Carli Lloyd Earns Her Final USWNT Call-Up

The retiring Lloyd will be part of the U.S. squad that will face South Korea in a pair of friendlies later this month.

For the last time, Carli Lloyd has been called in for a U.S. women's national team camp.

Lloyd is one of 21 players who will convene before a pair of friendlies against South Korea, which will bring an end to one of the more illustrious careers in USWNT history. Lloyd has 314 caps and can wind up with 316 if she appears in the matches in at Sporting Kansas City's Children's Mercy Park (Oct. 21) and Minnesota United's Allianz Field (Oct. 26). Regardless, she'll wind up with the second-most caps and third-most goals in U.S. history (her 134 international goals are 24 fewer than Mia Hamm, who is second to Abby Wambach; eclipsing that number in two games is asking a bit much, even for Lloyd).

The camp, which begins on Oct. 18, comes at a charged moment in women's soccer in the U.S., with the NWSL reeling from the revelations of the last few weeks, most notably the allegations of sexual coercion against former North Carolina Courage coach Paul Riley and the reckoning across the league that has begun to follow.

“It’s been a stressful few weeks for the players and staff and the well-being of our players has and always will come first,” U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski said in a statement. “We always want to keep improving and evolving as a team, win every game we play, and put on a good show for the fans, but during this camp we will really focus on a few basic things – continuing to support each other while getting to do what we love on the field, and of course, giving Carli Lloyd the send-off she deserves.”

Lloyd will be joined by 16 fellow bronze medalists from this summer's Olympics, but not Christen Press and Crystal Dunn, who have opted out of the matches, according to U.S. Soccer. Emily Fox, Andi Sullivan, Mal Pugh and Sophia Smith round out the group, while Julie Ertz, Sam Mewis and Alyssa Naeher will be in camp but won't be available for the matches as they continue their recovery from injuries.

Full U.S. squad:

GOALKEEPERS: Jane Campbell (Houston Dash), Adrianna Franch (Kansas City)

DEFENDERS: Abby Dahlkemper (Houston Dash), Tierna Davidson (Chicago Red Stars), Emily Fox (Racing Louisville), Casey Krueger (Chicago Red Stars), Kelley O’Hara (Washington Spirit), Becky Sauerbrunn (Portland Thorns FC), Emily Sonnett (Washington Spirit)

MIDFIELDERS: Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC), Rose Lavelle (OL Reign), Catarina Macario (Lyon), Kristie Mewis (Houston Dash), Andi Sullivan (Washington Spirit)

FORWARDS: Tobin Heath (Arsenal), Carli Lloyd (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride), Mallory Pugh (Chicago Red Stars), Megan Rapinoe (OL Reign), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC), Lynn Williams (North Carolina Courage)