The Legacy of Carli Lloyd

After many years, 312 international appearances, and 128 international goals, Carli Lloyd is ending her incredible soccer career this month.

In July of 2005, a soccer player from New Jersey stepped onto the field to represent the United States women’s soccer team for her very first time. Ten years later, that same woman became the first to score a hat trick in a Women’s World Cup final. To honor her dedication, success, drive, and passion, we’re taking a look back at the greatest highlights and contributions of Carli Lloyd.

2008 Beijing Olympics

Just three years after she debuted for the national team, Lloyd made a name for herself at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Her goal in the championship of the qualification tournament was what tied the United States with Canada, and sent them into a penalty kick shootout. In the actual Olympic tournament, Lloyd scored the game-winning goal in one of the group matches against Japan and scored in the gold-medal match. This impressive performance was partly responsible for Lloyd being named the 2008 U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year. The 2008 Beijing Olympics helped Carli Lloyd emerge from the shadows, and prove that she would be an indispensable force for many years to come.

The 2015 Women’s World Cup

If there was a face of the 2015 Women’s World Cup, it was Carli Lloyd. In the United States’ knockout game against Colombia, she stepped up to convert a penalty kick that pushed the U.S. into the quarterfinals. In the quarterfinals against China, she once again stepped up and scored, her goal being the difference between the two teams. Her scoring streak continued into the semifinals against Germany, where she once again scored a penalty kick, and into the finals. That finals performance, which consisted of a hat trick scored in the first sixteen minutes of the game, one of which was scored from the halfline, proved yet again that Carli Lloyd was imperative to the success of the USWNT. For her performance in the tournament, Lloyd won the Silver Boot, Golden Ball, Goal of the Tournament, a spot on the All-Star Squad, and a spot on the Dream Team.

Proving Age is Just a Number

Most of us don’t consider ourselves old when we’re in our thirties. But in the soccer world, your thirties are typically the time you start thinking about retirement. However, Carli Lloyd turned 39 in July, a milestone that has made her the recipient of several new records. Thanks to the U.S.’s appearance in the 2021 Olympics, Lloyd is now the oldest USWNT player to make an appearance in an Olympic tournament. Her goals in the final also make her the oldest person to score at the Olympics. Before her 39th birthday, Lloyd scored in a send-off match against Jamaica and became the oldest player to score for the United States. Her long career and experience with and in many different years, tournaments, teammates, and coaches have set her apart from so many other players. As women’s soccer has undergone so many changes, Lloyd has adapted and has never stopped working hard to prove that she should still be an asset to the USWNT.

Lloyd’s Other Endeavors

Beyond the national team, Lloyd has had a significant influence on her club soccer league, the National Women’s Soccer League. In this league, she has played for the Western New York Flash, the Houston Dash, and, currently, Gotham FC, which used to be known as Sky Blue FC. Gotham FC is located in Lloyd’s home state of New Jersey, to which she still has strong ties. In the last two years, Carli Lloyd has scored eleven goals and has been a continual leadership presence. Outside of soccer, Lloyd has written a memoir, When Nobody Was Watching and has several endorsement deals, including some with Nike and Beats.

Carli Lloyd’s incredible soccer career has spanned over a decade and a half, and she has made an incredible impact on women’s soccer since first stepping onto the pitch. Two Olympic gold medals under her belt, two World Cup trophies, and countless other goals, awards, and recognitions, ensure that her legacy will not soon be forgotten.