USWNT, Portland Thorns legend Meghan Klingenberg announces retirement – Equalizer Soccer

Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

World Cup champion and National Women’s Soccer League legend Meghan Klingenberg announced her retirement from professional soccer on Wednesday in a letter shared on social media. 

The post, which was a collaboration with the U.S. women’s national team and U.S. Soccer, started, “This isn’t a surprise. But it still feels big to say. It’s time – I’m retiring from football.”

She also added a cheeky caption which read, “Now available for charity matches, Sunday brunches and pool parties… preferably all in the same day.”

Klingenberg, 36, most recently played with Portland Thorns FC, but elected to depart the club at the end of the 2024 season. She spent eight years there and won two NWSL championships as well as two NWSL Shields.

After winning two national championships at North Carolina, Klingenberg was selected by the Washington Freedom in the 2011 WPS Draft. She was traded to the Boston Breakers and later played for the Western New York Flash, as well. 

Klingenberg spent the 2012 and 2013 seasons with Tyresö FF in Sweden, then joined the Houston Dash of the upstart NWSL as a 2014 expansion draft selection. She played there until a 2015 trade sent her to Portland.

For country, Klingenberg represented the U.S. at the U-16, U-17, U-20 and U-23 levels. She retires with 75 caps earned between 2011 and 2018. She was a key fixture in the 2015 World Cup title run, playing every minute for the U.S.

Later in the day, Klingenberg sat down with former teammates Becky Sauerbrunn and Lindsey Horan to discuss her decision on the first episode of the new U.S. Soccer Podcast, which she will co-host alongside David Gass and Alejandro Bedoya.

In addition to joining the podcast, Klingenberg is also a founding partner in lifestyle brand and media company Re-inc., alongside Tobin Heath, Christen Press and Megan Rapinoe.