Former UCLA soccer player, World Cup champion retires from USWNT
Holiday fields a ball during a 5-0 rout of Missouri in 2009. Incidentally, future U.S. Women’s National Team coach Jill Ellis and Holiday’s future national teammate Sydney Leroux were both ejected from the game with red cards. (Daily Bruin file photo)
By Claire Fahy
July 13, 2015 7:59 a.m.
Lauren Holiday held back tears as she watched Stanford celebrate its overtime win in the semifinals of the 2009 Women’s College Cup, the senior’s final chance at clinching an NCAA title.
Six years later, Holiday was once again holding back tears, but this time in a much different context. In what served as somewhat a full-circle moment, Holiday stood Tuesday in downtown Los Angeles, soaking in the aftermath of the U.S. Women’s National Team’s first victory rally following its 5-2 World Cup victory over Japan.
While her teammates celebrated the U.S.’s first World Cup victory since 1999, Holiday used the moment to unveil a different milestone: her retirement from the national team after 10 years.
“I’m excited for a new chapter of my life. I feel like this team isn’t my identity, it’s my choice,” Holiday said to reporters following the event. “I think there’s power in making a choice. I chose this team for 10 years, and now I’m going to choose my family.”
Holiday married former UCLA basketball player and current New Orleans Pelicans point guard Jrue Holiday two years ago, and has since split time between her national team responsibilities and her role with FC Kansas City. Holiday said she plans to finish out the year with Kansas City.
After she graduated from UCLA without a national title to her name, Holiday made it her goal to win both a National Women’s Soccer League and a World Cup championship. Not only did Holiday achieve this goal, but she also did so within a single calendar year.
On Aug. 31, 2014, Holiday was named the championship MVP, totaling two assists as Kansas City handed the Seattle Reign a 2-1 upset loss.
Holiday was also a contributor during the World Cup win, especially in the final where she scored a goal off a volley in the 14th minute. The 27-year-old has appeared in 130 games for the U.S. Women’s National Team, scoring 24 goals.
“To be honest, this isn’t something that happened overnight,” Holiday said. “I know this is where I was supposed to be for so many years, and I know that I gave my all to soccer, to the sport, to this team.”
Compiled by Claire Fahy, Bruin Sports senior staff.
