WASHINGTON, DC — Crystal Dunn may have announced her retirement in January, but she was officially sent off Saturday at Audi Field.
Dunn was honored in the Nation’s Capital prior to the U.S. Women’s National Team’s 2-0 friendly loss to Spain. The New York native played 12 years for the USWNT, 11 of which featured several stops at the club level in the United States, England and France.
Now, as he moves on to the next chapter of his life off the field, Dunn admits he feels “comfortable” with his decision to retire.
“Now that I’ve had time to reflect on my career, I feel like the best compliments I’ve gotten aren’t about what I’ve done on the field, but how I’ve impacted people’s lives,” Dunn told reporters at a pre-match news conference. “I haven’t cried a lot since I retired. I was very happy with my decision and I think today was a day where the fans came up to me and said, ‘I’m really sorry you didn’t play. You were my favorite player.” And I’m like, “Oh my God, stop. Now I’m shedding tears'”.
Dunn won 160 games with the USWNT from 2013-2025, recording 25 goals and 20 assists in all competitions. Her major international achievements include winning the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2019 and an Olympic Gold Medal in Paris in 2024.
Before turning to professional football, Dunn was a collegiate standout at the University of North Carolina, winning a National Championship with the Tar-Heels in 2012. She has also won two NWSL titles, one NWSL Golden Boot and one NWSL MVP award, in addition to her USWNT success, she has enjoyed success at the club level.
Off the field, Dunn was at the forefront of the equal pay movement for the USWNT, which led to a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) in 2022, while paving the way for several current African-American players such as Sophia Wilson, Lily Yohannes and Trinity Rodman.
“I think that’s what we play for,” Dunn said, reflecting on his career. “Of course, I was chasing championships, medals in all of the above, but I think looking back now, I realize that being there was enough. I just put my best foot forward, worked really hard to achieve something. I think that’s why I’m so happy where I am, I’ve decided to retire. I’ve done everything I need to do to be in this sport.”
Now, as Dunn continues on her motherhood path, she also continues to dip her hand into several projects. One of those projects is joining the ownership group of USL W League side Tallahassee Reckoning, looking at the sport through a different lens.
Dunn hopes he can use his gaming experience to help the next generation of players, as they may have more resources than they did at their age.
“I want to help build a better infrastructure for young girls to have a better future, a better path to college. [and] pro level,” Dunn said.
“I’m very happy that any adversity I’ve had, I feel like they’re going through a lot less,” Dunn said. “They show their most authentic selves in this environment. They breathe a little easier.”
Dunn also expressed excitement about being in control of his own schedule as a retired player, picking and choosing what to do and when to do it. For most of his career, Dunn would prepare for practice or a game, either participating in a media presence or watching an opponent’s film, but now he’s on his own watch.
“I have independence over my schedule,” Dunn said. “Doing things that make me happy and full of joy, I think it’s always difficult because I always say that playing football is the best thing you can do. Now that I’m not doing that, what excites me now is finding things that fill my cup.”
While Dunn says goodbye to the field itself, he plans to stay deeply involved in the sport as a whole. Whether he’s in an ownership position or potentially moving to broadcasting, you’ll continue to see the 34-year-old impact the game.
Dunn used the experiences that helped him get to where he is today to offer advice to the next generation of football players.
“Really just trust the process, trust the journey,” Dunn said, “Be willing to worry or embrace the moments when you’re at your best; it just means you’re closer to getting to where you need to be.
“I’ve had a pretty successful career, but I think about the moments where I failed or when I learned more about myself,” he added. “I built up the resilience to be able to adapt to everything. [They] they just have to keep working on themselves, enjoy the journey and believe that they will be where they need to be.”