Carli Lloyd apologizes to USWNT teammates in vulnerable National Soccer Hall of Fame speech

New York Times

04-05-2025

Former U.S. women's national team star Carli Lloyd was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame on Saturday. In her speech, the two-time World Cup winner and Olympic gold medalist acknowledged the cost of success and apologized to her former teammates for being distant.
'I wasn't there to make friends or follow the crowd. I was there to push myself to the very top while helping my team win championships. That drive often meant keeping people at a distance,' Lloyd said, donning her new red Hall of Fame blazer. 'I avoided unnecessary drama. I rarely showed weakness, and vulnerability wasn't something I allowed myself to express. I wouldn't say I have regrets, but if there is one thing I do wish, I wish I had let more people understand me over the years.
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'I operated like an emotionless machine. I was intense and I truly believed that the only way for me to survive in such a cutthroat environment was to be that way. So, to my teammates, I want to say this: I'm sorry I wasn't always able to give you all of me.'
The 42-year-old, who was inducted in her first year of eligibility as part of the 2025 class, gave a 20-minute speech reflecting on her expansive career, sharing a vulnerable side rarely seen throughout her 17 years on the pitch.
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'I finally had the space to truly reflect on my career,' Lloyd said, pausing to settle her emotions. 'I knew I didn't need to stand up here and talk about how much I loved the game or how hard I worked. Most of you already know that about me. What I wanted to share wasn't from a perspective of a competitor, but as a person, a human being, and what I kept coming back to again and again was one simple question, was it all worth it?'
Lloyd retired in 2021, ending her playing career with her hometown club, NJ/NY Gotham FC, in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She is considered one of the most impactful players in USWNT history. She is best remembered for her performance in the 2015 World Cup final against Japan, in which her 16-minute hat-trick led the U.S. to its first World Cup title in 16 years. Her third goal is one of her most iconic.
In her speech, Lloyd reflected on her love of winning, which often cost her relationships with those around her.
'There was nothing I loved more than winning but winning comes at a cost, and I paid that price,' Lloyd said, 'Yet in return, I gained more than I ever could have imagined. Soccer provided me with the tools to conquer anything that life throws my way.'
She alluded to the controversial moments, both professional and personal: from the snubs that fueled her, to the trainer who drove a wedge between her family and her — a relationship that was later repaired.
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Lloyd's acceptance included a nod to her six-month-old daughter, Harper, whom she called her 'greatest accomplishment.' Lloyd and her husband, Brian, welcomed Harper in October after struggles with unexplained infertility.
'I always knew I wanted a child, but I had no idea how this little baby could completely change me as a person,' Lloyd said. 'Unlike during my playing career, I have been present. I have allowed myself to be vulnerable, emotional and fully engaged in every moment I get to spend with her.
'Being her mom is my greatest joy, and thanks to everything I experienced in my career, I now have the tools to help her navigate this world. I want to teach her how to be strong, to chase her dreams and to understand that nothing in life is handed to you, you earn it.'
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Lloyd was inducted into the 2025 class alongside another USWNT great, Mary Harvey, who was the goalkeeper on the 1991 World Cup-winning team.
While Harvey's playing career was brief by today's standards, the seasoned soccer executive has been involved in World Cup bids, founded U.S. Soccer's Athletes' Council and held key roles with Women's Professional Soccer as well as FIFA. She is currently the CEO of the Centre for Sport and Human Rights.
Harvey is credited with inspiring the U.S. culture of giving back through sport. That was most evident with her role in introducing her former teammate and current U.S. Soccer president, Cindy Parlow Cone, to the power of sport governance by bringing her to her first Athlete Council meeting when she was only 17 years old.
'Sport is one of society's great social inventions, and has so much to offer us all, and clearly, it has left an indelible positive imprint on my life and led me to a career path dedicated to the impact and purpose that I never expected,' Harvey said. 'Part of that journey has been to be, and continue to be, an agent of change, make it better for those who come after you, which is what we said way back then.'
The 2025 Hall of Fame class also includes Mark Abbott, the former MLS Deputy Commissioner, Chris Armas, head coach of the Colorado Rapids, and former U.S. men's goalkeeper Nick Rimando.