Why Hope Solo is returning to the soccer field this summer after nearly a decade away

Hope Solo has been looking for excuses — reasons to stay away.

She said she’s been pushed out of partnerships with U.S. Soccer and commentating. When she walked away from the Seattle Reign in 2016, she didn’t touch a soccer ball again for years. The opportunities for her, as she has found herself at odds with U.S. Soccer, have been lacking. But at the same time, in all fairness, she’s said no. She’s pushed herself away.

Now, Solo is saying yes.

Solo will be entering her own team, dubbed “Solo FC,” into play at The Soccer Tournament (TST) in Cary this June. The annual winner-take-all event features a $1 million grand prize and will mark the first time Solo — considered the greatest goalkeeper in U.S. women’s soccer history — has played in any kind of soccer competition in nearly a decade.

“I’ve sat here in the mountains enjoying my lifestyle, enjoying my family, waiting for the right opportunity to get back and involved in a meaningful way,” Solo, who now lives in Asheville, told The News & Observer. “I think, in that moment, when [TST CEO] Jon Mugar came to me, I didn’t have too many questions to ask. I just sat there saying, ‘I literally can’t say no to this.’”

Solo against former teammates

The U.S. Women, a squad led by three-time Olympic gold medalist Heather O’Reilly, are the reigning TST women’s champions. The team features current college players, like UNC’s Bella Sember and Tessa Dellarose, alongside several former U.S. national team stars.

The prospect of Solo competing against past teammates like O’Reilly, Carli Lloyd, and Ali Krieger is understandably intriguing — especially given her troubled history with U.S. Soccer.

Solo irked the federation with her controversial comments as a player — most notably leading to U.S. Soccer terminating her contract after she called the Swedish national team “cowards” at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Her rift with the federation deepened after she sued for gender pay discrimination in 2018 (her former teammates, including Alex Morgan, won a similar lawsuit in 2022). These were some of the topics covered in her Netflix documentary, “Untold: Hope Solo vs. U.S. Soccer,” which was released last September.

“To return to the game — there’s been a lot of trauma, there’s been a lot of good times and bad times — but at the end of the day, I just wanted something that was all about the game and the players and the fun,” Solo said.

Solo is aware of the narratives that will likely form around her and O’Reilly’s team, but she’s not letting it consume her.

“I’ve done a couple of interviews already, and I can see the headlines,” Solo said. “I see where they’re heading right now. Everybody wants to see this ‘Hope Solo vs. old U.S. soccer teammates.’”

Solo said she hasn’t talked to many of her old teammates in a long time. She’s looking forward to a fun event she anticipates will be filled with hugs and laughter. She wants to catch up, to meet each other’s kids.

“Of course, there might be some awkward moments, too,” she said. “But with soccer and former teammates, that’s part of life. I don’t expect it to be a big deal, to be honest.”

For Solo, soccer is fun again

In recent years, especially since welcoming her twins in 2020, life for Solo has settled into a new rhythm. When her children turned two and could start to kick a soccer ball, she rediscovered the joy of the game. Her husband even built her a kicking wall in their “dojo” at home, where she’d put on music and practice.

Over time, the sport became fun again.

As her training intensifies in preparation for TST, Solo shared that the whole family now joins her on the soccer field. Her husband kicks to her as she practices in goal, with their kids watching from the sidelines.

“It’s a family affair and that’s part of the joy and beauty in this project,” Solo said, “is my kids get to see me train and play again.”

While Solo declined to reveal any specific names, she said she’s assembling her squad with a blend of young stars, seasoned veterans and unheralded players from underrepresented countries and communities.

“It’s going to be a team that’s from across the country, all ages,” she said. “I’ll have some old legends like myself and then I hope to find those, what I call the unsung heroines. The players that are the diamonds in the rough, or from countries that do not invest a lot in the women’s game, who are fantastic players who just need an opportunity to be seen. That is where I feel I can give back to the game and create opportunities.”

She knows the challenge ahead is immense — not just to get herself back into playing shape, but to build a competitive team from scratch.

At 43, the prospect of returning to the field has been daunting, but Solo has embraced the challenge. When asked about her training regimen, she laughed and said, “Oh God,” before diving into the details.

She’s realized she needs to rebuild every muscle in her body — everything from her shoulders (she underwent shoulder replacement in 2016) to her core. Leg strength, endurance and quickness have also been key focuses of her intense training.

“My legs start to burn just doing goalkeeper footwork right now,” she said. “So I’m still working on getting that strength in my muscles back… but it’s coming.”

Friendly rivalries

Jon Mugar, the founder of TST, was thrilled to see Solo enter the fold, and said her name has “always been lurking.”

“She’s such a great presence and, I’ve learned, such a strong competitor,” he told The News & Observer.

For O’Reilly, the possibility of playing against Solo is equally exciting.

“I think that it’s great that she wants to make a team,” O’Reilly told The News & Observer. “Anything that grows the tournament and grows the interest, I think is awesome. So I’m all for it. It’ll be fun to see if we’re lined up against each other in group play… it’s super fun to have some friendly rivalries. The more big names, the better.”

TST has expanded from eight women’s teams to 16 ahead of its third-annual competition this summer. For Solo, TST represents something more than just a return to playing — it’s an opportunity to help grow the women’s game.

“At the end of the day, this $1 million grand prize to the winning team could absolutely change the lives of many of these players,” she said. “So we are taking this absolutely seriously, I am taking this seriously.

Time has passed, but Solo’s competitive fire remains. While some may fixate on the idea of her facing off against her old squad, Solo is focused on the bigger picture.

She’s aiming for more than just a showdown with her old teammates. Solo’s looking to make a statement with her new team, hoping fans will appreciate the fresh dynamic they’re bringing to the tournament.

That, more than anything, is an opportunity she just couldn’t say no to.

“We have to make it to the championship to play the ‘U.S.’ team — and I put that in quotes because I think fans want to see something different,” Solo said. “This is what TST is about. Building a team of former U.S. players filled with a bunch of UNC players, I don’t think that’s very exciting. I think what we’re bringing to the table is exciting. I hope the fans can get behind our team, learn about the players, learn their stories and can cheer for something different.”