NWSL fans can’t decide if this new trend is exciting or heartbreaking | OneFootball

The NWSL is going through of one of the most emotional times of the league in recent memory. Christen Press, Ali Riley, and Imani Dorsey - three players who helped shape the league's identity are all retiring. For fans who've been around for a while, it feels like an entire generation is saying goodbye.

Christen Press, the two-time World Cup winner, and the face of the NWSL as a player, let everyone know she'll be done playing at the end of the 2025 season. Ali Riley, the captain of Angel City FC and a true leader, will also be retiring at the end of the season. And Imani Dorsey also announced her retirement this week.

Each have their own special legacy and it's all happening at the same time and it's bittersweet and weird and a little sad. These women were more than athletes. They were the face of a movement. They inspired countless young players, helped create teams and represented a time when the NWSL was still finding its footing. Their retirements feels like the end of a chapter that helped shape the growth of the sport here in the US.

The end of an NWSL era but the start of a new one

But the flip side of this story is that every single one of these retirements opens the door for someone new to step up and take their place as a leader of the NWSL. Today the NWSL is stronger, deeper and more global than it was just a few years ago. What looks like the end of an era is the start of something new.

Transitions are always a bit bittersweet. Teams are gonna miss out on those veteran players who've always been the leaders of the locker room and the ones who always knew how to get the team fired up when things got tough, the ones who really ran the team on and off the pitch.

But at the same time, these transitions show just how much the league has come along - from being this fragile new upstart to a respected powerhouse where players can hang up their boots knowing they made a real difference.

So is this good or bad? Honestly, a bit of both probably. It's okay to feel a little torn up about missing out on the legends of the game who made the league what it is - and to also be super stoked on the fresh energy and excitement that's coming our way.

The NWSL isn't losing itself - it's just evolving a bit. The players who are moving on helped build a league strong enough to keep going just fine without them and that in itself is something to be really proud of.