Legendary USWNT attacker Tobin Heath officially announced her retirement from soccer on Thursday, nearly three years after playing her final professional match.
"Over New Year's, I actually came to the full acceptance that I wasn't going to be playing," the 37-year-old explained on her podcast, The RE-CAP Show.
In her 13 years with the senior national team, Heath — widely regarded as one of the most technical players in US history — earned two World Cup titles (2015, 2019) and three Olympic medals (gold in 2008 and 2012, and bronze in 2021).
Across her 181 USWNT caps, the 2016 US Soccer Athlete of the Year logged 36 goals and 42 assists, making her final appearance for the States on October 26th, 2021.
At the club level, Heath spent seven seasons with the Portland Thorns, helping the team to NWSL Championships in 2013 and 2017, as well as the 2016 NWSL Shield.
While her career also included European stints with the Première Ligue's PSG as well as WSL sides Manchester United and Arsenal, Heath ended her pro run with the 2022 NWSL Shield-winning Seattle Reign, playing what would be her final soccer match on August 14th of that year.
Injury ends Heath's soccer career
The end of Heath's career is not what the creative, nutmegging winger anticipated.
"I thought I was literally going to be peeled off the field," Heath told The Athletic on Wednesday.
However, a 2022 serious left knee injury left Heath unable to play soccer — even at a casual level — ultimately forcing her retirement.
"I tried f---ing everything to get back, I spent tens of thousands of dollars and [had] two surgeries, one crazy surgery," Heath said on her podcast. "And the whole time I believed I was going to get back."
"Football is a 360-degree sport, and I can't do it," she told The Athletic. "So that part is the hardest part. The actual playing of soccer is gone."
Heath still working to lift up women's soccer in retirement
Despite coming to terms with the end of her on-pitch career, Heath isn't leaving the world of soccer anytime soon, helping lead the newly launched World Sevens Football and joining FIFA's technical study group for the men's Club World Cup.
Elevating football — particularly the women's game — is a pursuit that began for Heath with the Portland Thorns.
"[Portland] showed what women's sports could be," she explained. "I was dreaming of the world that I wanted to create."
The 2019 World Cup run then solidified that mission, with the USWNT adding a fourth star to their crest while also facing a pressure-cooker of expectations amid political tension and a contentious fight for equal pay.
"You can't feel what we felt...and not believe that you're doing something so f---ing important for the world," said Heath.
"You feel that responsibility — and that's what it is — and you want to keep carrying that responsibility as far forward as you can."
Eight-time UEFA Champions League winners OL Lyonnes will have even more US flair next season, with the French football titan announcing the signings of USWNT stars Lily Yohannes and Korbin Albert over the last week.
Joining the newly rebranded Lyon side from Dutch club Ajax on a reported €450,000 ($527,000) transfer fee, Yohannes's new contract runs through 2028.
Albert also signed a three-year deal on Friday, solidifying her transfer from Première Ligue rivals PSG — the club that the 21-year-old has played for since her early exit from Notre Dame in 2023.
Yohannes and Albert will join USWNT captain Lindsey Heaps in the OL Lyonnes midfield, with US billionaire and multi-team owner Michele Kang (Washington Spirit, London City Lionesses) overseeing the operation.
Backed by her global women's sports organization Kynisca, Kang reportedly beat WSL giants Chelsea FC to the punch in signing 18-year-old Yohannes on Monday.
OL Lyonnes has been stocking up after failing to make it past the 2024/25 Champions League semifinals, adding PSG striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto, Chelsea FC fullback Ashley Lawrence, Barcelona defender Ingrid Engen, and Vfl Wolfsburg attacker Jule Brand to a roster now led by former Washington Spirit head coach Jonatan Giráldez.
While international tournaments play out across the world this summer, the club carousel continues to spin as heavyweight teams vie for the sport's top talent.
Though the NWSL hit the pause button this week, players worldwide are still on the move, as both European and US soccer teams use the midseason break to sharpen their lineups with international signings.
The NWSL has already seen one major departure, with the San Diego Wave announcing Monday that forward María Sánchez will return to her former Liga MX club UANL Tigres after nearly five years in the NWSL, with the Wave set to receive an undisclosed transfer fee in return.
"When the opportunity came to return to Tigres, I had to do a lot of inner searching, and I ultimately decided that returning to Liga MX Femenil and Tigres specifically was the best course of action for my career," the 29-year-old dual citizen and Mexico international player said in the Wave's release.
NWSL clubs are also setting their sights on European free agents, with the Washington Spirit bringing in Juventus forward Sofia Cantore last week — the first Italian signing in league history.
Also hopping aboard the player transaction carousel is new WSL side London City, with the top-flight debutantes inking OL Lyonnes midfielder and Dutch international Daniëlle van de Donk on Friday.
