Photo Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer | USA TODAY Sports
The Portland Thorns announced on Tuesday that Thorns and U.S. women’s national team legend Meghan Klingenberg will be honored before the team hosts the Orlando Pride at Providence Park on Aug. 15. She retired from professional soccer in 2024.
Klingenberg was a pivotal part of the Thorns for the better part of a decade. She joined the team in 2016 and stayed until her retirement. In her tenure at the club, she won two NWSL Championships and two NWSL Shields.
Before joining the Thorns, Klingenberg had stints at magicJack, the Boston Breakers, the Western New York Flash in the Women’s Professional Soccer league (WPS). In 2012 she went to Tyresö FF in the Swedish Damallsvenskan league, before being forced to play in the NWSL by U.S. Soccer in 2014. After two seasons with the Houston Dash, she joined the Thorns.
Klingenberg made 183 appearances in the NWSL, starting 167 of them. She made 27 assists during her time in the league.
The defender, who hails from western Pennsylvania, was key to the USWNT backline that won the 2015 World Cup. She was named to the FIFA Women’s World Cup All-Star Team and FIFPro Women’s World XI that year. She earned 74 caps for the USWNT in her career.
Klingenberg was also vital to the USWNT Players Association’s negotiations to monetize their image and likeness after the team’s 2015 World Cup win.
Klingenberg now hosts The U.S. Soccer Podcast.
