Mon Nov 25 19:30:00 UTC 2024: ## US Women’s Soccer Goalkeeping Legend Alyssa Naeher Announces Retirement
**NEW YORK –** Alyssa Naeher, a two-time World Cup champion and Olympic gold medalist, announced her retirement from the US Women’s National Team (USWNT) on Monday. The 36-year-old goalkeeper will play her final two international matches against England and the Netherlands on November 30th and December 3rd, respectively, before concluding a 15-year career with the national team.
Naeher, who will continue her club career with the Chicago Red Stars, expressed immense gratitude for her time with the USWNT, citing her teammates and family as pivotal to her success. She leaves behind a legacy including a World Cup-winning penalty save against England in 2019 and the distinction of being the only goalkeeper to achieve shutouts in both a World Cup final and an Olympic gold medal game. Her career statistics are impressive, boasting 113 caps, 88 wins, 68 shutouts, and a remarkable goals-against average of 0.50. These numbers place her among the all-time greats behind only Hope Solo and Briana Scurry.
While Casey Murphy and Jane Campbell are expected to compete for the starting goalkeeper position, neither will feature in Naeher’s farewell matches. Instead, the USWNT will field Utah Royals’ Mandy Haught and uncapped Manchester United player Phallon Tullis-Joyce in the upcoming friendlies. Naeher’s retirement marks the end of an era for US Women’s Soccer, but she leaves a legacy of exceptional skill and unwavering dedication.
First Piper 