolution flicked a header off a Carles Gil corner kick in the 73rd minute to equalize at 1-1 against Atlanta United FC. Teammate Peyton Miller added a second goal five minutes later, and the Revolution won 2-1. Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner made eight saves in the match.

Sands, born in Rye on July 6, 2000, is one half of a remarkable local soccer family. He and James grew up alongside sisters Kate and Lizzie, training together constantly in their Rye yard before either reached a travel team.

From Rye to the NYCFC Academy

Sands joined the New York Soccer Club at age 10 in 2010, then earned a spot in the NYCFC Academy when it launched in 2015. For four years he commuted from Rye to train in NYCFC's development pipeline before heading to Georgetown University in 2019.

At Georgetown, Sands appeared in 56 matches over three seasons, recording four goals and five assists. His freshman year ended with the program's first NCAA Division I championship, as the Hoyas defeated Virginia on penalty kicks at WakeMed Soccer Park. Georgetown also won Big East tournament titles in 2019 and 2021. By his junior year, Sands earned First Team All-Big East honors and was named a Scholar All-American by United Soccer Coaches.

Turning pro and an MLS Cup ring

Columbus Crew signed Sands on January 21, 2022, acquiring his Homegrown priority rights from NYCFC. He made his MLS debut on May 21, 2022, against Los Angeles FC and established himself as a starting left-back during the 2023 season. An ACL injury sidelined him mid-spring that year, but Columbus went on to win the 2023 MLS Cup, defeating LAFC 2-1 on December 9, 2023, at Lower.com Field.

After recovering, Sands was traded to the New England Revolution on July 31, 2024, in exchange for U.S. international defender DeJuan Jones and allocation money.

A soccer family tradition

Twin brother James Sands has carved his own professional path. NYCFC's first-ever Homegrown signing in 2017, James helped the club win the 2021 MLS Cup and spent time on loan with German Bundesliga side FC St. Pauli. He returned to NYCFC in June 2026 on a contract extension through the 2029-30 season, according to the club.

The April 22 win over Atlanta was New England's fourth straight victory, improving the club's record to 5-3-0 on the season.