2-Time World Cup Champion, NoVA Native Ali Krieger Reflects On Retirement, Legacy

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VA — In November, Ali Krieger found the storybook ending for her professional soccer career. The lifelong defender won her first National Women's Soccer League Championship in her final game before retirement.

The 39-year-old Prince William County native has been retired for a month now, but she told Patch it hasn't fully set in yet. She isn't sure what comes next.

The 2023 NWSL season was Krieger's farewell tour. Krieger ended her career with on a championship alongside her NJ/NY Gotham FC teammates. Her other career accolades include a pair of Women's World Cup titles in 2015 and 2019 and a UEFA Women's Champions League title with FFC Frankfurt in Germany.

Krieger represented the U.S. at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, though the team did not earn a medal this year. Her playing career also included time with the Orlando Pride in Florida and her hometown Washington Spirit.

Krieger was a stalwart defender throughout her career and a stabilizing presence on the pitch. At the 2015 World Cup, Krieger was on the field for every game and played in all but 10 minutes of the U.S.'s championship run.

The former star for the U.S. Women's National Team announced her retirement plans in March, triggering an avalanche of well wishes and heartfelt messages.

Some of the most meaningful words, Krieger said, came from the people she grew up with in the Woodbridge area.

"It was really nice to hear from them, my friends from home who I've shared this journey with since we were in middle and high school," Krieger said on a Zoom call with Patch. "That was really great to hear them speak about me and share those nice words of encouragement and support."

The messages from her teammates also stood out to Krieger.

"You don't realize how many people you impact until you hear it from them," Krieger said. "You just show up every day trying to do the best you can and lead the team and do your part in order for the team to be successful, and that's what I wanted to do. But you don't necessarily know even off the field stuff that can impact people's lives in a bigger way. "

Now, after 18 years playing professional soccer, Krieger isn't entirely sure what the future holds for her. She says her two kids will always come first.

In retirement, Krieger has entered a new normal. In the mornings, she gets her kids dressed and takes them to school. She deals with meetings and errands throughout the day before picking the kids up, having dinner together, and spending time with them.

"I don't know if I've really processed [retirement] yet. I think that it's going to take some time," Krieger said. "I think Feb. 1 when we, I guess the team, goes back into camp for preseason, that's when it's probably going to hit me."

Krieger hopes to stay involved with the game she loves. This summer, Krieger joined ESPN as a commentator for the Women's World Cup. In a November interview with CBS Sports' "We Need To Talk," Krieger said she could also see herself coaching in the future.

"I want to stay within the game. I feel like I've tried to perfect the sport for 30 years now," Krieger told Patch. "I love talking about soccer, I love being a part of it, I love bettering the women's game and individual players."

Throughout her playing career, Krieger was an advocate for the female athletes and helped achieve equal pay for the U.S. Women's National Team (USWNT). In 2019, Krieger and other members of the U.S Women's National Team filed a lawsuit against their governing body, the U.S. Soccer Federation, over concerns about equal pay.

The female players alleged that they were subjected to artificially lowered wages and inequitable work conditions. The USWNT won the World Cup in 2019 and received a $4 million bonus. In 2014, the men's team were given more than $5 million after losing in the round of 16 at the World Cup, according to USA Today.

In 2022, the U.S. Soccer Federation announced a new collective bargaining agreement that would have the men's and women's teams pool their World Cup prize money to ensure equal pay.

"I hope to continue to use my voice and platform, because we're still not where we need to be," Krieger said. "Over the years, you work so hard toward something, you want to see it all the way through. The work will never be done. I'm willing to roll my sleeves up and continue to get after that."

Despite her passion for the game, Krieger acknowledges that soccer does not define her.

"It's what I do, it's not who I am," she said. "You can't just have this one identity and single purpose. I think it's nice to have a plethora of things that you want to focus on and narrow it down as you go."

When Krieger reflects on her legacy, she doesn't mention her accolades on the field. Patch asked what Krieger will want people to remember about her.

"A good human being, first and foremost," Krieger said. "That I cared a lot about the people around me and I worked really hard in order to be successful. I lead by example. I think those are the things that I want people to value most."

Despite a career that has taken her around the world, Krieger never forgets Prince William County and Northern Virginia, even though she no longer lives in the area. She said the soccer community in the region helped set her up for success in college and as a professional.

"It's always going to be home to me. It's the place where I had everything at my fingertips growing up and really molded me into the person and player I am now," Krieger said. "I was really excited about growing up in a space where I could be myself and do anything I wanted to do."

She said she hopes to provide similar opportunities for her own children.