After battling with injury after injury throughout the past six years, Stuart Holden has decided to hang up his boots and focus on the next chapter of his life.
The former U.S. Men’s National Team midfielder announced his retirement as a soccer player on Wednesday. In ending his playing career, the 30-year-old retires with 25 caps for the USMNT, having scored three goals and taken part in the 2010 World Cup and 2008 Olympics.
Holden, who recently announced the birth of his first child, spent a week training with the USMNT during the team’s annual January camp. That stint may have helped him make the final decision that it was time to put his playing days behind him.
“It’s time to stop fighting my body,” Holden said in an open letter via U.S. Soccer. “I’ve known for a while, but I’ve struggled to admit it to myself and to others. The countless sleepless nights, the aches and pains, and the constant mental battles were all signs pointing to a new path. But every time I was about to utter the three big words “I am retired”, all the memories of walking into roaring stadiums, scoring last-minute goals, and being part of amazing teams dragged me back!
” The same never-say-die attitude that drove me to fight like hell my entire career wouldn’t let me say the “R word”. I met every setback – and there were many – with a positive attitude. I responded to every disappointment with an “OK. What’s next?” Now, again, I must answer that question. What is next is being proud of my accomplishments, giving thanks to those who have supported me, and smiling at whatever the future holds, the first of which is a baby girl.”
After joining Sunderland following his time at Clemson University, Holden began his career in earnest with a 2006 move to the Houston Dynamo. Following 88 games with the MLS club, Holden went abroad to join Bolton Wanderers, which he made 28 Premier League appearances for.
While at Bolton, Holden began to battle through a stint of injury woes that all but ended his career. In 2010, it was a broken leg suffered in a friendly against the Netherlands In March 2011, Holden suffered his second major injury via a slide tackle from Manchester United’s Johnny Evans. The tackle yielded a broken leg and knee injury that required six months to heal.
Shortly after returning that September, Holden faced a setback in the form of cartilage damage that kept him out of the entire 2011-12 season. After finally returning in 2013, Holden suffered a torn ACL while featuring for the USMNT in the team’s victorious Gold Cup campaign and required yet another surgery after making his return in March 2014.
Holden, who was voted Bolton’s Player of the Year in 2011, was also a part of the 2010 World Cup roster as well as the U.S. side that featured in the 2008 Summer Olympics.
What do you think of that announcement? What will you remember most about Holden?
Share your thoughts below.