Getty Carli Lloyd of the USA celebrates after scoring her team's thirteenth goal during the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup France group F match between USA and Thailand at Stade Auguste Delaune on June 11, 2019 in Reims, France.
Carli Lloyd is the elder stateswoman of the U.S. Women’s National team in this World Cup. The 36-year old co-captain will play in her 275th cap for the team Sunday against Chile (12 p.m. EST, Fox).
Over her career, she has notched 111 goals and 52 assists for the national team. The New Jersey native has saved her best for the World Cup, where she has scored nine goals over three tournaments, so far.
Probably the biggest moment in her career came in the 2015 World Cup Final against Japan. Within the first 16 minutes, she notched a hat trick en route to a 5-2 victory. It was the program’s third-ever title, including 1991 and 1999.
The highlight was a midfield strike to put the Americans up 4-0. This was especially carthatic for the team, as they lost out on a 2011 title with a shootout loss to the Japanese.
So far in Reims, France, Lloyd has continued her hot streak. She chipped into the dominating 13-0 effort versus Thailand with a goal during stoppage time. She made a point of reaching out on Twitter to Thai goalkeeper Sukanya Chor Charoenying after the embarrassing loss.
“All you can do is give it your best each and every day. Keep fighting and never give up!! Still 2 more games to play,” she wrote.
“Thanks so much, Lloyd. Your words that you told me make me strong,” Sukanya posted in appreciation to Lloyd on Twitter, adding emojis including Thailand’s flag, a heart and an American flag. “Keep going for this tournament and so on. Firstly, I felt disappointment in worst situation but this is the biggest experience in my life.”
It’s this level of maturity that has helped make Lloyd a co-captain alongside Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe and Becky Sauerbrunn.
So many people calling the US Women classless because they celebrated their goals. How about Alex Morgan and Carli Lloyd going over to comfort some of the Thailand players immediately after the final whistle? That’s class. #USWNT
“Obviously I’m a player and this team is full of players who want to battle it out, who want to go full throttle, but we are human, and there is a human element to it. And you’ve got to feel for a goalkeeper letting in 13 goals,” Lloyd said to the Associated Press. “If you don’t, I don’t think you have much of a heart.”
According to Biography.com, Carli Anne Lloyd was born July 16, 1982 in Delran (N.J.) to parents Steve and Pam.
After learning to play soccer at age 5, she developed her natural abilities by playing pickup games and practicing for hours on her own at her local field.
Lloyd went on to star at Delran High School, where she was twice named the girls’ High School Player of the Year by the Philadelphia Inquirer. She also played for the Medford Strikers club team as a teenager and helped them win back-to-back state cups.
This earned her a scholarship at Rutgers, where she made the NSCAA All-America team three times.
After joining the U.S. senior national team in 2005, the midfielder delivered the winning goals in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics to win gold for the Americans.
She hopes to take home another gold trophy here in France for the World Cup. Before the knockout stage, they have to face Chile, and then Sweden on Thursday in the Group Stage finale.