Kelley O’Hara, a 35-year-old defender, has announced her retirement at the end of the 2024 NWSL season. After a successful career playing for both the USWNT and Gotham FC, O’Hara shared her decision with Just Women’s Sports through an article and a special “Kelley on the Street” YouTube video.
In the video, O’Hara reflected on her decision to retire by asking people she met on the street about their thoughts on retirement. After much contemplation, she ultimately decided that it was time to hang up her cleats. Despite having won numerous accolades throughout her career, including two NWSL championships and five SheBelieves Cup championships, O’Hara knew that her love for soccer had to remain strong and her body had to allow her to play the way she wanted in order for her to continue playing.
O’Hara has been involved in high-level soccer since she was a child, representing the United States starting from the Under-16 team in 2004 until the 2023 Women’s World Cup. She was part of the golden era of the USWNT, alongside players like Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan, and Carli Lloyd. Despite recent changes in leadership within the team, O’Hara remains proud of her accomplishments as a two-time World Cup champion and an Olympic gold medalist.
As she looks ahead to life after retirement, O’Hara is uncertain about what the future holds but knows that she wants to stay connected to soccer in some way in order to give back to the next generation of players. Her passion and dedication towards growing women’s soccer remain strong and she is determined to find a way to contribute in some capacity.
