Uswnt Great Christen Press To Retire At The End Of The 2025 Nwsl Season

One of nan astir electrifying players successful US women’s shot has called it a career.

Christen Press, who starred for nan US women’s nationalist squad complete 155 appearances from 2013 to 2021, announced connected Wednesday that she would beryllium retiring arsenic a subordinate astatine nan conclusion of nan 2025 NWSL play pinch Angel City FC.

Press, 36, shared nan news successful an question and reply connected ABC greeting show Good Morning America.

“I consciousness a operation of everything,” she said. “There’s relief, there’s joy, there’s excitement, there’s fear, there’s truthful overmuch grief. I person truthful overmuch grief, a portion of me, a portion of me, I’m losing her.”

Like astir women’s shot players of her generation, Press enjoyed a meandering master nine profession that started successful Florida pinch MagicJack successful Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS). When that convention folded, Press moved to Sweden pinch Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC and Tyresö earlier returning stateside successful nan recently launched NWSL pinch nan Utah Royals and Chicago Red Stars. She made 14 appearances for Manchester United successful nan 2020-21 WSL season, but returned to her location municipality of Los Angeles for nan motorboat of Angel City successful 2022.

Press will beryllium remembered astir for her nationalist squad career, which saw her play a cardinal domiciled successful nan United States’ triumphs successful nan 2015 and 2019 Women’s World Cups. Whether arsenic a starter aliases an effective substitute, Press’ speed, finishing, and expertise pinch nan shot astatine her feet was a cardinal constituent of those teams. In total, Press scored 64 goals for nan US nationalist squad – 1 much than teammate Megan Rapinoe and bully for ninth connected nan all-time scoring charts for nan US.

Press’s later playing profession was unluckily marked by a extended wounded struggles and a abrupt absence from nan USWNT picture. Shortly earlier making that move to LA, Press took a break from nan US nationalist squad for intelligence wellness reasons, and then-head coach Vlatko Andonovski near her disconnected his US rosters aft she said she was disposable to return successful 2022.

Press tore her ACL successful June of 2022 – an wounded that ended up requiring aggregate surgeries to afloat repair. In total, nan wounded kept Press retired of action until nan 2024 play and efficaciously ended her nationalist squad career, though her comeback pinch Angel City has been hailed arsenic inspiring by galore crossed nan world of women’s soccer.

Press has already gotten a caput commencement connected respective disconnected nan section ventures. Along pinch her woman and erstwhile teammate Tobin Heath, Press hosts nan celebrated Re–Cap podcast, which is portion of a broader Re– marque overseen by Press. Press and Heath’s narration was kept publically nether wraps for years earlier nan brace officially announced that they were joined earlier this year. Heath, Press’ teammate pinch nan US, retired earlier successful 2025.

“She would perfectly dislike maine saying this, but a lot,” she said of whether Heath’s determination contributed to her ain retirement. “I deliberation it is clip for my family to move connected to our adjacent chapter, we’re going to beryllium a portion of this crippled forever, but it’s clip for it to look different for us.”