Desiree Scott, a founding member of the Kansas City Current, is retiring from pro soccer after the end of the 2024 season.
The midfielder will play her final regular-season match for the franchise on Nov. 3 at the Chicago Red Stars. The club is in playoff position.
Scott, 37, made the announcement Thursday on her Instagram account.
“It is bittersweet to think about this moment but I know that the timing is right. It’s time. Your girl’s tired,” she said in a video. “I also know in my heart of hearts I’m at peace with this decision. I’ve given so much to the game over the last 20 plus years but it has given me so much back in return. It has been an absolute privilege to play for the city, to play for this organization, to play for the best fans in the NWSL.”
A native of Winnipeg, Scott was assigned to FC Kansas City as part of the NWSL Player Allocation. She started the first-ever NWSL match on April 13, 2013, as FCKC met the Portland Thorns.
After that first season, she played for English side Notts County, then spent two more seasons with FCKC before its dissolution. She is one of 19 players still in the NWSL who played in that first season.
She spent time with the Utah Royals before being transferred back to Kansas City for the Current’s debut season in 2021.
Scott captained the 2022 Current team that played in the NWSL championship, then missed the 2023 season with injury. Over 10 NWSL seasons, she has logged more than 10,000 career minutes.
“Desiree Scott is one of the smartest soccer players I have had the pleasure to work with,” Current head coach Vlatko Andonovski sid. “More than that, she is possibly the most genuine person I have ever met. She has a true love for the game and everyone around her. On the field she will lift up her teammates, while destroying any possible attacks from the opponent, all with the biggest and brightest smile in the stadium.”
In international play, Scott won a gold medal with Canada at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and bronze medals in the Games of 2012 and 2016. She has 187 career caps for Canada’s National Women’s Team.
–Field Level Media
