Two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup winner Carli Lloyd, one of the greatest female soccer players ever to grace the game, has announced her retirement, US Soccer said on Monday.
The 39-year-old Lloyd, who was twice named FIFA Women’s Player of the Year, became the second-most capped player in world soccer history (312) during a career that has also included two Olympic gold medals.
“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,” Lloyd said.
Photo: AFP
“Every single day I stepped out onto the field, I played as if it was my last game,” Lloyd said. “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.”
US Soccer is soon to announce four friendly matches for the women’s national team — two next month and two in October — which are to serve as Lloyd’s final games in a US jersey.
Lloyd is also to play the remainder of the National Women’s Soccer League 2021-2022 season with the NJ/NY Gotham club before calling time on her professional club career, which has spanned 12 years and six teams.
Known for her consistent production throughout her career, Lloyd, who served as US women’s national team (USWNT) captain in the latter part of her career, scored 128 international goals and is tied for fifth on the all-time list.
“Her career was unique, and her success on the field is something all current and future national team players should aspire to achieve,” USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski said.
“The way she approached her everyday training and career as a professional is truly impressive and I’ve been honored to coach her,” Andonovski added.
Considered by many to be the most impactful big-game player to feature for the USWNT, Lloyd scored in all three Olympic medal games in which she played.
She bagged the game-winners in the gold medal matches at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, while scoring twice — including the eventual game-winner — in the bronze medal game victory over Australia in Tokyo.
Of all her feats, Lloyd might be remembered best for the sensational hat-trick inside of just 17 minutes into the first half of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup final, when she also won the Golden Ball as the best player in the tournament.
Lloyd capped her hat-trick with one of the most famous goals in soccer history, an outrageous strike from midfield to make the score 4-0 in an eventual 5-2 win over Japan.
“Through all the goals, the trophies, the medals and the championships won, what I am most proud of is that I’ve been able to stay unapologetically me,” Lloyd said. “My journey has been hard, but I can honestly say I’ve stayed true to myself, to my teammates, my coaches, the media and the fans throughout my entire career — and that is what I am most proud of.”
OFFENSE SHINES: First baseman Pan Chie-kai hit a solo homer in the fifth inning as all 10 batters Taiwan used contributed at least one hit toward their team total of 14 One day after their first shutout loss at the WBSC Premier12, Taiwan yesterday bounced back with a commanding 8-2 victory over the US, keeping their hopes for a spot in tomorrow’s final alive. The win in the Super Round marked Taiwan’s first triumph over the US at a top-tier international baseball tournament since 2003. Their previous win over the US was at the 2003 Baseball World Cup, with only one win in the previous 10 matchups since 1999. Yesterday’s game was tightly contested through the first six innings, with the margin never exceeding two runs. However, the tide turned in the top of
Taiwan last night defeated Cuba 2-0 in their World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Premier12 Group B game at the Taipei Dome and finished the group second. At the Taipei Tianmu Baseball Stadium, South Korea yesterday defeated Australia 5-2, while Japan last night won 11-3 against the Dominican Republic. On Sunday, Taiwan scored two three-run homers in an 11-3 blowout win over Australia at the Taipei Dome to advance to the Super Round. Fresh off a defeat at the hands of defending Premier12 champions and Group B winners Japan the previous day, Taiwan’s offense came out slugging against Australia from the
TWO-NIL LOSS: Taiwan’s best chance to score came at the top of the fifth with the bases loaded and one out, but Venezuela’s Liarvis Breto got out of the jam Taiwan yesterday suffered a shutout 2-0 loss to Venezuela in the opening game of the WBSC Premier12 Super Round at the Tokyo Dome. Taiwan had seven hits, one more than Venezuela’s six, but catcher Carlos Perez’s two-run homer to left field in the bottom of the fourth inning delivered the only runs scored by both teams and secured victory for Venezuela. Taiwan’s best chance came at the top of the fifth inning with the bases loaded and only one out. However, Venezuela reliever Liarvis Breto struck out Chen Chen-wei before reliever Pedro Garcia finished the inning by allowing an infield flyball by Lin
As sporting celebrations go, it does not quite have the charm of Roger Milla’s hip-wiggling shimmy with a corner flag at the 1990 World Cup or the imperious swagger of Usain Bolt’s iconic lightning pose. However, a dance move inspired by US president-elect Donald Trump’s stilted on-stage boogieing has rapidly become the celebration of choice across the US sporting world. From the blood-soaked UFC to the hard-hitting NFL and the reliably decorous world of the LPGA Tour, athletes across North America have succumbed to the viral Trump dance craze in the past week. On Monday, US soccer star Christian Pulisic became the latest
RSS