Crystal Dunn, a Women’s World Cup winner and Olympic gold medallist, has officially announced her retirement from professional soccer.
The final months of her career were spent with Paris Saint-Germain in France, the sixth of the clubs she represented, joining them in January 2025.
She began her professional career with the Washington Spirit, before heading overseas to Chelsea for a year-long stint with now-USA head coach Emma Hayes, helping them win the 2017 Spring Series and reach the quarter-finals of the UEFA Women’s Champions League, the first time they had ever done so.
However, she decided to return to the USA to ensure she remained in international contention, saying at the time: “It is with a heavy heart that I have decided to leave Chelsea. However, the opportunity to return to the USA felt like the right decision for both personal and footballing reasons at this stage of my career.”
She then returned to the NWSL where she played for the North Carolina Courage, Portland Thorns and Gotham FC.
She was part of the Courage squad that won the 2018 and 2019 NWSL Championships, and the Thorns squad that won the NWSL title 2022 and won the NWSL Shield three times (2018, 2019 and 2021).
Crystal Dunn: I’m looking forward to my next chapter
On her retirement, the 33-year-old said in quotes distributed to the media: “I leave the game with a sense of peace and deep fulfillment for all that I’ve accomplished.
“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.”
Dunn made her debut for the USA senior national team in February 2013 against Scotland, and proved herself an incredibly versatile player for club and country, featuring in almost every outfield position from her youth career onwards.
She gave birth to her son Marcel in May 2022.
