Why Soccer Star Carli Lloyd Felt Misunderstood Throughout Her Career

True to form, Carli Lloyd is powering forward.

“Retirement life is great,” the two-time Olympic gold medalist, who closed the book on one of the most distinguished careers in U.S. soccer history last October, told E! News in an exclusive interview. “People have said it’s a hard transition, but it hasn’t been hard for me because I don’t link my identity with being a soccer player. I had a life outside of that, and I fulfilled all my dreams, which I’m very grateful for.

“So I’m enjoying every moment I can. It was a long 17-year journey to rise to the top of the sport, and now I’m getting to enjoy this new second life.”

Staying home for 10 months in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down international competition helped her envision what retirement might be like, Lloyd recalled, and it was “actually really nice” to hunker down with her husband, Brian Hollins, and regroup.

But she had a little more history to make before she hung up her boots for good.