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CHICAGO (August 16, 2021) – Carli Lloyd, perhaps the most successful big game player in the history of the United States National Women’s Football Team, one of the greatest players in the history of the program USWNT, the second most capped player in world football history and owner of 128 international goals, has announced her retirement.
US Soccer will soon be announcing four fall friendlies for the USWNT – two in September and two in October – which will serve as Lloyd’s final games in an American uniform. Lloyd will also play the remainder of the National Women’s Soccer League season with NJ / NY Gotham FC before ending her professional club career, which spanned 12 years and six teams.
“When I started with the national team in 2005, my two main goals were to be the most complete soccer player possible and to help the team win championships. Lloyd said. “Every day I entered the pitch, I played like 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 on top for that long.
Lloyd, 39, ends a historic international career that began in July 2005 (days before she turned 23) when she made her debut against Ukraine in Portland, Oregon. She currently has 312 caps, which is the second all-time in U.S. and world history behind just Kristine Lilly (354). Lloyd is one of four international footballers to have played 300 or more times for her country.
“I want to thank US Soccer for helping to provide opportunities and memories that will last a lifetime. I am always grateful to have represented the crest and been able to play for my country for the past 17 years.” Lloyd said. “I will continue to support and encourage this team and continue to find ways to help develop the game and inspire the next generation.”
“Ending my career knowing that my family was able to be by my side and sharing this final chapter with me couldn’t have been more special. We will all have a lot more time to spend together now, and especially with my husband Brian, who has been my rock and my biggest support system for all these years. We both can’t wait to start this next chapter of our lives without my daily training and play routine, but I will most likely need another outlet for my competitiveness! Maybe it will be golf?
With 312 caps to date, the United States has an overall record of 257-17-38, an 88% winning percentage. She has appeared for the United States in three different decades, at four World Cups and four Olympics. She has played 25 World Cup games and 22 Olympic games, overtaking Kristine Lilly in most games played for a USWNT player in the world championships. She started 239 of her 312 caps, came off the bench 73 times and was a team captain in the latter part of her career.
Lloyd played for five different USWNT head coaches, scoring multiple goals under each of them. She won 124 caps under Jill Ellis and 100 under Pia Sundhage.
“I’m grateful to the five head coaches I’ve played for because they’ve all helped me grow into the player I’ve become over the years,” said Lloyd. “We shared some amazing times and also some difficult times, but it all made my trip so special and rewarding.”
“Carli Lloyd is a true legend,” said United States Women’s National Team head coach Vlatko Andonovski. “His career was unique and his success on the pitch is something all current and future national team players should aspire to achieve. The way she approached her daily training and her professional career is truly impressive and I was honored to coach her.
Lloyd has also played full international matches with over 100 different teammates.
“We’ve been basically like family over the years,” Lloyd said. “The number of days we spend on the road together is more than the time we spend with our own family and loved ones. We were able to share some amazing moments together on and off the pitch, and we also shared some heartbreaking moments. I’m just grateful for the ups and downs because that’s what has helped us grow as people, players and as a team. I will always be grateful for the friendships I made along the way and for the fact that I was able to play and compete with the best players in the world.
Not only has its longevity been truly extraordinary, but so has its production. His 128 career goals are the fourth all-time in U.S. history and tied for fifth in world history, and his 64 career assists are the sixth all-time for the USWNT . Although she played mostly forward in the latter part of her career, she is the best midfielder in United States history. She has scored in 97 of her 312 caps.
“Through all the goals, trophies, medals and championships I’ve won, what I’m most proud of is that I was able to stay shameless,” said Lloyd. My journey has been difficult, but I can honestly say that I have remained true to myself, my teammates, my coaches, the media and the fans throughout my career and that is what I am most about. proud. Everyone sees the great times, but I cherished the work behind the scenes and the adversity I had to overcome to get to these great times.
Lloyd is best remembered for her remarkable hat-trick in just 17 minutes after the start of the first half of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup final, a scoring trio that was capped by one of the The most famous goals in football history, his strike from midfield brought the score to 4-0 in the United States’ final 5-2 victory over Japan. She would win the Ballon d’Or as the best player in the tournament.
But it is Lloyd’s consistent output over the course of his career, his extreme dedication to the game, and his relentless pursuit of self-improvement that perhaps best exemplifies his contribution to American and world football history. She has scored in all three Olympic medal matches she played in, winning the winners of gold medal matches at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics while also scoring twice – including the eventual winner of the match – in of the recent victory of the bronze medal match against Australia in Japan in their last Olympic match.
“We couldn’t have had the impact we have without our incredible fans who have supported the national team and helped take this program to unprecedented levels of popularity and cultural significance,” said Lloyd. “I’ve heard a lot of players say they want to quit the game better than they found it to be, and I think they do, for sure. I know this team is in good hands on the pitch and the fans will continue to support our team in the future. “
She ended her career as the United States’ all-time top scorer at the Olympics with 10 goals, overtaking Abby Wambach. She also scored 10 World Cup goals, third behind Wambach (14) and Michelle Akers (12).
His ability to play at the highest level until his late thirties is unprecedented. Lloyd has scored 36 international goals between his debut (six days before his 23rd birthday) and his 30th birthday. Since turning 30, she has scored 92 remarkable goals in 177 games over a span of just over nine years. No player in the history of international football has scored more goals after her 30th birthday than Lloyd.
His 177 international games played after the age of 30 are also the most important in US history, two more than Christie Pearce Rampone.
Lloyd’s career eight hat tricks are tied with Mia Hamm for the most three-goal games in WNT history. Her most recent hat-trick on October 7, 2018, against Panama in World Cup qualifying, made her the oldest player to score a hat-trick for the USWNT (36, 83 days). She broke Wambach’s record of 34 years and 186 days.
She is also the oldest player to lead the United States in scoring in a calendar year, having scored 16 goals in 2019 and ending the year at 37.5.
At the end of 2019, Lloyd spent 20,000 minutes playing in an American uniform, which was only achieved by five other USWNT players – Lilly, Rampone, Julie Foudy, Hamm and Joy Fawcett. She currently has 21,293 minutes played for the United States, making it her fourth all-time.
Lloyd’s goal against Jamaica on June 13 this year, scored after just 23 seconds, was the second fastest to start a game in WNT history and also made her the oldest player in the world. history of the USWNT to score a goal. Lilly was previously the oldest player to score a goal for the United States at 38 years and 264 days. Lloyd was 38 years and 332 days old on June 13 against Jamaica.
“Carli was the embodiment of the DNA of a USWNT player,” said USWNT Executive Director Kate Markgraf. “Her contributions have undoubtedly played a major role in this team’s years of success – inspiring both those who have played with her and those who will wear the jersey in the future. She is considered one of the best. of the history of the program.
Lloyd was twice named American Soccer Player of the Year (2008 and 2015) and was twice named FIFA Player of the Year (2015 and 2016). She and Hamm (2001 and 2002) are the only two Americans to have won the FIFA Women’s Player of the Year award twice.
Carli Anne Lloyd was born and raised in New Jersey, where she excelled as a young player. She attended Rutgers University from her home state, becoming four times All-Big East Selection and three times All-American. She began her international career in 2002 with the United States National Women’s Under-21 Team, having been excluded from the summer tournament roster before being recalled to that team and helping the Under-21s. 21 years old to win three Nordic Cup tournaments. Lloyd then trained with the senior team at the 2004 Olympic residency camp before winning her first cap in 2005, launching one of the greatest international careers in the history of women’s football.
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