'Emotions Are Going To Flow': Carli Lloyd To Play Final U.S. National Team Match In St. Paul
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The U.S. Women's National Team will play Tuesday versus Korea in St. Paul at Allianz Field. It'll be the last career international match for Team USA legend Carli Lloyd, the end of a long era.
"I think the emotions are going to flow," said Lloyd in her final pre-match press conference.
Lloyd, the U.S. soccer legend, is retiring after a storied career.
"If she was a male soccer player in Europe, we would have statues of Carli Lloyd all over the country, all over Europe," said U.S. National Team head coach Vlatko Andonovski. "Streets would be named after her, complexes, stadiums, everything."
Now 39 years old, Lloyd has done it all. She's won two World Cups, two Olympic golds and a bronze. "Carli" and "clutch" are synonymous. She had the game-winning goals in both Olympic gold medal matches.
"That's where I love to show up. I'm going to miss those moments. Those moments are the greatest moments ever," said Lloyd.
Lloyd says she grew up without many female role models. She is one now, for young soccer players everywhere.
"They just have this look in their face like they're meeting some iconic figure. To me, I'm just normal Carli Lloyd, but to them, I'm a hero in their eyes," said Lloyd. "To me, that's just everything."
Lloyd was estranged from her family for 12 years of her career, but reunited with them last year. They'll be in St. Paul for her last match.
"Having them here, being able to close out my career is going to be probably one of the best things to ever happen to me," she said.