Tobin Heath has announced her retirement from professional football at the age of 37.

The former United States midfielder came to the decision after struggling to return from a knee injury that has kept her out of action for almost three years.

Heath’s last appearance came in August 2022 while playing for the Seattle Reign in the NWSL. She suffered an injury to her left knee from which she could not recover despite multiple surgeries.

During her 13-year career, she made 181 appearances for the USWNT on her way to winning two World Cups and two Olympic gold medals.

Heath also won two NWSL championships and one NWSL Shield with the Portland Thorns, while also winning the latter once with the Reign.

She also had spells in Europe with Manchester United, Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain, and was named U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year in 2016.

Speaking on her podcast, “The RE-CAP Show”, alongside co-host Christen Press, Heath said: “Over New Year's, I actually came to the full acceptance that I wasn't going to be playing, which was like a two-year, some might say three-year process of acceptance.

“I tried everything to get back; I spent tens of thousands of dollars and [had] two surgeries, one crazy surgery. And the whole time, I believed I was going to get back.

“The writing was definitely on the wall; I just couldn't accept, I think, that that was my ending.

“I never played to be famous or for people to care about me. I just played because I loved it.”