United States women's national team superstar Carli Lloyd, a two-time World Cup winner, is calling it a career. U.S. Soccer announced on Monday that the 39-year-old veteran will step away from the game later this year following the NWSL season and fall friendlies for the USWNT. Lloyd, hero at the 2015 World Cup in Canada, is the second-most capped player in world soccer history and has 128 international goals.
"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 in a release. "Every single day I stepped out onto the field, I played as if it was my last game."
Lloyd, currently playing for NJ/NY Gotham FC in the NWSL, has played for six different clubs in her career and goes down as one of the best American soccer players of all time.
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While her accomplishments are endless, she'll be most remembered for her hat trick in the 2015 World Cup final against Japan, where she also scored from midfield. She scored all three of her goals in the first 16 minutes as the Americans went on to defeat Japan, 5-2.
Here's a look at some of the most significant numbers of her career:
- Lloyd has 312 caps for the USWNT and an overall record of 257-17-38.
- She played for the U.S. in three different decades, including four World Cups and three Olympics.
- She has played in more World Cup matches (25) and Olympic matches (22) than any other player in USWNT history.
- Lloyd has scored more goals (10) in the Olympics than any other USWNT player, including two goals against Australia in the Tokyo bronze medal game, her final Olympics game.
- Lloyd's 10 World Cup goals are good enough for third all-time in the program behind Abby Wambach (14) and Michelle Akers (12).
- Her eight hat tricks for the USWNT are level with Mia Hamm for the most in program history.
- She was FIFA Women's Player of the Year in 2015 and 2016.
- Lloyd won two World Cups, two Olympic gold medals and one bronze.
"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," Lloyd added in the statement.
