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World Cup winner Crystal Dunn has announced her retirement from professional soccer at the age of 33.Dunn, who featured as a forward, in attacking midfield and at left-back, made 160 appearances for the U.S. national team. Her 12-year career was primarily spent in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), with a couple of brief stints in Europe.
In a post on Instagram on Monday, Dunn said she was “at peace and deeply fulfilled with all that I have accomplished”.
“I’m ready to embrace the life that awaits me on the other side,” she said. “I look forward to spending more time with my family and being a more present mom. This was not a decision made lightly, but was one made with immense gratitude for everything I’ve experienced as a professional soccer player. I’ve grown through challenges, celebrated incredible triumphs, and cherished every part of the journey.
“I first kicked a soccer ball at the age of four, never knowing it would change my life and bring me so many moments beyond my imagination. Every stage of my career taught me the importance of humility, resilience, and gratitude. My journey wasn’t perfect, but it was beautiful — filled with trophies, medals, lessons, and the indescribable joy of welcoming a baby along the way.
“Turning the page is never easy. There is so much history, so many memories tied to spaces I’ll never experience again. The life of a professional athlete can never truly be replicated but I’m excited to continue impacting the game from new perspectives.”
After playing college soccer for the North Carolina Tar Heels, Dunn was selected first overall in the 2014 NWSL College Draft by the Washington Spirit. In her second season with the club, she led the league with 15 goals, winning the NWSL golden boot and the Most Valuable Player award.
Dunn signed for English team Chelsea in January 2017 and was utilized as a left wing-back by coach Emma Hayes. She appeared 28 times for the club before returning to the U.S. with the North Carolina Courage in February 2018.
She won the NWSL Championship in her first two years with the team and was traded to the Portland Thorns in 2020, where she won a third league championship.
A move to Gotham FC followed in December 2023, where she signed a three-year contract, though she spent only one season with the club before the two sides agreed to mutually part ways after the 2024 campaign.
Dunn’s final season as a professional came with Paris Saint-Germain, playing five times and scoring two goals for the French team in 2025.
Dunn made her first appearance for the national team in 2013 as a 20-year-old. She was the last player cut from the 2015 World Cup squad but was included in the side for the 2019 tournament, starting six out of seven games at left-back as the U.S. won the competition for the fourth time.
She also represented the nation at the Olympic Games, claiming a bronze medal in 2021 in Tokyo and winning gold in Paris in 2024.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
US Women's national team, Portland Thorns, North Carolina Courage, Gotham FC, NWSL, Women's Soccer
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