Crystal Dunn retires from U.S. soccer career
World Cup and Olympic champion ends decorated journey
Crystal Dunn, an Olympic champion and World Cup winner who earned 160 caps for the U.S. women’s national team, has retired from professional soccer, concluding a decorated and influential career.
Dunn rose through the U.S. youth system and became a fixture of the senior national team from 2013 onward, contributing to the U.S. World Cup triumph and the Olympic gold medal. Renowned for her athleticism, technical skill and relentless work rate, she combined offensive threat with defensive intelligence after being converted from an attacking role to left back—a position she made indispensable despite it not being her preferred spot.
At club level, Dunn won three NWSL championships—two with the North Carolina Courage (2018, 2019) and one with Portland Thorns (2022)—and also tested herself in European competition. Her versatility across forward, midfield and defense, leadership on and off the field, and consistent performances in major tournaments established her as a cornerstone of a dominant U.S. era.
Dunn’s career included notable personal resilience: she overcame injuries, fierce competition for places and the challenges of returning to elite play after pregnancy. As one of the early high-profile Black players in a historically less diverse U.S. women’s program, she served as a role model for younger athletes and helped broaden the sport’s representation.
Off the pitch, Dunn advocated for equality, player welfare and social justice, using her platform to push for fair pay and better conditions and to speak on racial equality—efforts that teammates and observers credit with helping move the sport forward.
In her retirement statement she cited health, family and a desire to leave on her own terms, expressed gratitude to teammates, coaches and supporters, and left open the possibility of remaining involved in soccer through mentorship, advocacy or other roles. Tributes from teammates, coaches and fans highlighted her competitiveness, intelligence and the standards she set for adaptability and commitment.
Dunn’s departure marks the end of a storied chapter in U.S. women’s soccer: she leaves as a World Cup winner, Olympic champion and three-time NWSL champion whose versatility, resilience and advocacy shaped both on-field success and the sport’s cultural progress, and whose influence is expected to endure through the players she inspired.
