Thursday, October 1, 2026
Rockville Centre native Crystal Dunn will be recognized for her extraordinary career with the U.S. Women's National Team during a pregame ceremony before the United States faces Spain on Oct. 10 at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., according to U.S. Soccer.
The ceremony will celebrate Dunn's retirement from international soccer and honor one of the most accomplished and versatile players in U.S. women's soccer history. U.S. Soccer also announced that the first 2,000 fans entering the stadium will receive a commemorative Crystal Dunn bobblehead.
The honor is another milestone in a journey that began on the fields of South Side High School. Dunn helped lead the Cyclones to three New York State championships, established herself as one of the nation's top high school players, and went on to star at the University of North Carolina, where she won the 2012 NCAA championship and the Hermann Trophy as the nation's top collegiate player.
Dunn announced her retirement from professional soccer in February in a statement posted on Instagram.
Her professional career included starring roles with the Washington Spirit, North Carolina Courage, Portland Thorns, Gotham FC, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain. She was the National Women's Soccer League's Most Valuable Player and Golden Boot winner in 2015 after being left off the U.S. roster for that year's World Cup, a disappointment she transformed into one of the greatest comeback stories in American soccer.
She went on to earn 160 caps for the United States from 2013 through 2025, helping the Americans win the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, an Olympic bronze medal in Tokyo and Olympic gold at the 2024 Paris Games. Equally comfortable as a defender, midfielder or forward, Dunn became known for her versatility, relentless work ethic and leadership on and off the field.
The Oct. 10 match against Spain, the reigning world champion, will be the first of two October friendlies between the countries, with a second match scheduled for Oct. 13 in Chester, Pennsylvania.
