So glad I got to see her very last goal in Cleveland last May. Probably my favorite player for many, many years.
She is very accomplished and it's great that she broke the all time cap total. Everyone says she's fit, but I was wondering how she would fit in at the WC. Granted I'm sure she's still better playing wise than a few of her teammates. I'm glad she realized it was time.
As I said on the Boston thread, I still have an autographed picture of her that she signed in Schaumburg, Il a suburb of Chicago at Fremd High School when she was dating Debbie Keller's brother Steve in the late 90's, who was coaching Fremd boy's soccer team. She not only is a legend as a soccer player but always had the guts to think for her self and not follow the blind masses, IMO. . I understood from reading that she remained friends with Debbie Keller even after the lawsuit came out against Dorrance and her alma-mater, UNC and she also stood by her coach Greg Ryan and teammate Briana Scurry during the WWC 2007 Hope Solo debacle. A true American athlete and a true leader. Her shoes will be hard to fill any time soon.
My favorite player, no contest. I don't think anyone will be able to fill her shoes. As I recall, she stood up for Scurry specifically. I don't recall any endorsement of Ryan's coaching. Also, as I understand it, she never made a comment one way or the other on the Keller issue. In her retirement letter on her website, she thanked Dorrance, in particular. "When I was 16 years old Anson Dorrance asked me to join the women’s national team and who would have thought it would have led to 24 years. Anson thank you for giving me the opportunity to play at the highest level, and then helping make the most of that opportunity. I attended the University of North Carolina in 1989 and spent four years learning how to be a champion, and discovering other passions. Not only did we win championships at UNC but I built life time friendships that mean the world to me. It was my second home and I still love going back. Thank you University of North Carolina for my scholarship and the opportunity to be a better person! " http://www.kristinelilly13.com/journals/index.php?&id=194
USWNT's FIFA World Cup star Kristine Lilly unexpectedly retires: the interview USWNT's FIFA World Cup star Kristine Lilly unexpectedly retires: the interview A few hours after the announcement of her retirement, Lilly talks about her career, family, media and player development.
I didn't say she indorsed Ryan's coaching style. But she did stand up for her long time teammate, Briana Scurry and didn't go on a bashing tour of the coach either. As far as Keller is concerned, from what I read and heard was that after Debbie Keller filed the lawsuit, she was pretty much shunned by many of her former UNC teammates. That's also by some the percieved reason that Dicicco cut her from the USWNT in the year leading up to the 1999 World Cup. Right after the law suit. Due to "team chemistry" issues among other "reasons". That team had many UNC alumni as well as Keller's UNC teammates. I got my signed autograph from Lilly when she was signing autographs at Fremd High School in the fall after WWC 1999. I had a chance to briefly talk to her and found her to be a very nice person and very approachable. Debbie Keller was there as well. From my understanding she didn't take sides on the matter, where many of the former UNC players seemingly did. From what I heard/read Lilly still remained friends with Keller. Anyway, I'm not trying to bring up "old sh_t". Just giving props to a legend that was a leader on and off the field and didn't necessarily bend where the wind blew but had her own mind. In my opinion. Like I said, her shoes will not be filled any time soon.
I don't think they will ever be filled. In my mind, Michele Akers is 1 all-time, and Kristine Lilly is 1A and I could be convinced to switch those two. Mia Hamm is 3, Joy Fawcett is 4.
A great player - one of the best in the world for a long time - retires at what I think is the right time. Class all the way around.
Kristine Lilly was certainly among the very finest women to ever play the game and will always remain a personal favorite of mine. She was both a pioneer and an inspiration during the decades she graced the pitch. I am going to miss her, but bowing out at this point is just another class moment in a long career. While I'm sure she could have played on, both with WNT and the WPS, there is some real dignity in stepping aside while the crowd is still cheering. Her contributions and achievements will never be forgotten, and I'm sure her caps record will never be matched by another player. I cannot begin to express my gratitude for all the wonderful moments of soccer she has contributed, and for all she has done for the growth of the USWNT and for women's soccer in the US. Best of luck to her and to her family! I am sure she will continue to contribute to the sport, but I will never forget her as a player. Thanks!
Re: USWNT's FIFA World Cup star Kristine Lilly unexpectedly retires: the interview From the National Soccer Examiner interview linked above: "When people say hard work, everyone says, ‘Yeah, yeah.’ But it’s true, you can’t get through anything in life without the hard work and knowing that when you’re trying to be a better person, you’re trying to make your team better. It’s not just to better yourself to get the attention, it’s trying to make your team successful. You’ve got to push each other, you’ve got to work each other and you have to continue it. For me, I’ve been so lucky, I’ve been able to do that for 24 years." Work ethic plus talent equals success. Lil was awesome. Thanks and congratulations on one of the great careers in all US sport.
Not to take away from her accomplishments, but I see this - six months before the WWC - as a pretty weird time to announce her retirement. The appropriate time to have stepped down from the WNT would have been this time last year, giving Pia and the team time to adjust to a new lineup. (My personal belief is that she's retiring because she's learned she's pregnant with her second child. We'll find out some months down the road if I'm right.)
Re: USWNT's FIFA World Cup star Kristine Lilly unexpectedly retires: the interview I'm all about the WNT getting younger but stunned she would hang-em up on the eve of the WC. For Lilly to have remained a viable option along with her incredible fitness is a testament to work ethic and commitment.
Re: USWNT's FIFA World Cup star Kristine Lilly unexpectedly retires: the interview Incredible professional, superb roll model as well. I wish her all the best. http://www.soccerfansconnected.com
She wasn't going to be a regular... wasn't even certain to go. Most likely role was 45-60 minutes in the least important group game to rest somebody else, and possible late game offensive sub otherwise. Retiring out of that is hardly letting down the side. In fact after getting back in shape and playing a season, she may have found that she herself wasn't feeling that she was a good option anymore. If you are self aware you will probably know before the coaches do. Surely its more appropriate to try than not? It is supposed to be a competetive endeavour, not a business, after all.
Or, as is my belief, she was as fit, or fitter, and was playing as well as anyone else but not getting the minutes and decided that it wasn't worth putting her family through all that again.
I think this is probably the most likely scenario. But the fact she also retired from Boston Breakers is interesting. She played for them in 2009 with little thought she would return to the national team. Since she retired from both makes me also think that that she is looking to have another child. Here is a nice podcast of a discussion about her retirement. http://worldsoccerreader.com/2011/0...tine-lilly-kara-lang-say-goodbye-to-the-game/
I find the timing of the announcement of April Heinrichs and Jill Ellis's appointment to US Soccer and the timing of Lilly's sudden retirement to be a really good conspiracy theory in the making. It's an enigma wrapped in a riddle. Did Lilly early notification that those two stiffs would be coming back to the USWNT/USSoccer, and decide that it was so infuriating, that she retired immediately in protest. One thing that for sure, I will miss "The Kris". She's the fooshizzle.
You bring up an interesting point, it's possible. For me I just didn't see her getting a lot of playing time this cup and I don't think she did either. I'd be lying if I said I was fond of her playing this long, but she was/is still competent enough to be one of our best options for me to play her. If I'm not mistaken she was one of the players who didn't tire out in 07.