Angel City forward Christen Press announces her retirement from soccer

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Angel City forward Christen Press has announced her retirement from professional soccer following the National Women's Soccer League season.

The 36-year-old Press won Women's World Cup titles with the United States in 2015 and 2019 and a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Over a decade with the national team, she appeared in 155 matches, scoring 64 goals and 43 assists.

Press played professionally in Sweden and has played in the NWSL for the Chicago Red Stars, Utah Royals and Angel City, in addition to a stint with Manchester City.

A native Californian, Press was Angel City's first signing in 2022. She scored two goals in eight games with the team before tearing the ACL in her right knee. She had four surgeries before returning last season.

“It’s hard to find the words to say goodbye to a sport that has defined my life for over three decades. Football has given me everything, and I will miss being on the pitch so very much. Thank you to my family, friends, teammates, coaches, and community for this beautiful ride,” Press said in a statement released Wednesday.

Press is one of the founders of RE-INC., both a commercial and advocacy platform for equity issues, and she hosts the popular women’s soccer YouTube series The RE-CAP Show with fellow former national team player Tobin Heath, her wife. Heath retired earlier this year.

Press was among the national team players who fought for equal pay and advocated for better pay and playing conditions in the NWSL.

U.S. women's national team coach Emma Hayes said she first saw Press when she played at Stanford, and was impressed with her versatility and scoring ability. Press was the all-time leading scorer for the Cardinal with 71 career goals.

But Hayes said Press was about more than just the on-field talent.

“I think so much that people don’t really see with that generation of players is what they’ve had to endure to get to where they are," Hayes said. “They’ve had to sacrifice themselves or put themselves in a place that positioned everybody else in a better place, whether it be the fight for equal play, whether it be the fight for equity, just the right to have the right conditions, whether that’s the right playing surface, whether it’s to create the right environments around players.”

Press announced her retirement on Good Morning America on Wednesday. Angel City will honor her on Sunday when the team hosts the Portland Thorns.

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