Angel City FC midfielder Julie Ertz, a fixture on three United States World Cup rosters, closed the chapter on her playing career Thursday, announcing her retirement from the sport.

Ertz, who signed a one-year contract with Angel City FC in April, returned to action this season after a nearly two-year absence following the birth of her son, with a goal of making the 2023 FIFA World Cup roster, which she eventually did.

Ertz made seven appearances with Angel City this season, scoring one goal.

“With immense emotion and processing, I’ve decided it’s time to hang up the boots,” Ertz, 31, said in her retirement message.

“My gratitude to all my teammates and coaches over the years can’t be put into words. The highs and lows as an athlete are only doable with those teammates who push you to be better everyday and lift you up when needed. From club, Santa Clara, youth teams, NWSL and USWNT every single teammate I ever had: Thank you.”

Ertz made her national team debut in 2013. She earned U.S. Soccer’s Female Player of the Year honors in 2017 and 2019 after winning the Young Female Player award in 2012.

“These past six months have been a dream come true,” Ertz said. “After pregnancy, I never knew if I had a chance to play the beautiful game again, let alone another World Cup. Angel City was a huge reason any of this was a possibility. The support from the staff and players can’t be put into words to help me get back. I’m crushed to not be able to continue to push to playoffs and that made this decision incredibly difficult.

“The logistics of not living in an NWSL market is challenging and I know the sacrifices it takes to be the best you can be. As I have gotten older and become a mom, it’s clear the sacrifices of time away from my family no longer seem doable with so many factors at play. These girls gave me a gift I could never repay and I got to live out a dream I wish for everyone, falling in love with a sport you have played your whole and getting to share it with your son.”

Ertz made her last appearance with Angel City on June 25 before departing with the U.S. national team for the FIFA World Cup. Her ACFC debut was April 23, in which she went 72 minutes.

“I think this has been an incredibly hard decision for her and I know that she’s not crazily at peace with it, but again, she’s an all-in person and she has soccer, she has family and she has a child,” Angel City interim coach Becki Tweed said. “I think we all respect that decision and we’re really grateful and thankful for her recovery on what she’s done for the sport and she will always be part of the Angel City family and we obviously wish her the best. We will definitely miss her, but respect everything that she’s done for the game and her incredible career.”

At the World Cup, Ertz played every minute of the USWNT’s four games.

“As a former player that went through my own retirement process, I have an intimate understanding of what Julie is going through,” Angel City general manager Angela Hucles Mangano. “She has given her life to the sport of soccer, and now she has made the difficult decision to leave the game to focus on her family.

“We fully support her in this choice and recognize how complex these life decisions can be. She will always be a part of this club, in addition to having made an indelible mark on global soccer. We wish her only happiness in the future.”

Known as Julie Johnston before marrying NFL player Zach Ertz in 2017, she was the third overall pick in the 2014 NWSL draft by the Chicago Red Stars. She made 95 appearances.

With the national team, Ertz played midfielder and center back. In all, she made 122 appearances.

“Representing this country on the National Team has been the greatest honor,” Ertz said. “To play for the USWNT means you chose greatness every day while you wear the crest. I hope that I was able to leave an impact that reflects that.”

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