Who Is Carli Lloyd? New Details On The Captain Of The U.S. Women's Soccer Team As They Head To World Cup
Prepare for some butt-kicking!
Instagram In the world of Women's soccer, there are players and then there's Carli Lloyd. This woman doesn't just play soccer, she eats, breaths and sleeps the game itself. She's been on a track headed towards the top of the professional arena, and it looks like she has no intention of slowing down. If you haven't heard of her before, get ready for that to change.
While she might be entering what she calls the "final phase" of her career, she is still a force to be reckoned with in a major way. If you don't know anything about her, that's about to change. Hold on to your hat as I introduce you to one of the biggest players in the beautiful game. Who is Carli Lloyd?
1. Jersey Girl
Carlie Anne Lloyd may be a world champion athlete, but that doesn't change the fact that she's just a Jersey girl at heart. Born in Southern New Jersey, she started playing soccer when she was just 5-years-old. She kept up it right up through college at Rutgers University where in addition to focusing on her studies, she focused on her soccer skills. When she was just a sophomore at Rutgers, she became a finalist for one of the most important awards for college soccer players, the Hermann Trophy. She hasn't slowed down since she joined the United States Women's National Team, either! She's won two gold medals at the Olympics and countless other awards like the Women's World Cup!
2. The Golden Ball
In case item one didn't make it clear how much of a badass she is, let's talk about the Golden Ball. During the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup finale she broke all of the records (in soccer anyway) and within just 16 minutes she scored three goals for her team! Damn, Carli! And she still had more to show us, too. In that same Women's World Cup final, she was only the second player in THE HISTORY OF THE CUP to score a hat trick in a senior final. When this was combined with her walloping performance at the Cup's semifinals, the league had no choice but to award her the Golden Ball Trophy which recognizes the best dang-gone player in the tournament.
3. Manchester City
Like most professional athletes, Carli's career has seen her play for a wide variety of teams, she's even played overseas in the UK (which is how you know she's the real deal). When the USL W-League was still a thing, she played for both the South Jersey Banshees and the Central Jersey Splash. When she moved on to the Women's Professional Soccer League she spent time with Sky Blue FC, the Atlanta Beat, and the Chicago Red Stars. In 2017 Carli took her talents across the pond when she was loaned to Manchester City. While she played with them she kept up her stellar gameplay, winning the 2016 FA Women's Cup. In fact, she scored in the final round which helped them seal the win of the entire tournament. As of today, she's back with the Sky Blue FC.
4. Something To Prove
Carli's not naive about the longevity of a player like her. She's 36-years-old and she has admitted that 2019 marks the "last and final phase" of her truly stellar career. But Carli's confident she has what it takes to play a 90-minute game. She isn't comfortable with the idea of being banished to the bench just yet. Carli feels like she has something to prove. “People always say, ‘You’ve got this chip on your shoulder,’ [and it’s about] proving people wrong,” she added. “To an extent, yes, but that’s who I am, that’s how I’m wired. I’m competitive with every single thing that I do … I’m going to be a train wreck, and I’m going to come through you. That’s just how I’ve been. I believe in myself every single step of the way.
5. Marriage
Carli's life might be all about soccer when she's playing, but don't get it twisted. She's got a great balance between her career, her passion and her personal life. In fact, she tied the knot to Brian Hollins, her high school sweetheart, back in 2016. But make no mistake, her being a Mrs. hasn't slowed her down in the very least. "We kind of make jokes now that she’s gotten a bit softer, now that she’s married and living with her husband and things like that,” U.S. defender Crystal Dunn has said in the past. “But she’s still the same Carli, bringing her A-game and really competing every single training and proving that she’s a top player.”
Rebecca Jane Stokes is a writer living in Brooklyn, New York with her cats, Batman and Margot. She's an experienced generalist with a passion for lifestyle, geek news, pop culture, and true crime. For more of her work, check out her Tumblr.