Two-time World Cup champion, U.S. Women’s National Team gold medalist and Gotham FC defender Kerry O’Hara announced Thursday that she will retire from soccer at the end of the 2024 NWSL season.
In a career that spanned more than a decade, O’Hara appeared in four World Cups, three Olympic Games, and won championships in the WPS and NWSL.
She helped Gotham FC win its first NWSL Championship title last season.
O’Hara made the announcement in a video as part of Just Women’s Sports magazine’s “Kelly on the Streets” series.
“In case you haven’t noticed yet, this is my retirement announcement,” she said in the video.
“Well, everyone, you heard it here first, this 2024 season will be my last. I would like to thank everyone who has cheered and supported me over the years. I’ve been playing soccer since I was four years old and it was really fun, but I don’t cry because it’s over, I just laugh because it happened.”
O’Hara has been plagued by ankle and knee injuries that have limited his playing time in Gotham this season.
The team posted tributes to O’Hara on social media after the announcement. So was the NWSL..
“I’ve never taken anything for granted, and I feel like I’ve never acted out of inertia.” She told Just Women’s Sports: He talked about his retirement in another interview. “I always thought, ‘Every time I step on this field, I have to give it my all.’ Honestly, that’s probably half the reason I have to retire now instead of taking a few more years off.” “Its. I just worked hard. ”
The 35-year-old will retire having played more than 10,000 minutes for the women’s national team, appearing in 160 games and recording three goals and 21 assists, cementing her place in the history of U.S. women’s soccer. But he also scored one of the most memorable goals. 2015 World Cup.
O’Hara famously came off the bench in the semi-final against Germany and converted a pass from Carli Lloyd with a volley. Scored in the 84th minutesecuring victory for the USA and sending them to the World Cup finals, where they defeated Japan 5-2.
She first appeared on USWNT in March 2010 and has been a mainstay on the show ever since.
O’Hara played his last game for the national team last summer, when the United States lost to Sweden in the Round of 16 of the World Cup.
“At one point I thought, ‘Okay, you know what, this is my last year,’ but after that I was pretty calm,” O’Hara said. “Really all I felt was gratitude for everything I’ve had in my career, everything I’ve been able to do, and the people I’ve had the pleasure of working with.”
During his professional career, O’Hara helped FC Gold Pride win the WPS Championship in 2010, was a member of the 2021 Washington Spirit Championship Team, and was a member of Gotham’s Championship Team last year.
Gotham still has 11 home games left on its calendar, and the U.S. Women’s National Team is scheduled to play a send-off game at Red Bull Arena in July.
Gotham FC and US Soccer have not announced plans to honor O’Hara.
