U.S. captain Lilly pregnant, will miss Olympics
Star won't play at all in 2008, but won't close door to return
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CHICAGO - Kristine Lilly, captain of the U.S. women’s national team for the past three years, is expecting her first child and will miss the Olympics.
Lilly, who has been part of all eight U.S. Women’s World Cup and Olympics teams, said she will not play any international soccer in 2008. In April, the team will try to qualify for the Beijing games.
The 36-year-old Lilly holds the world record for caps and has scored 129 career international goals, second in women’s soccer history to Mia Hamm (158). Lilly said she is open to playing again in the future.
“I’m not closing any doors as far as soccer,” said Lilly, who has played 340 games for the U.S. “But for now, I’m focusing on becoming a mom for the first time and everything that goes with that experience.”
Lilly played in her 300th match on Jan. 18, 2006, against Norway, at the Four Nations Tournament in China, becoming the first man or woman to reach that milestone.
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