Ertz signs with Angel City in return

The Julie Ertz Era at Angel City FC was far from memorable. The club acquired the rights to the two-time World Cup champion in a December 2021 trade with the Chicago Red Stars, but Ertz never so much as tried on a uniform, stepping away from the game to give birth to her first child, a boy, last August.

In the meantime, the team’s rights to Ertz expired and the midfielder became a free agent.

Now she’s back, having signed a oneyear contract with Angel City, the club announced Monday. Ertz is expected to join the team in training this week and her first match could be Sunday against the San Diego Wave.

“At Angel City the expectations are extremely high and I’m excited to put myself in that environment,” said Ertz, who remained in communication with Angel City during her absence. “They have created an incredible culture around the club and you can see it through the enjoyment of the players, coaches and supporters. This is a place every player wants to thrive in.”

Ertz, 31, played in the bronze-medal match at the Tokyo Olympics in the summer of 2021 but went 611 days before playing in another competitive game. Many assumed she had retired before her surprise call-up to the national team last month, leading to back-toback appearances against Ireland this month. She hasn’t played in a club game since spraining the medial collateral ligament in her right knee in the Red Stars’ 2021 season opener.

Ertz, who has been training on her own, is returning to the National Women’s Soccer League in an effort to get game-fit for this summer’s World Cup. Ertz played all but 157 minutes in the last 14 World Cup matches, helping the U.S. to two titles.

Argentina is replacing Indonesia as the host of the Under-20 World Cup next month. FIFA announced the decision about two weeks after Indonesia was stripped of the hosting rights.