USA icon Sauerbrunn calls it a day
Legendary USA defender Becky Sauerbrunn has announced her retirement from football at the age of 39.
The St. Louis native made her debut for the Stars and Stripes all the way back in 2008, starting a Four Nations Tournament match against China PR in Pia Sundhage’s first game as US coach. Sauerbrunn, a tenacious and tough-tackling centre-back, duly marked the occasion by breaking her nose.
She helped USA complete an Olympic three-peat at London 2012 as the States won gold, before playing all-but one game across FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™ and FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™, as the Americans secured back-to-back crowns.
“That I got to wear the U.S. Soccer crest once was an honor and privilege for which I’m forever grateful. The fact that I got to do it over 200 times is truly humbling,” she told US Soccer following the announcement. “I consider myself beyond lucky to have been able to play a small part in this program’s storied history.”
In total, she played 219 matches for the national side, establishing her at 10th position on USA’s all-time appearance list.
