Ali Krieger has recalled the “devastating” moment he learned his marriage to Ashlyn Harris was officially over and how he is working on his recovery.
The USWNT legend, who retired from professional soccer after leading New Jersey/New York Gotham FC to its first NWSL championship on Nov. 11, spoke candidly while discussing his divorce publicly for the first time. own cover story.
“I'm actually in a healthy place,” Krieger said after a tumultuous year that saw rumors that her marriage ended due to infidelity. “I still process everything in real time.
“Obviously, I met the most broken version of myself this year, and now I'm the strongest version of myself. I feel like I can overcome anything and I'm ready for the next phase. The universe is me I feel like someone has sent me a gift and I'm ready to receive it.”
Harris filed for divorce on September 19, 2023, claiming the marriage was “irretrievably broken down.” According to court documents obtained by Page Six.
The following month, Page Six confirmed that Harris and actress Sophia Bush are dating.
Krieger did not speak publicly about the breakup, but said in an Instagram post:Beyoncé “Lemonade” era” At the time, it was a nod to a 2016 song that referenced infidelity.
The former Gotham FC teammates adopted 2-year-old daughter Sloane Phillips and 1-year-old son Ocean Mabe during their marriage.
Krieger recalled the time she was training when she learned her marriage was officially over.
“When I came off the field and was in the locker room, I was obviously devastated,” Krieger said, canceling the rest of the day and heading home.
“Over the past five months, my friends have shown up to me in ways I will forever cherish and remember. They are my real people,” she said of the support she received through her ongoing divorce. Ta. “That was very rewarding to see, because you never know how much of an impact you have, even with personal friends. And when they show up for you, you It’s just, oh, thank God.”
Krieger also relied heavily on his Gotham teammates.
“Then my teammates just started walking through the door,” she said. “Everyone. At different times. Until 2 a.m., we were there, just hanging out, dancing, posting music on YouTube. We sat in the kitchen in the playroom. We were dancing and hanging out, and they all brought wine and flowers and were just… to themselves.
“They didn't even think twice. They didn't have to ask. They just showed up. They came right after training, after meetings, all the way until 2 a.m. My kids were there, too. And we were all there too. And that's something I'll never forget and I'll never understand how grateful they are and how grateful they are…I'm so grateful. Masu.”
When asked where she sees herself in five years, Krieger explained that she hopes to be “in love and in new relationships,” but is focused on healing herself.
“My children are happy, healthy, and most importantly, growing,” she said. “I'm so in love and in a new relationship. Just traveling the world, loving my job and the people I work with, making time for friends and family and making new memories. And I am completely healed from this past year in some way, shape, or form.”
Harris spoke publicly about their breakup in an Instagram post on Nov. 18, explaining that she “didn't move forward with marriage.”
“I've always been faithful to my marriage, even if I wasn't always completely happy.” Harris wrote To some extent. “Like many partnerships, there was work, treatment and processing. None of this happened on a whim.
“We spent the entire summer working through the separation and divorce procedures laid out by our therapists, lawyers, and shared agency.”
“After nearly 13 years of friendship, team-mateship, marriage, and co-parenting (which has been a good year for them), ending our relationship was not a decision taken lightly. We agreed to focus on our children, continue treatment, separate, and move on with our lives.
“Ultimately, by choosing my own health and well-being, I know I’m choosing a better future for my children.”
Harris said the former couple planned to keep the news private until after Krieger's final season, but the news leaked and left her “exposed to online hate, which… It was one of the most devastating experiences I've had personally.”
Krieger told Self that now that she's retired, she's excited about the future and spending more time with her children.
The former defender has officially joined CBS Sports as a studio analyst and hopes to write a “tell-all” book about her life.
Krieger and Harris were together on two USWNT teams that won World Cups in 2015 and 2019, and dated for nearly a decade before marrying in Miami on December 28, 2019.
The wedding took place nine months after they revealed their engagement.
The former goaltender and defender met at USWNT training camp in 2010.
