MIAMI, Florida – United States Women’s National Team legend Carli Lloyd has announced her retirement from football, effective at the end of the 2021 National Women’s Soccer League season in November.
Lloyd will complete the 2021 NWSL season with her club side NJ/NY Gotham FC and play four final matches with the USWNT, two in September and two in October.
“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.” said Lloyd in a statement via U.S. Soccer. “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.
“I would like to thank U.S. Soccer for helping to provide the opportunities and memories that will last a lifetime. I am forever grateful to have represented the crest and to be able to play for my country for the last 17 years. I will continue to support and cheer this team on and continue to find ways to help grow the game and inspire the next generation,” said Lloyd.
Known as one of the greatest players ever in the history of the USWNT program, Lloyd has amassed 312 caps during her international career, scoring 128 goals and winning two FIFA Women’s World Cup titles.
Perhaps the most defining moment of Lloyd’s career came in the Final of the 2015 Women’s World Cup when Lloyd scored a hat trick to lead the U.S. to a 5-2 triumph over Japan for their third world championship.
Second on the all-time caps list for the USWNT behind Kristine Lilly (354), Lloyd is just one of four international players to have played 300 or more matches for her country.
Overall, Lloyd played in 25 World Cup matches and 22 Olympic matches, including the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in which she helped the U.S. claim the Bronze Medal. Lloyd also completed her Olympic career as the U.S.’s all-time top scorer in the Olympic Games with 10 goals, including two scores in Tokyo.
She started 239 of her 312 caps to date, with the U.S. owning a 257W-38D-17L record in that span and Lloyd scoring in 97 of her 312 caps.
Lloyd’s 128 career goals are fourth on the all-time USWNT scoring chart, and her 64 career assists leave her in sixth position on the all-time assists list.
