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Ali KriegerTST
Celia BalfJun 4, 2025A. KriegerUSA

'Don't really miss it that much' - Former USWNT star Ali Krieger is excited to be back at TST, but it's as much about the camaraderie as the actual competition

Krieger's TST squad is a blend of different generations, a reunion and fun - even without enough training time

Ali Krieger, two-time FIFA World Cup Champion and 2023 NWSL Champion, is re-lacing her cleats for TST.

After winning Gotham FC's first NWSL Championship two years ago, she officially retired from professional soccer. Her career didn't particularly stop after that, as she continued on as Gotham's first Club Ambassador and an analyst for ESPN FC.

She's been busy covering NWSL games for futbolW and running around as a parent, but has still managed to squeeze in some training for TST. For many of these former professional players, TST is a great opportunity to reconnect with teammates and, of course, compete for a massive prize.

Krieger's "why" for this tournament is quite simple: Have fun, get together with former teammates, and hopefully win.

"We had our first training session yesterday, and I'm actually really happy to be back on the field," she told INDIVISA. "I've recognized that I don't really miss it that much, if i'm being honest. But I'm happy to be back playing."

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    'Good thing I stretched'

    It's bittersweet. In some ways playing again is an amazing feeling, but on the contrary, it can take a toll if you've been out of the game for any length of time. Krieger has been training, but mentioned it has been harder than she initially imagined to get in all the time she wanted to dedicate towards preparing for the tournament.

    "Good thing I stretched before so I wouldn't pull a hammy," Krieger said, laughing. "But it feels really good, honestly, to be back and to kind of feel those exciting nerves again. I haven't trained as often as I would like to, just because I'm busy, scheduling, and kids, but I feel good."

    Krieger had her hair slicked back in a bun ahead of practice. She was dripped out from head-to-toe in her US Women team gear and wore a big smile. She seemed at peace, and joked that her hair style would hopefully bring out similar skills such as Marta, who also tends to wear a slick back bun - with half of the bun popping out underneath.

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    'Carli this year'

    Krieger could have said she was excited to play alongside her partner Jen Bettie or forever teammate Heather O'Reilly. Yet when asked who she was most thrilled to be playing alongside she quickly blurted out "Carli."

    "Yeah, it's Carli this year," Krieger told INDIVISA. "I know HAO was last year, and she usually is my every year because we had the right side, strong side vibes."

    Krieger played right back for most of her career and for the USWNT, O'Reilly typically would be in front of her as a right winger. The two were known for their combination play, speed, and attacking mentality up the wing. It wasn't that Krieger's answer was surprising that she said Carli, but it was special.

    "It's Carli for sure," Krieger said, noting that it's been far too long since they played together. "Carli for sure, she's back after a pregnancy and we've we haven't played together for a while, since 2020, maybe, or even before that, like 2019."

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    The US Women will be the team to beat at TST

    Not only are the US Women reigning champions at TST, but they are even more stacked this year.

    The roster highlights many former and current UNC players, including 2024 MAC Hermann Trophy winner, Kate Faasse, as well as many of her teammates - Olivia Thomas and Tessa Dellarose, to name two.

    O'Reilly gets most of the credit for putting the team together and when asked what went into selecting this year's squad, she was very clear - if you were part of the squad last year, you were welcomed back.

    "We won last year, right? So if you want to be on the team last year, you're invited to play this year. And so correct me if I'm wrong, but I think we have 12 returnees and seven newbies, including Carli, because she was on the coaching staff last year," O'Reilly said. "So the majority of the team is returning from last year, but some have aged out. And I live in Chapel Hill, so I'm very familiar with the UNC soccer team so I got to watch them play quite a bit this season, and national champions here at this field, actually.

    "So I knew that I wanted some of those players with that winning mentality to be part of part of the squad this year."

    Krieger and some USWNT veterans are not shy to give the young players their flowers, with Lloyd adding how last year's TST ultimately propelled some of those UNC players off to win a National Championship.

    It's a blend of different generations, a reunion, and a special event that - even with all of the fun - is a nice reminder to Krieger that she is right where she's supposed to be. She may not miss the nerve-wracking moments, but she's happy to be here, playing the beautiful game alongside new and former friends.