Carli Lloyd is enjoying the moment as she approaches her final game with the USWNT.
“It’s special,” she told reporters when asked about the tributes she’s received from teammates. “I know I’ve probably been misunderstood by teammates, coaches, fans, just about everyone.
“I’ve given everything I have to this team, day in and day out, every time.”
Lloyd also talked about how thankful she is for the ways in which her teammates have pushed her to be a better player.
“Towards the end of my career, people have a greater understanding of what I’m about, why I’ve been the way that I’ve been, and that I’ve just wanted to help this team win championships,” she said. “I wanted to just be the best player that I can possibly be. Every single day.
“And those big moments, those moments where everything’s on the line, where we’re three, four games into a major tournament. That’s where I love to show up, and I’m going to miss those moments. Those moments are the greatest moments ever.”
On Tuesday morning, Lloyd released an essay through Players Tribune entitled “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye.” In the piece, Lloyd discusses the many peaks and valleys she has traversed in her 17-year career with the national team, saying, “It was really freaking hard… People see the glory. They see the parades. But they don’t see everything that goes into it.”
Lloyd concludes the piece by saying she’d do it all again in an instant, a sentiment she shared on Monday with reporters.
“I’ve had four World Cups. Four Olympics. Won some, lost some, but those moments are just the best moments to be able to perform on and play on. And I’m thankful for every single one of my teammates. I’m going to miss them dearly, and I’m going to be the biggest fan cheering them on for this next cycle.”
Lloyd will play in her final USWNT game Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on FS1.
