Tag: Julie Ertz

USWNT great Ertz announces she’s expecting second child

The two-time World Cup winner announced her retirement last fall

Former U.S. women’s national team star Julie Ertz has announced that she and her husband Zach Ertz are expecting their second child.

The couple already has a son, Madden, who was born in August 2022. In an Instagram post on Saturday, Zach Ertz announced that the pair is expecting again this summer.

“Happy Birthday Mama! We love you! Adding to the family Summer 2024!” Zach Ertz wrote.

After an illustrious career with the USWNT, Julie Ertz announced last fall that she was retiring from the game at age 31. In explaining her decision, the two-time World Cup winner said that she was hoping to spend more time with her family.

“This sport takes sacrifice,” Julie Ertz said. “And I think time with my family is just irreplaceable, especially with where Madden is and his age.”

Zach Ertz, who is entering his 12th NFL season, signed a one-year contract with the Washington Commanders last month.

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USWNT sends Julie Ertz off with confident 3-0 win over South Africa

One of the team’s greats got her farewell in an uncomplicated USWNT win

A new era is beginning for the U.S. women’s national team, and that means saying goodbye to some veteran stars.

The USWNT gave two-time World Cup champion Julie Ertz the kind of farewell match she would have likely wanted, with a confident, uncomplicated 3-0 win over South Africa on Wednesday in Cincinnati.

Lynn Williams claimed two goals, sandwiching Trinity Rodman’s finish from open play as the U.S. reeled off all of its goals in a nine-minute span late in the first half.

Unsurprisingly, the USWNT looked for Ertz — possibly the best set-piece target in program history — on most of its early set piece opportunities, but couldn’t quite carve out a serious threat.

However, it was only a matter of time, and while Ertz didn’t score the opener herself, her customary near-post run was a big factor as Williams gave the U.S. a 32nd-minute lead.

If that goal required a bit of good fortune — Williams and the USWNT had to appeal for the goal to be given, as the ball only barely crossed the line — it took just 65 seconds to score a far more authoritative second.

A counter-press at midfield won the ball back for the USWNT, and a rapid-fire passing sequence ended with Alex Morgan running in behind the South African defense. From there, the San Diego Wave striker teed Trinity Rodman up perfectly for a close-range finish.

Before the celebrations even truly petered out after that goal, Ertz was given her moment, with TQL Stadium giving the USWNT legend a standing ovation in the 35th minute, as she stepped off the pitch one last time.

Another corner made it 3-0 before halftime, with Andi Sullivan (who replaced Ertz) serving in a near-post ball. Lindsey Horan’s cheeky flick caught South Africa off-guard, with Williams once again on hand to make sure the ball got over the line.

With much of the talk around the game surrounding a changing of the guard for the USWNT, interim coach Twila Kilgore’s second half substitutions included three players who suffered various sorts of World Cup snubs. Ashley Hatch and Casey Krueger were left off the roster entirely, while Ashley Sanchez saw zero minutes of playing time for a goal-starved USWNT in Australia and New Zealand.

That trio,18-year-old forward Alyssa Thompson (who appeared in just one World Cup match), and USWNT debutant M.A. Vignola all entered the match, with more experienced names like Horan, Morgan, Crystal Dunn, and Emily Fox among those coming off.

In the end, Ertz watched on as the USWNT defense — something she took ferocious pride in throughout her 123-cap national team career — gave Alyssa Naeher precious little to do against a side that advanced to the World Cup’s round of 16.

The USWNT will wrap up the September window with another big goodbye, as Megan Rapinoe’s final match with the team looms on Sunday in Chicago.

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Ertz on retirement decision: ‘Time with my family is just irreplaceable’

Ertz will play her final game on Thursday in a USWNT friendly against South Africa

Julie Ertz has said that her decision to retire at age 31 stemmed from wanting to spend as much time as possible with her family.

Ertz announced her retirement last month, and has been called into the U.S. women’s national team one last time ahead of a farewell match against South Africa on Thursday.

Before playing the final game of her career, Ertz spoke to the media on Wednesday and explained why she called it quits less than a year before the Olympics, and with plenty left in the tank.

“This sport takes sacrifice,” Ertz said. “And I think time with my family is just irreplaceable, especially with where Madden is and his age.”

Ertz made a surprise return to the field this April after nearly two years away, having taken an extended break from the sport following the birth of her son Madden in August 2022.

Despite her time away from soccer, Ertz still played every minute of the 2023 World Cup, moving back to defense and anchoring a back line that was the bright spot in an otherwise disappointing tournament for the USWNT.

Ertz said she was happy to be able to step away from the game knowing she is still good enough for the USWNT, rather than being forced out.

