Former captain of New Zealand’s women’s national soccer team, Ali Riley, announced her retirement from professional soccer on Tuesday. The defender for Angel City FC and Stanford alum will conclude her career at the end of the 2025 NWSL regular season.

“At the end of the 2025 NWSL season, I will be retiring from professional and international football,” Riley mentioned on social media.
Translation: “At the end of the 2025 NWSL season, I will retire from professional and international football.”

Riley expressed gratitude for her career, sharing, “While I certainly experienced my share of heartbreak in my career, it will never compare to the immense love, joy, and gratitude I feel when I look back on over 3 decades of playing this game. I am proud to say goodbye on my own terms, in my hometown, and know that I am giving everything I have left to those around me and the sport that shaped me.”

Riley’s career spans over a decade featuring stints at various clubs internationally. After excelling at Stanford, she became a standout in the WPS, where she was the 2010 Rookie of the Year with FC Gold Pride. She went on to win the WPS Championship and was a key figure at clubs like Chelsea FC, Bayern Munich, and FC Rosengard, bringing significant titles and experience in women’s soccer.

Throughout her journey, Riley has been a loyal member of the New Zealand ‘Football Ferns’, participating in five FIFA Women’s World Cups and four Olympic Games, while also advocating for social justice and players’ rights.

“I don’t think I’ll ever be able to describe what tonight meant to me. It holds a different space in my heart than other favorites,” Riley shared.
Translation: “I cannot fully explain what this moment means to me. It holds a unique significance among my other cherished moments in sports.”

Her advocacy and connection with fans highlight her significant influence in women’s soccer.