Julie Ertz retires from professional soccer

A world champion has decided to call it a career. Today, USWNT and Angel City midfielder/defender Julie Ertz announced her immediate retirement from professional soccer. She made the announcement in a heartfelt message on social media this morning.

The Arizona native was one of the greatest players in USWNT history, winning Women’s World Cups in 2015 and 2019 and playing an integral part in shaping one of the greatest midfields in women’s soccer history. She won U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year in 2017 and 2019 and is just one of 5 players to win the Young Female Player of the Year and Female Player of the Year awards. She’s the only one to do so while winning the senior award twice.

Ertz was out for 18 months after the 2020 Olympics to recover from injury as well as the birth of her son. However, she returned in April to help the USWNT at the 2023 Women’s World Cup. After the Round of 16 loss to Sweden, in an emotional postgame interview, Julie Ertz hinted that her time with the national team had come to an end.

“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,” Julie Ertz said in a statement. “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 finishes her time with the USWNT with 122 caps and a 100W-5L-17D record. She scored 20 goals for the national team, and she leaves the game as one of the best defenders and midfielders America has produced.

Thank you, Julie.