Gotham FC’s final regular season home game honored defender and USWNT legend Kelley O’Hara
Red Bull Arena drew a crowd of 10,757 fans to bid farewell to U.S. women’s national team legend, and one of Gotham FC’s own, Kelley O’Hara. O’Hara had announced her plans to retire at the end of this season.
Earlier this month, O’Hara was placed on the NWSL’s season-ending injury list, and had to prematurely end her career in NY/NJ. Still, Sunday’s match was going to be about O’Hara regardless if she could suit up or not, and that’s exactly how the night shaped up.
The stadium was electric, from custom O’Hara hats and t-shirts, to all of O’Hara’s closest teammates on the USWNT coming out to support her.
Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, and Ali Krieger were all there to celebrate their former teammate, and to shower O’Hara with all of the hugs. O’Hara became the latest among recent high-profile player retirements, alongside greats such as Morgan, Rapinoe, Krieger, and most recently Christine Sinclair and Merrit Mathias.
The game started out with O’Hara lighting the torch, and following Gotham’s dominant 3-1 win over the Orlando Pride, O’Hara took to center field to speak.
“This game has given me so much. It has been the greatest joy,” she said. “I think everybody in this building knows how amazing the game of soccer is and how beautiful the game is, but the reality is, the game would be nothing without the people who are a part of it and who make it, and that’s how I feel about my career.”
O’Hara played 15 years of professional soccer, dating back to the WPS days with FC Gold Pride. With Gotham, O’Hara helped the bats clinch their first-ever NWSL Championship last season. Her impact of the game goes beyond the field, and far beyond the NWSL.
The Georgia native also has two World Cup titles to her name, and an Olympic gold medal. Sunday’s celebration was a teaser for the USWNT’s farewell to O’Hara on Oct 27 in a friendly vs. Iceland.
“I’m just so thankful,” O’Hara said to the crowd.