United States women’s national team legend Carli Lloyd announced she and her husband, Brian Hollins, are expecting their first child.
Lloyd, 41, made 316 appearances for the USWNT, second behind Kristine Lilly (354), during which she won two Women’s World Cup titles and two Olympic gold medals in women’s soccer.
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“It has been a rollercoaster of a journey to get to this point. We are beyond excited to be parents! I couldn’t have gotten through this without my amazing husband, Brian. He truly kept me going,” Lloyd said in an Instagram post on Wednesday.
“We are so grateful for all the love and support we had from our family and friends.
“My story is currently a happy one, but I know there are other women who are facing challenges in their pregnancy journey. I see you and I understand your pain. My hope is that more and more women will speak up about this topic, because their stories helped me. I also wish for more resources, funding, and education around fertility treatments. There is much to be done, and I hope I can play a role in helping!”
When Lloyd retired in 2021, she was asked why she chose to hang up her boots rather than emulate Tom Brady, who played until age 45.
“Well, Tom Brady doesn’t have to have kids, that’s the one thing, for starters. My husband, Brian, and I are eventually going to start a family, so the clock’s kind of ticking on that,” she said.