USA women’s soccer World Cup winner Crystal Dunn retires with emotional statement

American women’s soccer star Crystal Dunn has announced her retirement from professional football at the age of 33.

Dunn was an icon of the United States women’s national team (USWNT) – becoming one of the first Black stars to feature in an outfield position.

A star at the club level, she made her name across 160 caps with the national team – where she scored 25 international goals as a fullback and winger. 

Dunn’s final appearance with the USWNT came in a May 31, 2025 victory over China in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Her final goal with the USWNT came in a friendly win over South Korea – also in Saint Paul – on June 4, 2024.

Dunn won the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup – playing all but one group stage match in the American’s title-winning campaign. She was also a member of the 2023 World Cup team.

At the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Dunn played all but 75 minutes en route to winning the Gold Medal.

Dunn, pictured jumping into the arms of Julie Ertz after winning the 2019 Women’s World Cup

The player cited a desire to spend more time with her son, Marcel, and husband Pierre Soubrier

Her retirement was announced by US Soccer and on the player’s Instagram page, with Dunn offering some parting words and citing her desire to spend more time with her husband, Pierre Soubrier, and their three-year-old son Marcel. 

‘I leave the game with a sense of peace and deep fulfillment for all that I’ve accomplished,’ said Dunn. 

‘I’m grateful for the incredible people I’ve had the privilege to work with, from teammates and coaches to family and friends, and all the amazing moments we’ve shared. I’m very much looking forward to my next chapter ahead.’ 

The New York native starred in college at the University of North Carolina – earning the Hermann Trophy as the top women’s soccer player in the country and winning a national championship in 2012.

She earned a callup to the US’ U-20 team in 2012 – winning the tournament in Japan when Dunn assisted Kealia Ohai (now the wife of NFL star JJ Watt) for the lone goal in a 1-0 final victory over Germany.

Dunn earned her first cap for the USWNT in a February 13, 2013 friendly against Scotland while still attending UNC.

She was selected first overall in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) 2014 College Draft by the Washington Spirit. Dunn would go on to play for other NWSL teams – including the North Carolina Courage, the Portland Thorns and Gotham FC.

For her stateside club career, Dunn won the NWSL Championship in 2018, 2019 and 2022. She also was part of three NWSL Shield winning sides (2018, 2019, 2021), won the 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup and the 2021 International Champions Cup. 

Dunn won the NWSL Championship three times in her career and was named 2015 MVP

She also played in Europe with the likes of Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain before retiring

In 2015, she was named the Most Valuable Player in the league and won the Golden Boot. She was also named in the league’s Best XI in 2015 and 2018, earning Second XI honors in 2016 and 2019.

Dunn had brief spells away from the United States – joining Chelsea in January of 2017 and logging 20 appearances for the Blues. 

She most recently played at the club level for Paris Saint-Germain – joining in January 2025. Dunn’s last goal came when she scored a brace in a 6-0 win over Saint-Etienne in the 2024-25 season. Her final appearance came in a win over RC Lens in the first match of the 2025-26 campaign.

Dunn retires as one of only a handful of players to win a U-20 World Cup, a Women’s World Cup and a Gold Medal with the United States.

In the press release announcing her retirement, US Soccer remembers Dunn for ‘her versatility, her tremendous one-on-one defending, her ability to perform far above her size (5-foot-1), her popularity among her teammates, her ability to inspire generations of U.S. Women’s National Team players and for a heck of a lot of winning.’