Carli Lloyd

American soccer midfielder and forward, two-time FIFA World Cup winner and Olympic gold medalist, known for clutch performances in major tournaments.

Carli Anne Lloyd was born on 16 July 1982 in Delran Township, New Jersey, to Stephen and Pamela Lloyd, and began playing soccer at age five in the small suburban community that she later credited as the foundation of her career. She starred at Delran High School before attending Rutgers University, where she still holds the program's all-time records for career points and goals, and was named Big East Midfielder of the Year in 2004. Lloyd's early career with the U.S. national team was marked by setbacks — she was nearly cut from the squad before the 2008 Olympics — but a renewed dedication to fitness and mental preparation, guided by private coach James Galanis, transformed her into one of the most clutch performers in the sport's history. She scored the game-winning goal in the gold medal matches at both the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, cementing a reputation for elevating her performance on the biggest stages. Lloyd's defining moment came in the final of the 2015 Women's World Cup, when she scored a hat-trick inside the first 16 minutes against Japan — including a remarkable strike from just past the halfway line — securing the title for the United States and earning her the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player. She helped the U.S. win a second World Cup in 2019 and closed out her career at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, becoming, at 39, the oldest women's Olympic soccer player in U.S. history. Lloyd retired in 2021 with 312 caps, second only to Kristine Lilly in U.S. history, and 128 international goals, fourth all-time for her country. In 2019, she was the highest-paid female soccer player in the world. Her memoir, "When Nobody Was Watching," was published in 2016, and she was named U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year twice, in 2015 and 2016.

Box-to-box midfielder, powerful long shots, leadership

One of greatest American soccer players, two-time World Cup winner

• FIFA Women's World Cup 2015, 2019
• Olympic Gold 2004, 2008
• FIFA World Player of the Year 2015, 2016

Club Career

Club	Period	Fee	Apps	Goals
Central Jersey Splash	1999–1999	—	—	11
New Brunswick Power	2000–2000	—	—	10
South Jersey Banshees	2001–2001	—	—	10
New Jersey Wildcats	2004–2004	—	1	1
Chicago Red Stars	2009–2009	—	16	2
Sky Blue FC	2010–2010	—	5	0
Atlanta Beat	2011–2011	—	10	2
Western New York Flash	2013–2014	—	34	16
Houston Dash	2015–2017	—	27	11
Manchester City	2017–2017	loan	6	2
NJ/NY Gotham FC	2018–2021	—	33	13
USA	—	—	316	134