CARY, N.C. - There she was, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, two-time Women's World Cup champion and two-time FIFA Player of the Year, snacking on some trail mix ahead of her first practice with her team, US Women, for this year's TST 7v7 competition.
Carli Lloyd's manner was calm and focused, mentioning to teammate Heather O'Reilly that she didn't want to be late to training. Arriving at WakeMed Soccer Park on match day minus-one, she made time for some eager media members.
It wasn't so long ago fans everywhere were celebrating her illustrious career for the U.S. women's national team. Lloyd retired from professional soccer in 2021, and recently was inducted into US Soccer's Hall of Fame. Her speech at the ceremony revealed a side that not many had seen before; she was emotional, reflective, and apologetic.
After all, her journey was frequently covered, but not always understood. Lloyd said on Tuesday that she feels reconnected with the game.
"You go through those couple years after you play, or at least I did of just, you know, obviously trying to get pregnant and then wanting to live life," Lloyd told INDIVISA. "But, now I feel like I'm back loving the game again."