Right on the heels of her bronze medal win at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Carli Lloyd has announced that she's changing her goals.
The U.S. Women's Soccer Team player said in a statement on Monday, Aug. 16 that she's retiring.
"When I first started out with the National Team in 2005, my two main goals were to be the most complete soccer player I could be and to help the team win championships," she said, adding, "Every single day I stepped out onto the field, I played as if it was my last game. I never wanted to take anything for granted, especially knowing how hard it is to get to the top, but even harder to stay at the top for so long."
Lloyd's last games as part of the team will be in September and October before she puts up her jersey for good.
"I would like to thank U.S. Soccer for helping to provide the opportunities and memories that will last a lifetime," she expressed. "I am forever grateful to have represented the crest and to be able to play for my country for the last 17 years."
The athlete said she will "continue to support and cheer this team on" and hopes to "inspire the next generation."
Looking ahead, Lloyd is excited to spend more time with her family, including her husband, Brian Hollins, who she married in 2016.
"To end my career knowing my family was able to be by my side and share this last chapter with me could not have been any more special," she reflected. "We will all have a lot more time to spend together now, and especially with my husband Brian, who has been my rock and biggest support system for all these years."
Lloyd noted that her schedule will be a lot more flexible once she is fully retired, and joked that she might even need a new hobby to fill up her time: "I will most likely need to another outlet for my competitiveness! Perhaps that will be golf?"
The soccer player competed at four World Cups and four Olympic Games, and she has a legendary 128 career goals, No. 5 in world history, per USSoccer.com.