Alyssa Naeher, the U.S. women’s national team goalkeeper, has announced her retirement from international soccer after an impressive 11-year career. Known for her calm and composed presence under pressure, Naeher was part of the team for several key successes, including the 2019 Women’s World Cup and this year’s Olympic gold medal win in France.
As the starting goalkeeper for the U.S. in the 2019 World Cup, Naeher helped secure the team’s victory and became the first U.S. goalkeeper to record a shutout in both a World Cup and an Olympic final. One of her most memorable moments came in the Olympic final against Brazil, where she made a crucial one-handed save in stoppage time, preserving the team’s 1-0 win. Following the victory, Mallory Swanson, who scored the only goal, ran across the field to embrace Naeher in celebration.
Naeher was included in the roster for two upcoming matches in Europe, which will mark her final games for the U.S. team. In her retirement announcement, she shared a heartfelt message on social media, reflecting on her journey. “Every tear shed in the challenging times and disappointments made every smile and celebration in the moments of success that much more joyful,” she wrote. “This has been a special team to be a part of, and I am beyond proud of what we have achieved both on and off the field. The memories I have made over the years will last me a lifetime.”
Alyssa Naeher has built a reputation throughout her career for her composed and consistent leadership on the field. She is one of only three goalkeepers in U.S. history to have earned more than 100 caps for the national team.
Alyssa Naeher made her debut with the U.S. national team in 2014 and served as a backup goalkeeper to Hope Solo during the 2015 World Cup, which the United States won. After the 2016 Rio Olympics, she became the team’s starting goalkeeper and played a key role in their 2019 World Cup victory.
Throughout her career, Naeher has earned 113 caps, starting 110 games, with 88 wins and 68 shutouts. She recorded four shutouts during the 2024 Olympic tournament in France.
Naeher represented the U.S. in three World Cups and three Olympic Games over the course of her career.
At 36 years old, Alyssa Naeher has been a key player for the Chicago Red Stars in the National Women’s Soccer League since 2016 and plans to continue playing for the team next season.
The U.S. women’s national team is set to face England at Wembley Stadium on Saturday and will play the Netherlands in The Hague on December 3.
In addition to her iconic save in the Olympic final, Naeher has had several other standout moments. One of her most memorable performances came in the 2019 Women’s World Cup semifinals against England, where she saved Steph Houghton’s penalty in the 83rd minute. The U.S. went on to win 2-1 and defeated the Netherlands 2-0 in the final.
Earlier this year, during the CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup semifinals, Naeher made three crucial saves in a penalty shootout against Canada and also scored a penalty herself, placing it perfectly into the corner of the net.
Reflecting on those victories, Naeher said, “Winning is the best feeling.”
