American legend decides it’s time to say goodbye

The U.S. Women’s National Team is wrapping up an incredibly successful 2024, a year that saw them claim major titles, including the Women’s Gold Cup and a gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Now, Team USA is preparing to close the year with a European tour, where they will face England at Wembley and the Netherlands. These matches will also serve as a farewell for goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, who will officially retire from international play after a career filled with accolades.

End of the road for USWNT goalkeeper Naeher

During a press conference on Wednesday, Naeher reflected on what it meant to be part of the USWNT for more than a decade. She highlighted her role in one of the team’s golden generations, during which they won significant titles, including two FIFA Women’s World Cups and an Olympic gold medal.

“Honestly, I think I’ve been somebody that has given everything I’ve had to this team. I don’t do anything halfway. It’s kind of, if you can give 100% to it, then keep going,” she said. “With that in mind, I kind of just felt like this was the right time coming off of the Olympics, having the year that we had, entering into a new cycle, a new stage for this team.”

Naeher also emphasized the deeper meaning of wearing the Team USA jersey, saying it represents far more than just the sport itself. During her time with the team, she learned to embody and share values that transcend soccer.

“One of the special things about the USWNT is that this team is much bigger than just soccer. That’s something I’ll always carry with me,” she said. “I’m incredibly proud to have represented this team. It has been a great honor to be part of such a special group. I’ve had amazing teammates throughout my career, and winning two World Cups is something I’ll never forget.”

Naeher on her decision to retire: “It wasn’t a hard choice”

The American goalkeeper shared that she feels at peace with her decision to end her career on the pitch. She credited USWNT head coach Emma Hayes as a key figure in helping her come to this decision at the right moment.

“Yeah, I was nervous. I think as much as I am at peace with the decision, I know that in my head it’s the right time and I feel good about it and I feel at peace with it, it’s still the end of something,” she said.

“And change is scary and... I’m going to miss being a part of these camps in this team. And I think to have that conversation made it very real.

“It was important for me to have understood where she was at and to just have that conversation before anything got fully decided on,” she said. “And she was great. She was very supportive. She was very thankful for different contributions to the team over the years and this past year, but it was a good conversation.”

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The article above was originally written in Spanish, translated with the assistance of AI and edited by David Nelson.