Meanwhile, van de Donk's wife and club teammate Ellie Carpenter is also potentially WSL-bound, with the defender reportedly nearing a deal that would see the Australian join Chelsea FC in return for the Blues sending Canadian international Ashley Lawrence to OL Lyonnes.
For their part, OL Lyonnes picked up defender Ingrid Engen from Barcelona as a free agent last week, adding the Norwegian international after snagging French forward and PSG's all-time leading scorer Marie-Antoinette Katoto earlier this month.
With the most recent NWSL CBA abolishing traditional trade windows, expect even more international signings and roster reshufflings before the league resumes play on August 1st.
Longtime England goalkeeper Mary Earps announced her retirement from international play on Tuesday, immediately ending her run just five weeks before the Lionesses begin their 2022 Euro title defense.
"My journey has never been the simplest, so in true Mary fashion, this isn't a simple goodbye — right before a major tournament," Earps said in a retirement post on Instagram. "Nonetheless, I know this is the right decision."
Despite the seemingly snap choice, Earps later clarified that she "spent a long time making this decision and it's not one I've made lightly. For me, ultimately this is the right time for me to step aside and give the younger generation an opportunity to thrive."
Earps led England to their first-ever European Championship plus the 2023 World Cup final in her 53 international caps.
However, Lioness manager Sarina Wiegman told media earlier this year that the 32-year-old Earps would likely take a backseat to Chelsea keeper Hannah Hampton at July's 2025 Euro.
"I had hoped that Mary would play an important role within the squad this summer, so of course I am disappointed," Wiegman said after Earps's retirement news broke.
Hampton to lead new-look England goalkeeping core
Hampton, who shared the 2024/25 WSL Golden Glove with Manchester United's Phallon Tullis-Joyce — a top USWNT keeper prospect — will now take over as England's No. 1 net-minder, though the 24-year-old still lacks experience in a major tournament.
Playing behind Hampton will be 20-year-old Manchester City goalie Khiara Keating and 30-year-old Orlando Pride keeper Anna Moorhouse — who owns the NWSL's single-season shutouts record. Both have been club standouts, though neither has logged a cap for England.
As for Earps, her football journey will continue at the club level with PSG, with the now-former Lioness promising that "There's so much to still look forward to, and I have so much energy to continue to strive for greatness, to continue to learn and push myself to maximise every last ounce of potential I have."
The first-ever World Sevens Football (W7F) tournament kicked off in Portugal on Wednesday, as eight European powerhouses compete for the 7v7 soccer venture's inaugural trophy — and a share of its $5 million prize pool.
After winning their first matches on Wednesday, French side Paris Saint-Germain, reigning Bundesliga champion Bayern Munich, and WSL clubs Manchester City and Manchester United all tacked on second group-stage wins early Thursday.
Those two-match leads guarantee each club a spot in Friday's knockout rounds — and a shot at the $2.5 million grand prize — regardless of the outcome of their third and final group play games on Thursday.
Notably, Ajax midfielder Lily Yohannes and Man United keeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce both feature in this week's tournament, adding extra time with their club teams before they report to USWNT camp next week.
For Yohannes's Netherlands team, the W7F road will end in group play, with fellow two-loss clubs AS Roma (Italy), FC Rosengård (Sweden), and Benfica (Portugal) facing the same fate.
With another competition in the works for North America this fall, this week’s tournament is setting the bar for what players, teams, and fans can expect from W7F moving forward.
How to watch the inaugural W7F tournament
After the group stage wraps on Thursday, the first-ever W7F semifinal slate will begin at 10 AM ET on Friday, followed by the championship match at 3 PM ET.
All W7F matches will stream live on DAZN.
Former Paris Saint-Germain player Aminata Diallo was arrested and charged with aggravated assault Friday in connection with an investigation into an attack against one of her teammates last year.
Police took Diallo into custody near Paris, marking the second time she has been detained as a part of the investigation. She was first apprehended and questioned in November 2021 following an alleged attack on then-teammate Kheira Hamraoui.
Reports indicated that Hamraoui and Diallo were stopped by two masked men while driving home from a team dinner. One man restrained Diallo while the other attacked Hamroui, leaving her with bruises and cuts but no broken bones.
Diallo has been charged in what the prosecutor described as a planned and premeditated attack on Hamraoui.
Three men admitted to being on the seen, and a fourth admitted to hitting Hamraoui. All four implicated Diallo as the orchestrator of the attack, the New York Times reported.
Diallo has maintained her innocence throughout the investigation, with her lawyers commenting last year on the media spectacle the case attracted, saying,“The public has already condemned her, without justification.”
Since the incident, Diallo has retired from professional soccer, leaving the sport after her PSG contract expired this summer. Hamraoui is under contract with PSG but is in a dispute with the club after not being selected to play for the team.
