Ali Krieger is ready to step onto the field for this next stage of her life.
Last year, the US Women's National Team star experienced two major life events—retirement from her soccer career, and the dissolution of her 4-year-marriage to fellow player Ashlyn Harris, with whom she shares daughter Sloane, 2, and son Ocean, 17 months.
And while the latter brought her down to her lowest, the 39-year-old is looking towards the future with optimism.
"I'm actually in a healthy space," Ali told SELF in an interview published Jan. 23. "I'm still processing everything in real time. Obviously, I met the most broken version of myself this year, but now—the strongest. I feel like I can get through anything, and I am so ready for this next phase."
As she explained, "I feel like the universe has sent me a gift, and I'm ready to take it."
That said, Ali won't be sprinting into any new romantic relationships any time soon—instead, she's putting herself in center position.
"When I'm ready and open for the next relationship, or the next person to come into my life, I want to feel like I'm giving my full self," she noted. "I know that I'm not there yet. So, I think 2024 is going to be just me continuing to put myself first, and work on myself so that I am a complete Ali—so that I don't carry all of this past trauma into that next relationship."
"I'm so ready for the new year," she continued, "and just propelling myself forward into that. And then I'll be open, really fully open, to what's next."
And though she's holding off on bring anyone new into her next chapter, Ali does feel immense gratitude for one specific group of people in her life: her USWNT teammates. As she explained, they were sure to be there for her on the night the news broke about her divorce last October.
"They didn't even think twice," she told the outlet. "They didn't have to ask; they just showed up. They just kept coming in—from right after training, after their meetings, through 2 a.m. My kids were there, we all were there. And that's something that I will never forget, and they will never understand how grateful and how…I'm so appreciative."