By Caroline Housworth, Co-Editor-in-Chief
Lucas Schriver, a junior studying international relations at Wheaton College, first set foot in the Marshall Islands when he was just 6 years old to adopt his younger sister, Maeli. At the time, his soccer career was just beginning with elementary school practices and hours spent watching Lionel Messi on television.
“I have been playing soccer for fifteen years of my life, even though I come from a family that actually doesn’t really enjoy soccer,” he said. “But of all the sports I tried when I was younger, I just really fell in love with soccer.”
Fourteen years after his first visit, Schriver represents the Marshall Islands on their national soccer team, making history as a left defensive player for the last country on earth without an international team.
“It’s a great honor,” Schriver said. “I knew I’d be connected to the country in some sort of way, but I didn’t realize that one day it would be through soccer.”
The Marshall Islands is a small Pacific nation located between Hawaii and Australia with a population of just under 40,000. Until recently, it was the only universally recognized country in the world without an international soccer team.
Schriver reached out to the developing team in the summer of 2020 from his home in the Washington, D.C., area. He emphasized his deeper connection to the islands through his adopted sister fell within FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) eligibility requirements, and that he could, technically, play for them, despite his U.S. citizenship.
He sent an Instagram message to the Republic of Marshall Islands Soccer Federation account, explaining his background and sharing highlights from his high school career.
“They actually got back fairly quick,” he said. “They asked for videos of me playing and asked what level I played.”
At the time, the team was in its earliest stages—raising money and buying equipment—so they did not immediately recruit him. Schriver stayed in touch and even interned for the Embassy of the Marshall Islands in D.C. in the summer of 2024. That June, the federation officially recruited him to join the team.
“I fell in love with the country because the people are so welcoming and fantastic,” he said. “I knew that I wanted to get involved with the country further somehow, whether through politics or through soccer.”
Beyond personal achievement, Schriver emphasized the team’s role in drawing attention to climate change and its impact on the Marshall Islands.
“We’re also trying to put a nation that needs to be seen on the map right now,” he said. “Because of climate change and the threat of it, most of the islands are going to be underwater by 2034.”
To raise awareness, the team wears jerseys with “1.5” across the front. According to the Paris Agreement, if global temperatures rise beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius, countries like the Marshall Islands risk being submerged.
“It’s very nice for the team to be seen in articles like the New York Times or the Guardian, but at the end of the day, we’re hoping to get recognition to keep up the fight against climate change,” he said.
Simon Thomas, a junior at Wheaton College studying history and one of Schriver’s close friends and roommates, said it has been inspiring to watch him balance personal goals with advocacy for the islands.
“I know how much it meant to Lucas because I’ve been hearing him talk about his love for soccer and the Marshall Islands for two years now,” Thomas said.
He recalled watching Schriver’s first game for the Marshall Islands in August of 2025 in Springdale, Ark. Thomas watched the match on his phone while eating a cheeseburger in a restaurant. Even though the Marshall Islands lost the game 4-0, he expressed his admiration for Schriver.
“It was cool knowing how much it meant to Lucas,” he said. “And getting to watch his dream become a reality.”
At Wheaton College, Schriver has also played on the club soccer team. His friend and club coach, Connor Wood, a junior studying business and economics, said Schriver’s passion for the game was clear from the start.
“It doesn’t take long to see his passion for the game,” Wood said. “One of Lucas’ greatest attributes is his ability to always be willing to learn and tie in with his work ethic, which also helps him to improve over time.”
For Schriver, representing the Marshall Islands is more than just about playing soccer. It is about giving back to a place and sport that have shaped him since childhood.
“I’m doing exactly what I love to do: play soccer and do it for a beautiful country,” he said. “It’s just incredible.”
