Former U.S. women’s national team midfielder Sam Mewis — a key fixture on the team that won the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup — is retiring from professional soccer, she announced Friday.
Through her eight years with the USWNT, she earned 83 caps and scored 24 goals. During the 2019 World Cup win, Mewis played in six of the seven matches, starting in five, en route to the U.S.’s fourth victory in the tournament. She scored two goals in the team’s opening win against Thailand, including her debut World Cup goal.
“Unfortunately, my knee can no longer tolerate the impact that elite soccer requires,” Mewis, 31, said in a statement. “Though this isn’t what I wanted, this is the only path forward for me.
“I want to thank everyone who has been on my team throughout this journey. Soccer has put so many wonderful things in my life, but the most wonderful thing has been the people. To all my family, friends, teammates, and fans, I truly feel that we did this together and I’m extremely grateful.”
Thank you ❤️ pic.twitter.com/PJL2tPFZvt
— Samantha Mewis (@sammymewy) January 19, 2024
Twelve of her caps came alongside her sister, Kristie, and they were the first sisters to feature on an Olympic USWNT together. Sam’s USWNT debut in 2014 at the Algarve Cup was…
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