Carli Lloyd bade an emotional farewell to international football on Tuesday as the United States defeated South Korea 6-0 in a friendly.
The 39-year-old Lloyd’s farewell game – her 316th international for the US women’s team – was brought to an end on 65 minutes when she was substituted for Alex Morgan at Allianz Field in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Lloyd, a member of two World Cup-winning US teams and a two-time Olympic gold medalist, hugged each of her teammates as she left the field waving to the crowd for the last time as a US international.
“It’s been a long career, and I don’t know that there’s really much that needs to be said,” Lloyd said in an address to the crowd afterwards.
“I want to thank all you fans, the doubters, the critics, everybody – you’ve pushed me to greater and greater heights throughout my career and I’m extremely thankful for that.
“Thirty-four years playing this beautiful game – It has been an honor. I have been absolutely grateful for every opportunity that I’ve stepped out on this field and I hope that you know I gave it everything I had for every single one of you.”
The veteran striker was unable to crown her final appearance with a 135th international goal however, denied either side of halftime by South Korean goalkeeper Kim Jung-mi.
Lloyd’s first chance on goal came on 27 minutes, but her curling shot from just outside the area was foiled by the desperate dive from Kim, who parried the effort wide for a corner.
Lloyd also went close in the 54th minute, but her cleverly directed downward header from Mallory Pugh’s cross was once again saved by Kim.
Lloyd, who made her international debut in a game against Ukraine on July 10, 2005, is widely regarded as one of the greatest women’s players in the history of the game.
She is the first and only player to score a hat trick in a women’s World Cup final, rattling in three goals in the opening 16 minutes of the 2015 final where the US defeated Japan 5-2.
A two-time FIFA Player of the Year, in 2015 and 2016, Lloyd also scored the winning goals in the finals of the 2008 Olympics, when the US beat Brazil 1-0 in extra time, and the 2012 Olympics, where she scored twice in a 2-1 victory over Japan.
While Lloyd was unable to add to her goal tally on Tuesday, she at least bowed out with a win as the reigning world champions secured a comfortable victory.
Lindsay Horan’s deflected shot opened the scoring for the US before Cho So-hyun’s own goal made it 2-0 on the stroke of halftime.
Lloyd’s replacement Morgan bagged a third on 69 minutes, before fellow substitute Megan Rapinoe swept in a fourth in the 85th minute. Rose Lavelle and Lynn Williams scored twice in the closing minutes to complete the rout.
