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Jeff Kassouf
Christen Press, a two-time World Cup champion, announced her retirement from professional soccer on Wednesday, effective at the conclusion of the 2025 NWSL season, marking the end of her impressive 14-year career.
Press will be celebrated by Angel City FC, her current team, this Sunday at BMO Field in Los Angeles (5 p.m. ET, ESPN). The forward played a key role in the United States’ victories in the 2015 and 2019 World Cups, notably scoring early in the semifinal match against England in 2019.
She finishes her international career with 64 goals, ranking ninth in USWNT history. Press last represented the U.S. national team in 2021, contributing to a bronze medal win at the Tokyo Olympics. She was also an alternate on the team that won gold in the 2012 Olympics.
“I’m retiring from professional soccer, and this is my last season and my last few games,” Press stated during an interview on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” “I’m experiencing a jumble of emotions—relief, joy, excitement, fear, and a significant amount of grief. I feel like I’m losing part of myself.”
“I thought I would wait until I didn’t want to play any longer. But I realized that time may never come. I can still play, and my body can keep going. It was crucial for me to make this decision on my own terms before things changed.”
A native of Los Angeles, Press is well-known for her goal-scoring talent, creative style, and versatility on the field. She joined Angel City FC as their first official signing in 2021, just ahead of their inaugural season.
Press will turn 37 in December and has had a limited role on the field this season, scoring one goal in 399 minutes. After missing over two years due to a knee injury and surgeries, she made a comeback to play in 2024.
Before joining Angel City, she played for the Chicago Red Stars and Utah Royals in the NWSL, along with multiple international stints. Her announcement comes after the retirement of her wife and former U.S. teammate, Tobin Heath, earlier this year.
“Tobin’s retirement greatly influenced my decision,” Press confessed. “I believe it’s time for our family to start a new chapter. While we’ll always be part of this sport, it’s time for it to evolve for us.”
Press and Heath both signed with Manchester United in 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Under coach Casey Stoney, the team competed fiercely for the Women’s Super League title that year, finishing in fourth place.
Press first ventured abroad in 2012, during a time when the U.S. did not have a professional league. She joined Tyresö FF in Sweden’s Damallsvenskan in 2013, where she played alongside stars like Marta and became the first American to win the league’s Golden Boot with 23 goals.
Tyresö made it to the UEFA Champions League final in 2014 but fell to VfL Wolfsburg in a 4-3 match, shortly before the club ceased operations.
At the request of U.S. Soccer, which was covering national team players’ contracts at that time, Press returned to the U.S. to play for the Chicago Red Stars in 2014. She flourished in Chicago until the Red Stars traded her rights to the Houston Dash ahead of the 2018 season.
Press initially declined to report to the Dash and opted to play briefly in Sweden for Göteborg FC, returning there after a previous spell in 2012. Eventually, Utah acquired her NWSL rights, and she joined the expansion team in June 2018.
She began her professional journey in the now-defunct Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS), where she was named Rookie of the Year in 2011 with the magicJack team. Press had been the fourth overall pick in the 2011 Draft after a remarkable collegiate career at Stanford, where she earned the MAC Hermann Trophy in 2010, recognized as the best player in college soccer. She holds multiple career records for the Cardinal, including points (183) and goals (71).