Wambach ends ‘wonderful ride’
Longtime U.S. star says she’s retiring after team’s tour.
Abby Wambach, the leading career scorer — male or female — in international soccer, announced her retirement from soccer Tuesday shortly after the U.S. team celebrated its Women’s World Cup victory at the White House.
Wambach, 35, said before the Cup this past summer in Canada that she wanted to cap her 15-year career with the game’s most prestigious championship.
Wambach, who grew up in Rochester, New York, has appeared in 252 international matches with 184 goals.
She will play the final four matches of the national team’s 10-game victory tour before stepping away from the team. Her final match will be Dec. 16 against China in New Orleans.
“After much deliberation and talking with my friends, family, teammates and our coaching staff, I’ve decided to finally bring my soccer career to an end,” Wambach said 184 international goals (most by any player) 25 career WWC games (second-most all-time) 14 career WWC goals (tied for second all-time) 252 caps (fifth-most in U.S. history) Two-time Olympic gold medalist (2004, 2012) 2015 Women’s World Cup champion in a statement. “While we still have more work to do for women’s soccer, after bringing the World Cup back to the United States this summer, I’m feeling extremely optimistic about the future of our sport. It’s been an amazing, wonderful ride and I can’t wait to see what the next chapter of my life brings.”
Before she announced her retirement, the team was feted by President Barack Obama at the White House.
“This team taught all America’s children that playing like a girl means you’re a badass,” Obama said to applause in the East Room. “Perhaps I shouldn’t have used that phrase. Playing like a girl means being the best.”
The United States defeated Japan 5-2 in the World Cup title game at the end of the monthlong tournament that crisscrossed Canada.
Following the ceremony Tuesday, Wambach took a selfie with Obama and her teammates.
Wambach appeared in four World Cups. She also has a pair of Olympic gold medals from the 2004 Games in Athens and the 2012 Games in London. She did not compete in the Beijing Games because of a broken leg.
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