Carli Lloyd is wrapping up her storied career.
The U.S. women’s national team legend announced Monday her plans to retire, saying she will play her final games in the coming months. Lloyd, 39, will hang up her cleats as the second-most capped player in world soccer history with 128 international goals.
“When I first started out with the National Team in 2005, my two main goals were to be the most complete soccer player I could be and to help the team win championships,” the two-time women’s World Cup winner said in a press release. “Every single day I stepped out onto the field, I played as if it was my last game. I never wanted to take anything for granted, especially knowing how hard it is to get to the top, but even harder to stay at the top for so long.”
Lloyd’s final games in a U.S. uniform will take place when the USWNT competes in four friendly matches in September and October.
She also plans on finishing the remainder of the National Women’s Soccer League season with NJ/NY Gotham FC to cap her 12-year, six-club professional career. The NWSL’s playoffs begin in November.
Lloyd hinted at her retirement following the 2020 Olympics, where she netted two goals in the 4-3 defeat to Australia on the way to the United States’ bronze medal finish.
“To end my career knowing my family was able to be by my side and share this last chapter with me could not have been any more special,” she said. “We will all have a lot more time to spend together now, and especially with my husband Brian, who has been my rock and biggest support system for all these years. We are both looking forward to starting this next chapter of our lives without my everyday grind of training and playing, but I will most likely need to another outlet for my competitiveness! Perhaps that will be golf?”
Competing for the USA over three decades – a span that included four World Cups and four Olympic Games – Lloyd passed Kristine Lilly for the most games played for a USWNT player in world championship events. She is one of just four international soccer players to play 300 or more times for her country with 312 international caps, which ranks her second all-time in the U.S. and world history behind only Lilly (354).
Lloyd owns the team record for most Olympic goals (10) and is third in team history for WWC goals (10). She also joined Mia Hamm (2001 and 2002) as the only Americans to win the FIFA Women’s Player of the Year Award twice, earning the honors in 2015 in 2016.
“Carli Lloyd is a true legend,” USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski said, per USA Soccer. “Her career was unique, and her success on the field is something all current and future National Team players should aspire to achieve. The way she approached her everyday training and career as a professional is truly impressive and I’ve been honored to coach her.”