United States women’s national team fans will be asking, “why did Julie Ertz retire?” after she plays her final game on Thursday.

Ertz, 31, showed at the 2023 Women’s World Cup that age isn’t slowing her down one bit as she played every minute in the tournament and was dominant in defense.  

The reason for her retirement? Spending time with family and raising her baby boy, Madden.

MADRID - A group of 39 players from Spain, including most of the 23 Women's World Cup-winning squad, said on Friday it wanted further changes at the Spanish soccer federation and that the resignation of chief Luis Rubiales and the replacement of the team's manager was not enough.

In a statement, the women did not clarify whether they would continue to boycott national team matches, but said they had called on the RFEF to restructure Rubiales' former cabinet, the Secretary General, the communications and marketing department and the so-called integrity unit.

The September USWNT roster for two friendlies vs. South Africa was revealed on Tuesday with 27 players set to be in the national team camp. Each friendly will also serve as a farewell match for Julie Ertz and Megan Rapinoe.

Ertz will play her final game on Thursday, Sept. 21 at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. Rapinoe’s last appearance for the national team will be Sunday, Sept. 24 at Soldier Field in Chicago.

Here are the 27 players that USWNT interim head coach Twila Kilgore named to the roster.

BARCELONA – Spanish football federation chief Luis Rubiales quit his post on Sunday after three weeks of scandal over allegations he gave an unsolicited kiss to a player on the women's national team as they celebrated their World Cup victory last month.

Rubiales announced his resignation in a statement in which he said his position had become untenable, with the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) later confirming he had sent a resignation letter to acting president Pedro Rocha.

We’re going to get to see Julie Ertz play for the United States women’s national team one last time. The 31-year-old midfielder/defender announced her retirement from the sport on Aug. 31 but will return for a send-off game.

When is Julie Ertz last game?

Ertz’s last game will on Thursday, Sept. 21 at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Portland Thorns and United States women’s national team forward Sophia Smith received her first Ballon d’Or nomination in her career on Wednesday. The 23-year-old was the only American player to make the 30-woman nomination list.

For those who don’t know about the Ballon d’Or here’s a quick explanation. The annual award is given to the best women’s and men’s player in the world and is presented by France Football, a French news magazine. It’s the highest individual award a soccer player can earn.

Two-time World Cup champion Julie Ertz retired from professional soccer with an announcement on social media on Thursday.

"With immense emotion and processing, I've decided it is time to hang up the boots," the U.S. women's national team icon and longtime NWSL defender posted on social media.

THANK YOU! pic.twitter.com/GapGnMfSa5

— Julie Ertz (@julieertz) August 31, 2023

The United States women’s national team will bid farewell to one of its biggest stars in September as Megan Rapinoe will play her final game.

When is Rapinoe's last game for USWNT?

Rapinoe’s farewell will be a friendly match against South Africa on Sept. 24 at Soldier Field in Chicago. The game is the second of two friendlies that the USWNT will play against South Africa. Rapinoe won’t feature in the first game in Cincinnati on Sept. 21.

The mother of suspended Spanish soccer chief Luis Rubiales locked herself inside a church and started a hunger strike to protest against her son's treatment over his kissing player Jenni Hermoso on the lips after the world cup victory, family members said.

"She has gone on hunger strike, she does not want to leave the church," Vanessa Ruiz, a cousin of Rubiales, told reporters outside the parish church of Divina Pastora in the family's home town of Motril, southern Spain.