2024 USWNT Retirements: Celebrating four iconic careers | OneFootball

Players come and go, but the USWNT had four prolific athletes retire from the game this past year. These four players were household names. They advanced the legacy built by trailblazers before them, leaving an indelible mark on the national team’s culture and history.

One by one, USWNT fans were shocked and rattled as these veteran players hung up their boots. Each retirement felt like the end of an era, so we thought it was important to look at what lies ahead for each player.

Sam Mewis

Let’s go back to the beginning of this year. The women’s soccer world was surprised to hear that after battling back from injuries, Sam Mewis was retiring.

In the same breath as her announcement, she mentioned that she would be trying her hand at hosting The Women’s Game podcast in affiliation with the Men in Blazers. This podcast plays a massive role in the social media community, providing avenues for people to engage with women’s sports around the globe.

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After retiring, Mewis also focused on another endeavor within women’s soccer: coaching. In July, she became the inaugural coach for Vermont Green FC’s first-ever women’s soccer match. She remains on the club’s board, helping Vermont Green establish its women’s soccer team.

Kelley O’Hara

The next veteran to hang up her boots was the powerhouse right back, Kelley O’Hara. Her absences due to knee injuries made USWNT fans uneasy about whether she would retire.

After O’Hara’s official announcement, fans did not expect to hear all the ins and outs of what she went through battling back from her knee injury. But she revealed it all in an episode on The Women’s Game podcast. Make sure you have the Kleenex handy for that episode. O’Hara does not hold back in expressing the feelings and struggles every athlete experiences when they are staring down the line of cold, hard facts and giving up their first love.

The magnitude of O’Hara’s knee injury brought to light an outpouring of love and support for her when they honored her in the USWNT friendly match in October. As the Summer Olympics approached, O’Hara stated that her return to Just Women’s Sports was now a permanent fixture.

Alex Morgan

I’m sorry, you said Alex Morgan is retiring? That question was the first thing most USWNT fans asked when the news broke. Despite being left off of the 2024 USWNT Olympic roster, the sporting world was still shocked that Morgan would be retiring just a few months later.

In an interview with ESPN, Morgan stated that this was a challenging year not only physically due to injuries but mentally.

“I don’t think coaching is in my future. I think that I have found my calling in investing in women’s sports,” Morgan told ESPN. During her retirement announcement, Morgan also revealed that she and her husband will welcome their second child.

Alyssa Naeher

The most recent to announce her retirement is Alyssa Naeher. Dubbed by Emma Hayes as one of the greatest USWNT goalkeepers, Naeher stepped away from the international game after the team’s friendly match against the Netherlands on December 3.

This is not goodbye forever, however. Naeher has made it clear that she will continue playing for the Chicago Red Stars during the 2025 NWSL season. This departure from international play will leave Naeher with an impressive performance noted in the history books of the USWNT and the sport as the only goalkeeper to have a shutout in a World Cup final and Olympic final.

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When the time comes for a player to hang up the boots, it is never easy. Many factors play into that decision, and the one thing that is needed most is support — especially when you consider the game to be a first love.

The outpouring of love that these USWNT players have received as they retire only signifies that they are truly legends in their own right and will be missed on the pitch. Hats off to all the amazing accolades and for bringing more joy into this beautiful game.

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