Carli Lloyd lets her emotions out in final match for USWNT

By Doug McIntyre
FOX Sports Soccer Writer

Carli Lloyd played every game like it was her last. 

Except when it came to her actual final match with the United States Women's National Team, a 6-0 exhibition victory over South Korea on Tuesday in which an emotional Lloyd didn’t add to her 134 U.S. goals but was still the star of the show.

This one was always going to be different.

The 39-year-old, who retires with 316 international appearances (second on FIFA’s all-time list), became one of the most accomplished players in the history of the game — men’s or women’s — thanks largely to her willingness to put her quest for greatness above anything or anyone.

"To reach the heights that I have, I almost had to be emotionless," Lloyd told The Athletic earlier this week. "I didn’t want anything to derail me. I almost didn’t have feelings."

The feelings were flowing Tuesday. From the moment the USWNT arrived in St. Paul, Minnesota, following last week’s scoreless draw against this same opponent, it was all about Carli.

And suddenly, the player who never allowed herself to show any cracks in her steely resolve took the shield off. She got choked up in multiple interviews leading into the contest. When she was honored before the match and when she was subbed out in the 64th-66th minute — the standing ovation lasted more than two minutes — tears streamed down her cheeks. 

She held it together for the most part, though. She’s still Carli Lloyd.

But Lloyd also changed before our eyes Tuesday.

Before walking off the field for the last time at the international level — the New Jersey native is still hoping to win an NWSL title with hometown Gotham FC this fall before calling it quits for good — she handed the captain’s armband to Megan Rapinoe and hugged Rapinoe and Alex Morgan, two of her longest-serving teammates. 

Lloyd then stripped off her famous No. 10 jersey to reveal one emblazoned with the surname of her husband, Brian Hollins.

"He's just kind of been riding this journey with me. He's been supporting me every step of the way. He hasn't complained once. I couldn't have done this journey without him," Lloyd said in her postgame news conference. "To go off as Hollins, I think that's sort of a tribute to the next chapter. It’s going to be about Brian and [me]."

For all the pomp and circumstance and downright strangeness of seeing Lloyd looking like anything other than the ruthless scorer she has always been, there were still a few glimpses of fire during the match.

"Just like 17 years ago, she’s slide tackling, winning tackles for us, laying balls off, making runs," U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski said of Lloyd’s performance.

She showed frustration after failing to control a dangerous pass from Catarina Macario. Her hands went to her head when defender Emily Fox waited a split-second too long to spring Lloyd behind the Korean back line, causing the veteran to veer offside. 

FOX Sports' "Carli Cam" caught her wry smile as she jogged back upfield. She wanted to score. Of course, she did. A first-half curler that the visiting keeper dove to push around the post was as close as she got.

It was still a storybook ending for a player who was never projected to be a USWNT regular, let alone one of the best ever.

"It's been an emotional couple weeks," midfielder Andi Sullivan said. "We're really enjoying this moment and really enjoying celebrating Carli — but we've all kind of separately and collectively said we want to carry on her legacy of just her work rate, her commitment. Going forward, we need that. That's what has made this team so successful."

"Somebody said Carli is the U.S. national team. She's brave. She's relentless. She's determined, intense," Andonovski said.

The U.S. exploded for four goals after Lloyd left the game Tuesday, with Morgan, Rapinoe, Rose Lavelle and Lynn Williams all converting to complete the rout. When the match was over, a teary Lloyd watched from midfield as a tribute video played inside Allianz Field.

She had regained her composure by the time she addressed the packed crowd, which stuck around on a weeknight in 50-degree temperatures to hear her speak.

"I think I’ve cried all the tears I possibly could," she said. "I hope that you know I gave everything I had for every single one of you."

Lloyd just couldn’t give any more — mentally, anyway. 

At 39, she’s still leading the USWNT in scoring in 2021. She knows she’s going out on her terms, while she’s still close to the top of her game. She has won every individual and team trophy there is to win. Now she’s ready to move on.

"I feel that I've really been alive and just been a bit more vulnerable these last several months after announcing my retirement," Lloyd said. "I think the way I feel now is literally the happiest I've ever been."

One of the most prominent soccer journalists in North America, Doug McIntyre has covered United States men’s and women’s national teams in more than a dozen countries, including multiple FIFA World Cups. Before joining FOX Sports, the New York City native was a staff writer for Yahoo Sports and ESPN. Follow him on Twitter @ByDougMcIntyre.