Former United States goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher has announced her retirement from soccer at age 38. Naeher, a two-time World Cup winner and Olympic gold medalist who stepped away from international duty in 2024, said on Friday that it was the "right time" to end her 17-year career, closing out her 11th season with National Women's Soccer League club the Chicago Stars, whom she captained.
"The decision to retire is never an easy one, but after a lot of prayer and reflection, I feel like it is the right time," Naeher said on the club's official website. "When I got traded from Boston (Breakers) to Chicago at the end of 2015, I felt like my world got turned upside down, but Chicago very quickly became my home away from home."
"I feel incredibly blessed to have shared the field with so many amazing teammates over the last 11 years, and have created a lifetime of memories on and off the field that I will always cherish," she added.
Naeher was one of three active players during the 2026 NWSL season to have remained in the league since its inaugural 2013 campaign, alongside Jess Fishlock and Sydney Leroux. Fishlock also announced her retirement following the recent season.
Naeher returned for six of the Stars' final eight matches of the season after spending three months out of the squad, as the club finished at the bottom of the NWSL standings for a second consecutive season.
She was honored by U.S. Soccer before an international friendly against Portugal in East Hartford, Connecticut, in October 2024 in recognition of her contributions to the national team. She is considered one of the greatest goalkeepers in U.S. soccer history.
Across her international career, Naeher recorded 115 caps, 112 starts and 69 clean sheets, and in 2024 became the first NWSL goalkeeper to be nominated for the Ballon d'Or.
At club level, she became the first NWSL goalkeeper to reach 200 starts and appearances, as well as 60 wins and 45 clean sheets with a single club.
In a statement posted on Instagram, Naeher said: "It's hard to put the last 17 years into words. I've given everything I have to this game, and it's given me memories and experiences that I will never forget. I got to represent two of the best sports cities in the world in Boston and Chicago, as well as a chance to play European football in Potsdam."
"The people you get to live this crazy life with are what make it truly special. The ones you celebrate with in success and victory; and those that encourage and stand with you in disappointment; all the little moments we shared in between on and off the field," she said.
