Carli Lloyd announces her retirement

USWNT legend Carli Lloyd announced on Monday that she will conclude her storied career at the end of the 2021 season.

A legendary career comes to a close 🇺🇸🐐 @CarliLloyd has announced her retirement. The soon-to-be announced four #USWNT fall friendlies will be her final matches in a U.S. uniform, closing out a remarkable career. She will finish the @NWSL season with @GothamFC.

— U.S. Soccer WNT (@USWNT) August 16, 2021

Lloyd’s national team swan song will come across four fall friendlies scheduled for September and October. At the club level, Lloyd will continue representing Gotham FC in the NWSL for the remainder of the season. Gotham’s final regular season game will take place on October 31st.

Lloyd had a distinguished collegiate career between 2001-2004 with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. She has represented 11 different teams over the course of her club career. Of course, Lloyd is most well known for her impact in international play. The 39-year-old has been a staple for the USWNT since making her debut in 2005.

USWNT Career

Since making her first appearance against Ukraine in 2005, Carli Lloyd has had an incredible run with the USWNT. 

Since 2005, Lloyd has amassed an incredible 312 caps for the United States, scoring 128 goals in the process. Lloyd is the second highest capped female player of all time. She trails only her former USWNT teammate Kristine Lilly. 

Carli Lloyd is one of just 17 women to have scored at least 100 international goals. She is currently tied for the fifth highest tally on that list.

Lloyd has earned a reputation as a player who shows up in the biggest moments for the United States. Some of her best moments under pressure include the winning goal in the gold medal game at the 2008 Olympics, both goals for the USA in the gold medal match at the 2012 Olympics, a hat trick in the 2015 World Cup final and, most recently, two goals in the bronze medal match at the Tokyo games.

There is no question that Carli Lloyd has been the complete package for the United States. The New Jersey native has combined consistency and brilliance while helping the USWNT to the biggest titles that FIFA has to offer. 

Final Thoughts on Carli Lloyd’s Career

Not many players in world football have a trophy cabinet that matches up with what Carli Lloyd has accomplished. Among many other things, Lloyd is a two time World Cup winner, two time Olympic Gold Medalist and two time FIFA Women’s Player of the Year. 

With the USWNT, Lloyd has also won tournaments such as the Algarve Cup (6x champion), the CONCACAF Women’s Championship (2x champion), the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament (4x champion), the Tournament of Nations and the She Believes Cup (4x champion). 

With Manchester City, Lloyd won the 2016-17 Women’s FA Cup. Lloyd has also received a plethora of individual awards and nominations from the likes of FIFA, U.S. Soccer, CONCACAF, the NWSL, Sports Illustrated and ESPN. 

Lloyd’s final USWNT appearances will be highly anticipated. Lloyd has contributed so much to the program over the past 17 years. As a result, fans will be eager to thank her for everything she has done.

Even for a program as successful as the USWNT, players like Carli Lloyd do not come around very often.

For now, I’ll leave you with Carli Lloyd’s goal from half field against Japan in the 2015 World Cup Final.

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Featured image courtesy of @BleacherReport.