The U.S. women’s soccer team is gearing up for an exciting showdown in London, and all eyes are on Wembley Stadium. Over 80,000 fans are expected to pack the stands on Saturday to watch the Olympic gold medalists take on England. This will be a special match for many reasons, but especially because it marks one of Alyssa Naeher’s last appearances with the national team.
Alyssa, the incredible goalkeeper who has been a cornerstone of the U.S. team, announced earlier this week that she’s retiring from international play. Although she’ll still be in action with the Chicago Stars FC for another season, her journey with the U.S. team will officially wrap up after this game and another against the Netherlands on Tuesday.
Wembley is set to be electric, with a crowd that could rank among the biggest ever for women’s soccer. The current record for modern times is 91,648 fans, set during a UEFA Women’s Champions League match in 2022. There’s also talk of a 1971 Women’s World Cup final in Mexico, where the crowd reportedly hit 110,000—but records from that event are murky. For U.S. fans, the 1999 World Cup final in Pasadena, where 90,185 people watched the U.S. triumph over China, is an unforgettable moment. England also had its own record-breaking moment last year when 87,192 fans cheered on their team to victory in the Euro 2022 final.
For Alyssa Naeher, this week is bittersweet. At 36, she’s stepping away after a legendary run with the U.S. team. Her journey began in 2014, and since then, she’s collected two World Cup titles and helped secure gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, playing every minute of that tournament. Alyssa became the team’s go-to goalkeeper after Hope Solo’s dramatic exit in 2016 and has been a reliable force ever since. With 113 caps, 88 wins, and 68 shutouts, she’s leaving behind a legacy that only a few can match.
When asked about her decision, Alyssa was open about how demanding life on the national team can be. “It takes a lot out of you,” she shared with reporters. “I’ve given everything I have to this team, and I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished.” Alyssa explained that at her age, with the next World Cup still three years away, it felt like the right time to step back and let the next chapter begin.
Breaking the news to her coach, Emma Hayes, was nerve-wracking, Alyssa admitted, but the response was all support and gratitude. “It’s still hard,” she said. “Change is scary, but I feel at peace with this decision.”
As fans gear up to cheer on the U.S. team at Wembley, it’s clear that Alyssa Naeher’s impact will be remembered long after the final whistle blows. For now, though, the focus is on the incredible energy of the game ahead and celebrating the legacy of one of soccer’s all-time greats.
