Christine Press retires: USWNT legend, two-time World Cup winner, calls it quits on career at the end of the NWSL season
After an impressive career that included two FIFA Women’s World Cup titles and recognition across numerous club leagues, the US Women’s National Team and Angel City Club forward Christine Press She announced that she would retire after the conclusion of the NWSL season.
“It’s hard to find the right words to say goodbye to this sport that has defined my life for over three decades. Football has given me everything, and I will miss being on the field so much. Thank you to my family, friends, teammates, coaches and community for this beautiful journey. I promise we will continue to reimagine sports in this next life.” The press said in a statement.
The veteran striker, known for her trademark chipping and crisp finishing, makes a profound impact on and off the field. As she wraps up her playing career with Angel City FC, the 36-year-old closes a chapter in her influential tenure in women’s football. The California native began her career at Stanford University and broke school records.
She became the all-time leading scorer with 71 goals, while also setting new standards for career points (183), assists (41), and shots (500). She left the university as a McHermann Trophy winner and two-time runner-up in the NCAA Women’s College Cup.
Press is part of a larger group of players who have helped grow the domestic soccer league in the United States. She was part of the Magicjack in the WPS and was named Rookie of the Year for 2011. After the league folded, Brees was among a wave of American players who continued their careers in Europe, playing in Sweden With Goteborg FC and Tyreso FF where she became the first American to win the Damallsvenskan Golden Boot (2013) and scored 25 goals in 26 matches for Tyreso.
With the launch of the NFL, Brees returned to the United States in 2014 to play in the new American Football League. It became Chicago Red stars– The team’s top scorer with (35) goals during her time with the club. She joined later Utah Royals FC In 2018 after a short return to Sweden and also played there England Women’s Super League with Manchester United In 2021, before returning to her hometown, Los Angeles, she became the first player to sign with Angel City.
Success in club performances has led to titles at international level. Press leaves the US Women’s National Team with 155 games and 64 goals under her belt, while being a key member of the USWNT’s iconic era, winning back-to-back World Cups in 2015 and 2019, and the 2020 Olympic bronze medal. She has been an integral part of the USWNT’s legal battle against US Soccer for equal pay.
Her impact had a ripple effect on and off the field and changed women’s soccer forever in the United States when she stepped forward alongside former teammates and anonymous sources. With her early experiences in the NWSL. She discussed her time in Chicago, toxic workplace conditions, and abusive environment. The report led to further investigations into player health across US women’s soccer, including… Sally Yates reports The NWSL and NWSL Players Association Joint investigation report
The legacy of journalism will continue through advocacy, entrepreneurship, media, and philanthropy. She has been a long-time global ambassador and board member of Grassroot Soccer, a teen health organization that uses soccer as a tool to educate and inspire youth in developing countries.
In 2019, she launched RE-INC, a gender-neutral brand that aims to reimagine the status quo and create a more inclusive landscape in sports media. Re-CAP displays She hosts alongside her wife, Tobin Heathbecame a platform to center mathematics and advocate for inclusivity. She has been vocal about the importance of visibility and respect for LGBTQ and Black players and communities.
Her final season with Angel City was a strong comeback story. Press returns in 2024 after an arduous two-year journey that included four surgeries after tearing her anterior cruciate ligament in 2022. Her first goal at home Since her injury in May 2025.
Journalism’s career is an inspiring story of a great goalscorer who eventually became the creator of even greater things. While she enjoys her final moments on the field, she leaves the game in a much better place than she inherited it. She will be remembered not only for the records she broke or the titles she won, but also for the many people she inspired along the way and the barriers she helped tear down.