After a 14 year long career, Christen Press announced that she will be retiring from professional soccer at the end of the 2025 NWSL season. 

Press, a former member of the US Women’s National Soccer Team, currently plays for Angel City FC, a club based out of Los Angeles, California. When the club became official in 2021, Press was the first player they signed, gigging her the paternity to return to her home town to play her last 4 seasons. On Sunday, she was honored at the BMO field, as it was her final time playing at her home field.

On the field, Press is known for her creativity and goal-scoring success, amassing a total of 113 goals during her professional career, with 64 of them being international. With her help, the USWNT was able to win two back-to-back world cups, in 2015 and 2019, as well as a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

Throughout her career, Press has dealt with many battles both on and off the field. In 2022, Press tore her ACL, forcing her to get surgery and leading to a two year fight to get back onto the field. Every time Press attempted to get back out on the field, new issues sparked in her knee, causing her to get 3 more surgeries, massively setting back her recovery. Finally, in 2024, Press returned to the field, ready to play.

Off the field, Press has been a leader, fighting for equal pay for women in sports.  In 2019, the USWNT filed a lawsuit against the US Soccer organization for gender discrimination. Players for the USMNT were paid considerably more than players of the USWNT, even though the women’s team was more successful. Press, along with other members of the USWNT, called out the organization and protested, eventually resulting in an equal pay. 

On and off the field, Press has had a major impact on the soccer community, and both her teammates and her fans will miss her forever.