New Zealand defender Riley to retire at end of US season

Former New Zealand captain Ali Riley will retire from football at the end of the U.S. National Women's Soccer League season following a prolonged battle with a chronic nerve injury.

The 37-year-old Angel City defender has barely played at any level since being withdrawn from selection on the eve of New Zealand's opening match against Canada at last year's Paris Olympics.

Los Angeles-born Riley said on social media she would be proud to bow out in her hometown.

"While I certainly experienced my share of heartbreak in my career, it will never compare to the immense love, joy, and gratitude I feel when I look back on over three decades of playing this game," she wrote in a post.

With 163 New Zealand appearances dating back to her 2007 debut, Riley is the nation's second-most capped international behind only former Football Ferns teammate Ria Percival (166), who retired last year.

A veteran of five Women's World Cups, Riley led New Zealand to their first win at the global tournament in 2023 when the Ferns beat Norway 1-0 at Auckland's Eden Park.