USWNT star Julie Ertz officially announces retirement from soccer

Julie Ertz, a two-time World Cup winner with the United States women’s national team, officially announced her retirement from soccer on Thursday.

“As an athlete you’re always singularly focused on the next goal, the next tournament and rarely do you get time to reflect on your career,” Ertz said in a statement released by U.S. Soccer on Thursday. “However, over the past couple of months my heart has been filled with gratitude as I’ve thought about the amazing experiences soccer has given me. I’ve been blessed to meet and train with some of the best and most inspirational women I’ve ever been around, and I’ve experienced different cultures while traveling the world to compete at the highest level.

“I gave everything I had to the sport that I love. With that I can walk away with no regrets because while I gave soccer every ounce of myself, soccer gave me even more, and for that I’ll always be thankful.”

Ertz first hinted at her international retirement earlier this month following the USWNT’s heartbreaking loss to Sweden in the round of 16 at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

“I think for me it is just emotional, because it is probably the last game ever being able to have the honor to wear this crest,” Ertz told FOX’s Jenny Taft. “It is just tough. It is just an emotional time. It absolutely sucks. Penalties are the worst. But it is an honor to represent this team and I am excited for the future of the girls.”

Ertz won her first World Cup in 2015 as a center back but then starred for the USWNT in 2019 in the midfield. At the 2023 World Cup, she seamlessly moved back to center back and anchored the United States’ defense with Becky Sauerbrunn sidelined. She’s also a two-time winner of the U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year Award (2017 and 2019).

This is a developing story.

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