OL Reign continues to add to its roster, with the club confirming initial reports from The Athletic that the team has agreed to terms with Paris Saint-Germain for Jordyn Huitema.
The Canadian forward joins OL Reign from PSG in exchange for a transfer fee, which included allocation money. Huitema’s contract with OL Reign lasts through the 2023 NWSL season with an option to extend to 2024. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“Jordyn has shown her ability to play at the highest level at both the club and international level,” OL Reign head coach Laura Harvey said in a statement. “We understand how much potential she has and think that she could have an important role on this team.”
The Canadian Olympic gold medalist has been with PSG since the start of her club career. As an 18-year-old in 2019, the forward opted out of attending college in favor of the pros. In 2021, she won the Division 1 Féminine title with PSG as well as the 2022 Coupe de France.
In 45 appearances with PSG, Huitema had six goals. She’s also made 49 international appearances for Canada, notching 14 goals.
She’s the second high-profile addition the Reign have made during the trade window, with the club also making a deal with Racing Louisville FC to acquire the rights to Tobin Heath.
They’ve also added Arsenal’s Kim Little off of loan this summer. Little is a two-time NWSL MVP, having won back-to-back awards in 2014 and 2015.
The Reign appear to be adding some much-needed scoring depth, as the team has only scored six goals through eight games despite having the second-most shots on goal this season.
This article has been updated to include OL Reign’s official release featuring Huitema’s signing.
Lieke Martens is heading to Paris Saint-Germain, with the club signing the Dutch forward to a three-year deal from Barcelona.
The 29-year-old announced the move on social media Friday, writing, “I am very excited to announce this news about the next step in my career! So happy and proud to start this new adventure in Paris and to be part of this incredible team and club.”
Friday’s news comes after the star striker wrote a heartfelt goodbye to Barcelona on her Instagram Thursday, revealing her departure from the Spanish club.
“After five beautiful years at this fantastic club in this beautiful city I have decided to part ways with the club and start a new adventure. I came to FC Barcelona in a time that the club started an ambitious project to become a leader in the world of women’s football. We worked hard and I believe that we achieved the goals set 5 years ago,” wrote Martens. “It’s time for another adventure and I want to thank the club, coaches, staff, fans and of course all my teammates that have supported me to become the player I am today. Thank you for all your support and love, all the best and see you all soon again.”
In her five-year tenure with Barcelona, Martens logged 156 appearances, scoring 73 goals to help the club to a Champions League trophy and nine domestic titles.
PSG finished second in the French league this season, 15 points behind rivals Lyon.
Lyon added more hardware to its growing trophy cabinet, claiming the French league title with a 1-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday.
The victory marks Lyon’s 15th French league championship. The club reclaimed the top spot after PSG upset Lyon last season for the title.
🏆 Champions of Europe ✅
— UEFA Women’s Champions League (@UWCL) May 30, 2022
🏆 Champions of France ✅
🇫🇷 Congratulations to Lyon who sealed their 15th French league title on Sunday with a 1-0 victory over Paris! 🥳👏#UWCL | @OLfeminin pic.twitter.com/a90UshjnSF
USWNT star Catarina Macario scored the game-winning goal for Lyon, opening her account in the third minute. The American striker made a darting run up the flank to get in behind the PSG backline before beating the goalkeeper with a far-post rocket.
Macario finished the 2021-2022 league campaign with 13 goals and five assists in 18 matches played. Her goals tally is the second-most in the league behind PSG’s Marie-Antoinette Katoto, who logged 18 and four assists in 20 games played.
It had to be @catarinamacario 🇺🇸💥
— ata football (@atafball) May 29, 2022
It's the DREAM start for Lyon! #WatchWithAta #D1Arkema @USWNT pic.twitter.com/AGUsFWKUdQ
Lyon’s league title comes after the French side defeated powerhouse Barcelona for the Champions League trophy on May 21.
Paris Saint-Germain has suspended women’s coach Didier Ollé-Nicolle after accusations of inappropriate behavior toward players on his team came to light.
Players were interviewed by the club Tuesday after a complaint was made, according to the Daily Telegraph.
“These facts and comments, if confirmed, would be incompatible with the sporting and human values of Paris Saint-Germain,” PSG said in a statement to the Telegraph. “Paris Saint-Germain takes the situation very seriously and intends to shed full light on the facts and comments reported.”
One source said that the coach’s behavior toward players and his language was brought to light several months ago with no action taken, the Telegraph reported.
PSG has yet to complete its season, with a game against Lyon on Sunday key to their quest to defend their league title. PSG currently sits five points back of first-place Lyon in Division 1 Féminine.
The club has dealt with inner turmoil throughout the season.
Last November, Aminata Diallo and Kheira Hamraoui were assaulted by masked men while driving home from a team event. The investigation into the incident is still ongoing.
Then, in April, Hamroui was involved in an altercation with forward Sandy Baltimore at practice.