“How do you say goodbye to something you’re not ready to let go of?” That’s the question Christen Press asked the world on Instagram, not as a teammate, but as a partner. After years of anticipation, Tobin Heath officially announced her retirement from professional soccer on July 10th. At 37, the two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time Women’s World Cup champion is stepping away from the game for good, three years after her last appearance with OL Reign in 2022. But the moment didn’t feel real until Christen Press shared it with us.
On Instagram, she posted three deeply emotional photos: she and Tobin lying on a field littered with gold and blue confetti, the kind that only falls after a championship. They’re in full USWNT kits, smiling, glowing, soaking in the joy. But Press’s caption is what made everyone stop scrolling. “Tobin Heath knows about winning. She’s always won, And she learned it and taught it in the best locker room in the world. How laughing, dancing, yelling, crying and sharing contribute to greatness,” it began. And just like that, it was clear this post wasn’t just a celebration. It was a farewell to a teammate, a legacy, and a love built through a lifetime of playing side by side.
Press didn’t just reflect on the medals or goals. She opened a window into who Tobin really is: the quiet leader who texts every new USWNT player after their first cap, the advocate who fights behind the scenes for women’s sports, the student of the game whose tactical mind few ever fully understood. “And so, perhaps her greatest contribution was not a win at all. It was carrying the torch — a culture — in the pursuit of greatness for all to see and follow. She messages each player that gets her first USWNT cap. She advocates in the biggest rooms with the highest stakes for folks to invest in women’s sports.” For the fans, it was a reminder that Heath wasn’t just a star. She was the soul of the team. She showed the USWNT how to lead with integrity, style, and fierce joy.
A second Instagram post from Press gave us another side of Heath. In it, Heath was showing some freestyle soccer tricks in what looked like a U.S. Soccer facility, dressed in gray leggings, a sleeveless jersey, and her signature orange beanie. No crowd. No spotlight. Just Heath doing what she’s always done best, being herself. Press simply wrote: “Happy official retirement @tobinheath.”
Tobin Heath and Christen Press have been together for eight years, both on and off the pitch, and while they’ve usually kept their relationship private, this moment felt like a public love letter. It wasn’t just a goodbye to a player, but to a whole era of U.S. women’s soccer. And if Press’s words taught us anything, it’s this: Heath’s influence goes far beyond the field.
The story is being updated…
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