On March 23, 2023, Ali Krieger revealed, “This will be my last year playing professional soccer.” While the USWNT has seen some of the best players in the world represent the national team, Krieger is amongst the cream of the crop. The former soccer star proved her mettle over the years, bagging multiple accolades throughout her illustrious career. As she made her announcement, she said, “I want to leave the game better than I found it.” While there’s no doubt she did that, it turns out she could’ve stuck around longer. So what stopped her?

The former USWNT star, who is set to join CBS as their analyst, was present on their Kickin’ It podcast earlier this week. In what was a trip down memory lane through her decorated career, she was asked if playing another season would be something she could do. “I could [play another season]. But last season, I was having little muscle strains and little injuries here and there. I couldn’t play every single game, and that’s when I knew, along with running beside and chasing down 20-year-olds. I’m like, all right, okay, what is going on? I need to get out of here,” Krieger explained.

While chasing down 20-year-olds as a 39-year-old was no easy task, the former NJ/NY Gotham FC captain cheekily added, “They weren’t beating me, though. They weren’t beating me very often.” Krieger’s statements about her physicality echoed what she said when she first announced on CBS. “I’ve given so much to the game, and I’ve gotten a lot in return. But I feel it, my body also feels it,” she revealed. And now that she’s stepped away, Krieger knows it was the right decision, not just for her but for the future of the USWNT.

On the podcast, she added, “I could play another year. It’s just that the young ones can step up and take over. And it’s time, and it’s definitely my body too. It’s not worth pushing it through that physical stress.”

Krieger had a decorated career as a defender for the USWNT during the 2015 and 2019 World Cup triumphs. She pulled the curtain on her career last year after securing her maiden NWSL title alongside NJ/NY Gotham FC, becoming the oldest player to clinch the coveted title. In doing so, she fulfilled a significant goal she had for her last season.

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Ali Krieger got her perfect ending, but Megan Rapinoe didn’t

The 2023 NWSL Final between OL Reign and NJ/NY Gotham FC was the last game for two USNWT legends – Ali Krieger and Megan Rapinoe. But at the end of the night, only one of them retired with an NWSL title to their name. And it was Krieger, as Gotham beat Reign 2-1. As for Rapinoe, she went down in the third minute of the game with what looked like an Achilles injury.

Having walked out of the field after sharing a hug with Krieger, Rapinoe remarked, “You don’t always get to have the perfect ending.” While it wasn’t one for her, the Gotham captain sure had hers. Krieger was amongst the first players to join the NWSL bandwagon in 2013 following her decorated stint with the German side, FFC Frankfurt. Following her move to the United States, the defender made 200 NWSL outings representing the Washington Spirit and Orlando Pride before joining Gotham FC in 2021.

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“I want to keep [playing well] and end on a high. So my focus is fully on Gotham FC and winning an NWSL championship this year. That is the most important goal for me this season,” she told CBS during her retirement announcement. And the first American Champions League winner proved her mettle last season, captaining Gotham FC to their very first NWSL silverware. It was a fairytale ending for Krieger and her side, with the franchise finishing at the bottom of the table in the previous edition of the tournament.

The USWNT icon, following her soccer career, now looks to make her mark in the media industry, with the defender joining CBS Sports Golazo Network as their newest soccer analyst. Do you think Ali Krieger ranks amongst the top three players for the USWNT? Let us know in the comments below.

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