“Your whole career as an athlete, you’re like, ‘I just don’t want to regret anything,'” Ertz said. “And I think you just want to get to a point to be able to choose myself when I could step away.

“I do feel like I can step away and be like, ‘It’s not because mama can’t play — mama can play. She has just adapted my priorities.’ I think that just comes with age.”

Still, Ertz said that Thursday will be an emotional evening as she says farewell to an 10-year professional career.

“I’m so grateful to have this last game to just close the chapter and say bye,” Ertz said. “I feel like if I retired five years ago, if I retired in 10 years, the day that you choose [to leave] the sport that you know your whole life, it’s just a sad day.”

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Ertz to play farewell match with USWNT on September 21

Ertz will play one final match before ending her career at age 31

Julie Ertz will have one more chance to say goodbye ahead of her retirement.

U.S. Soccer has announced that Ertz will play in a September 21 friendly against South Africa in Cincinnati, with the match at TQL Stadium serving as the 31-year-old’s final professional game.

Last week, Ertz announced she would retire after a career that saw her win two World Cups and earn 122 caps with the U.S. women’s national team.

“I expected to just walk away after retirement, but to have the opportunity to say goodbye to my teammates and the fans one last time is something special that many players dream of,” Ertz said in a federation release.

“I wasn’t expecting this honor so I’m very thankful to (interim head coach) Twila (Kilgore) and to U.S. Soccer for giving me the chance to close this chapter of my life with those who have made this journey so memorable.”

Ertz played every minute for the USWNT at the 2023 World Cup, moving back to defense and forming an effective partnership with Naomi Girma that helped the team concede just one goal in four matches.

The USWNT will play two friendlies against South Africa later this month, with each game serving as a farewell match for a national team legend.

After the game in Cincinnati, the U.S. will head to Chicago for a September 24 friendly that will be the farewell match for Megan Rapinoe, who is set to retire at the end of the 2023 NWSL season.

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Zach Ertz had a heartfelt message for USWNT star Julie Ertz after her retirement announcement

End of an era for the USWNT.

While the U.S. women’s national team had a disappointing showing at the 2023 World Cup, the entire team has to be proud of what Julie Ertz accomplished in her legendary career.

On Thursday, Ertz and the USWNT announced that the two-time World Cup champion would be retiring from professional soccer. Ertz made 122 appearances with the USWNT, which included a breakout performance at the 2015 World Cup in Canada and a repeat title in 2019. She joins Megan Rapinoe as the latest USWNT legend to call it a career, signaling an end to the most-accomplished generation in USWNT history.

As news of the retirement became official, Ertz’s husband, Arizona Cardinals tight end Zach Ertz, was among the first people to reflect on Julie’s great career.

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He wrote:

Over the past 11 years I’ve had a front row seat to your commitment, dedication, perseverance and sacrifice to the sport that you love so much.

You have truly given everything you have to soccer and Madden and I are so proud of you!

You truly are one of the best to ever do it! 🐐🐐

We love you @julieertz

What a run she had.

USWNT star Julie Ertz announces retirement at age 31

The defender/midfielder earned 122 caps in her career, winning two World Cups

Two-time World Cup champion Julie Ertz has announced her retirement from soccer at age 31.

Ertz made her U.S. women’s national team debut in 2013 and went on to earn 122 caps, making her final professional appearance in a last-16 defeat to Sweden at the 2023 World Cup.

After that loss, Ertz said she had likely played her final USWNT game. The Angel City FC midfielder has now confirmed that her pro career has come to a close as well.

“As an athlete you’re always singularly focused on the next goal, the next tournament and rarely do you get time to reflect on your career,” Ertz said in a U.S. Soccer release.

“However, over the past couple of months my heart has been filled with gratitude as I’ve thought about the amazing experiences soccer has given me. I’ve been blessed to meet and train with some of the best and most inspirational women I’ve ever been around, and I’ve experienced different cultures while traveling the world to compete at the highest level. I gave everything I had to the sport that I love.

“With that I can walk away with no regrets because while I gave soccer every ounce of myself, soccer gave me even more, and for that I’ll always be thankful.”

Ertz made a surprise return to the field this April after nearly two years away, having taken an extended break from the game following the birth of her son in August 2022.

The midfielder quickly signed a contract with Angel City in a bid to make the World Cup squad, which she succeeded in doing. Ertz would go on to slot into her former role at center back, playing every minute of the USWNT’s four games alongside Naomi Girma.

Ertz rose to prominence at the 2015 World Cup, playing every minute of the tournament as a center back as the USWNT won the title in Canada.

