US Soccer Star Carli Lloyd Joins Gotham FC Ownership With Gov. Murphy

NEW JERSEY — Carli Lloyd, the South Jersey-born two-time FIFA Player of the Year, is returning to the soccer realm just six months after she announced her retirement, joining NJ/NY Gotham FC as a minority owner.

Lloyd and the club announced her move to join the ownership Wednesday afternoon. She will be a consultant and adviser working to increase the club's profile both nationally and internationally, Just Women's Sports reported.

"Had to do it for Jersey," the club tweeted with a video clip of Lloyd shooting on goalkeeper Ashlynn Harris that noted Lloyd would be a minority owner.

"The deer in my yard have been driving me crazy so I had to invest in my home club," Lloyd jokes in the video clip.

"Back where I belong. Honored to join @GothamFC’s ownership group and excited for this club’s bright future!" Lloyd said in a tweet.

"As my home club, Gotham FC has always been close to my heart," said Lloyd, who played for Gotham FC for three seasons. It's an honor to begin this new chapter of my soccer career surrounded by people who are committed to making this the best club and league in the world. I look forward to working with Yael Averbuch West, Andrea Pagnanelli, and my fellow owners to continue this organization's impressive transformation."

Lloyd, who played for the U.S. Women's National Team and won two World Cups and two Olympic gold medals, retired from the playing field in October following a 17-year pro career. She had played for Gotham FC — formerly Sky Blue FC — for the last three years.

The Delran native, who played her college soccer at Rutgers University, recorded 134 goals and 64 assists during her US Women's National Team career, whith 98 of her goals coming after she turned 30. She was a four-time Olympian, in 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020, and is the leading scorer in US Women's National Team Olympic history with 10 goals. She also has 10 World Cup goals, third most in the program's history.

She joins an ownership group that includes Gov. Phil Murphy and his wife, Tammy, as majority owners, with Tammy Murphy serving as club chair. The other minority owners are Kristin Bernert, Karen Bryant and Ed Nalbandian, who serves as vice chair.

NJ/NY Gotham FC was founded in 2007 as Jersey Sky Blue and played in the United Soccer League’s W-League, then transitioned into one of the founding clubs of Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) League. When the WPS folded, Sky Blue ws one of the first eight teams in the National Women’s Soccer League in 2012.

The club rebranded as NJ/NY Gotham FC in 2021 to embrace the metropolitan area fan base around its home stadium in Harrison, New Jersey.