Ode to Carli Lloyd
Tuesday’s friendly vs South Korea was the last time you’ll see Carli Lloyd on the field for the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team. It was a night full of emotion and nostalgia as this wasn’t just the last game for one of the best female American soccer players, but one of the greatest women’s soccer players ever. Let’s take a stroll down memory lane of some of her best moments.
Carli Lloyd joined the senior squad in 2005 as a midfielder from New Jersey with a powerful kick. Her breakout performance came during the 2007 Algarve Cup, a yearly women’s soccer tournament in Portugal. She ended up as the top scorer in the tournament and won the Most Valuable Player award. Her first moment of glory came next year during the 2008 Summer Olympics. The U.S. faced Brazil in the Gold Medal final, almost a year after Brazil had knocked out the American women in the semifinals of the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup. In what was a very physical match, Brazil created more chances and the primary reason they didn’t take the lead in the game was due to then goalkeeper Hope Solo’s heroic saves. Solo stood on her head and stopped a powerful Brazilian attack that featured Marta, Cristiane and Formiga. The U.S. took advantage when Carli Lloyd got the ball outside the box and fired a ball past the diving Brazilian goalkeeper who was unable to stop Lloyd’s low, powerful shot. Lloyd almost added a second score 20 minutes later, but the U.S. held on for the Gold Medal with Lloyd joining Solo as one of the heroes of the game.
Her place as a starter on the team was cemented and she had the honor of earning her 100th career cap shortly before the 2011 World Cup. She was active in the tournament with a goal, an assist and a penalty kick conversion in the dramatic shootout vs Brazil in the quarterfinals. She created many chances during the final vs Japan but failed to convert. The U.S. outplayed Japan for most of the match but didn’t score to reflect their superior play and they paid the consequences as Japan came back twice to tie the score at 2, and eventually win the World Cup title in a penalty shootout.
Lloyd and company didn’t let this setback hold them back next year at the 2012 Summer Olympics. They fell behind to powerhouse France 2–0 in the first game, but came back to win with Lloyd scoring the go ahead third goal for the U.S. Once again, the Gold Medal Final gave the American women a chance at revenge from the previous year’s World Cup, as they faced Japan. Lloyd put the team on her back and scored both goals in a 2–1 victory which featured a spectacular second goal. With this feat, she became the first player to score in consecutive Gold Medal games. This is a stat that has yet to be matched and frankly, one that will stand for a long time if not ever. Women’s soccer players stick around for consecutive tournaments, but it’s rare to remain a starter playing at a high level like Lloyd managed to do.
Lloyd’s peak came at the 2015 World Cup. Her first goal in the tournament came in a round of 16 match vs Colombia. What we didn’t know was that this was the beginning of a hot streak. Lloyd scored the game winning goal against China in the quarterfinals when she celebrated her 200th cap. In the semifinal vs Germany, she scored the first goal via penalty kick and assisted Kelley O’Hara on the second goal to earn a place in the final vs Japan. The U.S. now had a chance to beat Japan in a World Cup Final after already beating them 3 years prior for the Gold Medal. This game went a lot like the 2011 World Cup Final, except the U.S. scored on the chances they created. And the primary goal scorer? You can probably guess that it was Carli Lloyd. She scored three of the U.S.’s first 4 goals and the third one is the most memorable of all. Lloyd got the ball around midfield and saw the Japanese goalkeeper out of position and far away from her goal. She then lifted a shot on target from more than 50 yards out that the keeper was unable to keep out. Scoring in a World Cup Final is special enough, but securing a hat trick in less than 15 minutes? That’s practically impossible. And yet, Lloyd was cementing herself as the most clutch player in not just U.S. Soccer history, but the women’s game. When the final whistle blew and the U.S. were world champions again, Carli Lloyd was rightly receiving all the recognition she deserved.
Just as a curtain eventually comes down on a good show, so did Carli Lloyd’s status as a full-time starter on the national team. Lloyd still started some games and frequently came on as a substitute, but her place was now occupied due to a youth movement. She still contributed to the U.S. Women repeating as world champions in the 2019 World Cup as she scored against Thailand and Chile. Lloyd was vocal about not liking the fact she came off the bench, but due to these two goals, she became the first player to score in six consecutive Women’s World Cup matches. She made the 2020 Olympic team and many believed this could be her final tournament. Lloyd contributed to the U.S. Women’s efforts by scoring 2 goals in the bronze medal game vs Australia. After the Olympics, she confirmed what many suspected and announced it would be her final tournament.
Lloyd leaves the game in almost a similar way as when she joined it. She joined the national team in a period of transition when the likes of Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, Shannon MacMillan and Joy Fawcett, known as the 99ers since they won the 1999 World Cup on home soil, were retiring and the question was could the next generation achieve the same level of success as the previous one? Well, they sure did and one of the main players responsible for that is none other than Carli Lloyd. Her presence was always felt when she was on the pitch and she came up big consistently on the big stage. It was fitting she handed off her number 10 to Lindsey Horan, maybe the most complete player the U.S. Women now have, as she will now lead the new generation on the field. This is a generation that already has a World Cup under their belt that can definitely win another one. While Lloyd won’t be on the field to contribute anymore, she left us with several good memories. Enjoy retirement because we sure enjoyed watching you play.
