Christen Press welcomed herself to the U.S. ladies’s soccer staff by scoring twice in her debut within the first recreation of 2013. The staff mentioned goodbye Saturday at Dignity Well being Sports activities Park, honoring Press earlier than its first recreation of 2026, a 6-0 win over Paraguay.
In between, Press performed 154 extra occasions for the U.S., profitable two World Cups, an Olympic bronze medal and scoring 62 extra objectives, retiring because the ninth-leading scorer in staff historical past.
However these are simply numbers as a result of pretty much as good as Press was, she needs to be remembered for the legacy she left behind, for the boundaries she broke, for the inspiration she continues to supply for gamers who adopted her to the nationwide staff.
“Nicely, it’s kind of the purpose, proper?” she mentioned forward of Saturday’s farewell ceremony earlier than a crowd of 19,397. “I really feel actually fortunate that I had the chance to play lengthy sufficient to overlap with a few of these younger gamers and be capable to see the expansion of the sport, how far it’s come, and be capable to see what the subsequent era of participant looks like.
“It’s totally different, and it’s going to take various things for individuals to have success.”
Speak about following in Press’ footsteps: The primary rating Saturday got here from Reilyn Turner of the Portland Thorns, like Press a Southern California native who scored her first U.S. aim on a left-footed shot within the first half of her worldwide debut. The second aim, lower than two minutes into the second half, got here from Kansas Metropolis’s Ally Sentnor.
Reilyn Turner (25) celebrates with teammates after scoring in a 6-0 U.S. win in a world pleasant with Paraguay on Saturday.
(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Occasions)
And that opened the floodgates, with the U.S. getting an personal aim from Paraguay’s Fiorella Martínez adopted by scores from Trinity Rodman — who was celebrating the three-year contract, reported to be price a report $6 million, she signed Thursday with the Washington Spirit — a second aim from Sentnor and one other from Emma Sears.
Press scored her closing worldwide aim within the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Ten months later, enjoying with Angel Metropolis FC within the NWSL, she shredded the anterior cruciate ligament in her proper knee, an damage that required 4 surgical procedures and practically 25 months to restore. She by no means performed one other recreation for the nationwide staff and made simply three extra begins for Angel Metropolis earlier than asserting her retirement final October.
By then Press, 37, had made the transition from soccer star to businesswoman and media character with Re-Inc, a gender-neutral community-driven vogue model, and the Re-Cap Present, an award-winning soccer podcast, each of which she runs with spouse and former teammate Tobin Heath.
U.S. midfielder Trinity Rodman celebrates after scoring within the second half towards Paraguay on Saturday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Occasions)
That, Press mentioned, will proceed to supply her with a hyperlink to the sport.
“We’re so built-in into the ladies’s sports activities ecosystem, via podcasts, via merchandise and thru the ladies’s soccer neighborhood,” she mentioned. “I’ve spent lots of time wanting on the enterprise of girls’s sports activities and the way we have to reimagine it.
“In a dream world, I’d be capable to proceed to affect the ecosystem as a businessperson.”
Press received her begin in soccer within the Palos Verdes Peninsula, a couple of dozen miles from the place her profession formally ended Saturday in Carson. As a preschooler she performed with older youngsters in co-ed league as a result of one staff was quick a woman.
“I didn’t contact the ball as soon as,” she remembered years later. “I picked daisies and waved to my mother.”
U.S. ahead Emma Sears, left, scores previous Paraguay defender Fiorella Martínez within the second half Saturday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Occasions)
She went on to win two CIF Southern Part titles on the Chadwick College and a Hermann Trophy at Stanford earlier than beginning a membership profession that took her to eight groups in three nations. With the nationwide staff she went to a few Olympics, received World Cups and performed a key position within the landmark lawsuit towards U.S. Soccer that ended with the ladies incomes equal pay with the boys’s staff.
It’s a résumé that already is difficult the subsequent era of nationwide staff gamers.
“I admired her for a very long time,” mentioned Seattle Reign winger Maddie Dahlien, 21, who made her nationwide staff debut Saturday. “She made a reputation for herself a little bit later. You by no means know when your alternative can be. So take advantage of it when it comes.”
U.S. coach Emma Hayes by no means had an opportunity to work instantly with Press, although she wished to deliver her abroad to Chelsea FC when Hayes managed there and Press was seeking to transfer to the Girls’s Tremendous League.
U.S. defender Gisele Thompson, left, strikes the ball previous Paraguay midfielder Fatima Acosta within the second half Saturday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Occasions)
“I’ve all the time admired her and thought what a unbelievable soccer participant she is. Very totally different to what was a extra conventional American ahead on the time,” Hayes mentioned. “What she’s achieved, as well-traveled as she is, what an honor to be teaching on the day she will get celebrated in her hometown.”
For Press, it was a celebration that marked the transition from one stage of life to the subsequent. And, she acknowledged, there are some things she’s going to overlook.
“I’m so unhappy that I don’t play soccer anymore,” she mentioned. “I miss coaching. I miss being on a staff, being round younger individuals. I miss being exterior each day. I miss the grass. I miss the self-discipline and ritual that soccer brings to my life.”
“I like to speak about all of the issues that I miss, as a result of I believe ‘I’m retired. It’s straightforward now.’ No. I had the perfect job on this planet. And it’s an irreplaceable job.”