Four years later, Ertz returned to the World Cup as a wrecking ball of a defensive midfielder, proving to be one of the team’s most vital pieces as she again helped the USWNT win the title.

Ertz spent the majority of her professional club career with the Chicago Red Stars, where she played nearly 100 games between 2014 and 2021. She was named the U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year in 2017 and 2019.

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Alex Morgan brushes off retirement talk after USWNT’s World Cup elimination

Alex Morgan has no plans to call it quits right now.

The U.S. Women’s National Team’s disappointing Round of 16 exit from the 2023 World Cup in many ways marked the end of an era.

One of the team’s stars and leaders, Megan Rapinoe, already announced that this World Cup would be her last. Following the loss to Sweden on penalty kicks Sunday morning, Julie Ertz also announced her retirement.

Add in the loss of Carli Lloyd, who retired in 2021 following Team USA’s World Cup win in 2019, and many of the squad’s longtime fixtures won’t be around the next time it competes on the international stage.

Following the loss, all eyes turned to Alex Morgan. The 34-year-old striker has played for the USWNT since 2010 and captained it in its last two World Cup runs. But following a goalless performance in this year’s tournament, some questioned if she would follow in the footsteps of some of her veteran teammates.

She put that speculation to rest in an interview with ESPN following the loss.

“I’m not planning to hang up my boots anytime soon right now, ” Morgan said when asked if this World Cup would be her last. “So, just one day at a time now.”

Though it isn’t an outright commitment to playing in the 2027 World Cup — the host nation for which hasn’t been determined — it doesn’t sound like Morgan has any plans to slow down after the back-to-back defending champions bowed out in heartbreaking fashion.

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USWNT player ratings: Defensive spine shines in gut-punch penalty kick defeat

The USWNT finally played like themselves, but soccer can be cruel

Soccer has always been a cruel sport, and today it came calling for the U.S. women’s national team.

After three underwhelming performances in the group stage, the USWNT finally looked like themselves against Sweden, bossing one of the best teams in this World Cup.

Unfortunately, they found goalkeeper Zećira Mušović having one of the games of her life, and when she wasn’t making a big save, the errant finishing that has plagued this team appeared again, and the result was a penalty kick elimination after a scoreless 120 minutes.

It was a heartbreaker for the U.S., who missed a shot in the shootout that would have seen them advance, and then had to watch Sweden’s winning kick require a VAR check to reveal that the ball had crossed the line by a nearly imperceptible margin.

Still, when it comes to ratings, this was by some margin the best performance from the USWNT at this World Cup as a team, and for many players as individuals.

As a reminder, here’s the Pro Soccer Wire player rating scale:

Our scale:

  • 1: Abysmal. Literally any member of our staff would have been been able to play at this level.
  • 6: Adequate. This is our base score.
  • 10: Transcendent, era-defining performance. This is Carli Lloyd vs. Japan in the 2015 final.

Julie Ertz says she’s likely finished with the USWNT

The 31-year-old was emotional after her side crashed out of the World Cup

After the U.S. women’s national team crashed out of the World Cup in the last 16 against Sweden, Julie Ertz said she has likely played her last game for the national team.

Ertz played every minute of the World Cup for the USWNT, shifting back to defense and partnering Naomi Girma throughout the tournament after an injury to Becky Sauerbrunn.

The 31-year-old has only recently returned to the game after nearly two years away, taking time off after giving birth last August.

Ertz has earned 122 caps over her USWNT career, winning the World Cup in 2015 as a center back and in 2019 in the defensive midfield role she’s made her own in recent years.

Speaking to Fox Sports after the USWNT’s loss, a tearful Ertz revealed that her national team career was likely over.

“It’s tough. We’re proud of the way that we played, but we didn’t put anything in the back of the net. The penalties were tough as well. I think for me, it’s just emotional because it’s probably my last game ever being able to have the honor to wear this crest,” Ertz said.

“It’s just an emotional time,” she added. “It absolutely sucks and penalties are the worst. But it’s an honor to represent this team. I’m excited for the future of the girls.”

Asked about her USWNT legacy, Ertz responded: “Kelley [O’Hara] always says that we just rent these jerseys, and it’s our job to pass it down to the younger ones to continue that in their DNA.

“It’s been an absolute ride. I’ve learned so much about myself as a player, but even just as a person. So this team obviously competes and plays soccer but it does so much more and I’m just very grateful.”

Speaking to ESPN after the game, Ertz was more definitive: “Unfortunately this is my last time in this crest,” she said.

After making her USWNT return, Ertz signed with Angel City FC in April. It’s not clear if she plans to retire from the game altogether or if she is only calling time on her international career.

Watch Ertz’s post-game interview

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