Ex-USWNT star Mewis: Retirement about prioritizing my health،
United States women's national team World Cup winner Sam Mewis has opened up about her difficult decision to retire from soccer at the age of 31, saying she hopes to turn the page after repeated injury knee that has hampered his career in recent years.
“The decision to step down was really difficult and it took me a long time to accept it, but overall I think prioritizing my health as a person has become very important to me” , Mewis said.
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“After about two, two and a half years of daily rehabilitation of my knee, it became clear to me that my knee could not withstand the impact that elite football demands.
“I've been dealing with a knee cartilage injury for seven years now and I feel really lucky to have been able to play on it for so long.
“I've had a few surgeries, talked to a dozen doctors, physical therapists and people who might have an option on how to fix this cartilage problem in my knee.
“It took a lot of time and a lot of acceptance that physically I wasn't able to return to the game at the level required.
“[I had] lots of mixed emotions honestly and lots of long conversations with family and close friends. It's been a tough few years. »
Mewis won the World Cup in 2019, helped the United States win bronze at the Tokyo Olympics and scored 24 goals in 83 caps.
Mewis also scored 16 goals in 32 games between 2020 and 2021 for Manchester City and was on the scoresheet when they beat Everton in the 2020 FA Cup final. She was also named in the Manchester City women's squad. the year of the PFA Super League.
When asked when the former midfielder thought she was in her prime, Mewis said her time at City came to mind.
“Maybe at one point in 2020, which is crazy to say with the pandemic, in 2021 I was at Man City and I felt like I was playing really well,” Mewis said.
“I think unfortunately I had to step away and have that surgery and I haven’t really been back since.”
Mewis also won four NWSL titles and played for the North Carolina Courage, the Kansas City Current and the now-defunct Western New York Flash.
