Shannon Boxx walks off the field for the USWNT for the final time. (Photo Copyright Patricia Giobetti for The Equalizer)
Shannon Boxx played her final international soccer match on Wednesday.
Boxx, 38, started and wore the captain’s armband, playing 41 in her final match for the United States national team on Wednesday against Brazil at CenturyLink Field in Seattle in a 1-1 draw with Brazil. Carli Lloyd’s late equalizer extended the U.S.’ home unbeaten streak to 101 games.
Boxx appeared in 195 games over 12-plus years. On Wednesday, she wore her husband’s last name — Spearman — on the back of her jersey for the first time.
In her final game, @ShannonBoxx7 is wearing her married name on jersey. Congrats on this new chapter. #ThanksBoxxy pic.twitter.com/Snj8aB3xlB
— U.S. Soccer WNT (@ussoccer_wnt) October 22, 2015
“It’s emotional, she’s been a fantastic player for this team. She is a legend,” U.S. midfielder Carli Lloyd told The Equalizer postgame. “She’s been the unsung hero, she’s been the player who has gone out there each and every game, done the dirty work and not necessarily given all the credit. In my eyes she’s one of the best defensive midfielders in the world and will always be one of the best. I don’t think we will ever see a Shannon Boxx type player come through this team. Its been an honour to play along side of her and its been an honour to call her my friend. She surly is going to be missed. It was great to see she was able to get some time, I thought she did fantastic out there and we’re all going to miss her.”
Boxx won three Olympic gold medals and the 2015 Women’s World Cup with the United States. In 2003, she became the first player to be selected to a U.S. World Cup team without having previously played in a senior international game. She used the WUSA to springboard her international career, playing for the San Diego Spirit in 2001 and 2002 and shining for the New York Power in 2003.
On Wednesday, she walked off the field for the final time:
Lauren Holiday and Lori Chalupny will play their final U.S. matches on Sunday in Orlando, when the U.S. and Brazil meet again.
