Back in November, Rory Dames tried to quietly exit the NWSL with a press release hours before a Washington Post story outlined years of his alleged abuse of players while he coached the Chicago Red Stars. The allegations came from NWSL stars like Christen Press, one of the most recognizable players in league history.

After a 2020 that was, in many ways, a lost year for international soccer, the U.S. women’s national team went into 2021 with high hopes. The year ended with feelings of missed opportunities and the need for a rethink moving forward less than 20 months away from the next Women’s World Cup.

Angel City FC and San Diego Wave FC will start to really fill out their rosters during the NWSL expansion draft on Dec. 16, during which time each team is allowed to draft up to nine players from other preexisting NWSL squads. But neither club is waiting around for the expansion draft or the 2022 NWSL Draft two days later to make moves, with one USWNT player heading west and a potential blockbuster trade in the works ahead of Friday’s trade deadline. 

Back when allegations first arose against former NWSL coach Paul Riley’s sexual coercion and verbal abuse, I made a timeline of all the women’s soccer coaches and staff in America who had been fired, resigned or were otherwise accused of some sort of abuse. Even then I said there were probably more cases out there that hadn’t been reported upon yet. Sadly, it looks like I was right. 

Carli Lloyd’s playing career is coming to an end. But first, two final farewell matches later this month against South Korea. On Wednesday, coach Vlatko Andonovski named his USWNT roster for the upcoming friendlies, which are little more than a chance to send Lloyd off in style. 

Lloyd announced in August she will retire after the 2021 NWSL season, calling an end to an historic career.

If there’s one thing you should take away from Season 2 of Ted Lasso, it’s that mental health is of utmost importance. Christen Press probably already knew this, and on Thursday the USWNT forward announced she would be stepping away from the beautiful game to focus on herself.