Heath was born inMorristown, New Jersey, to parents Jeff and Cindy Heath. She grew up inBasking Ridge, New Jersey. Heath has a younger brother, Jeffrey, and two older sisters, Perry and Katie, who are active inAthletes in Action and Champions for Christ. Heath started playing soccer at the age of 4 in the back of aYMCA.[7][8] She has described herself as a proud and devout follower of theChristian faith and is very close to her family.[9][10]
Heath graduated fromRidge High School in Basking Ridge in 2006, where she played soccer for three years.[11] She also played for the 2003 Club National Champion PDA Wildcats team.[12] Heath was ranked as the No. 2 recruit in the nation in the Class of 2006 by Soccer Buzz magazine and was named to the Parade Magazine All-America team in 2005.[13][14]
Heath committed to attend theUniversity of North Carolina (UNC) when she was due to begin her junior year at high school. She did not play soccer in her senior year, instead deciding to train with boys.[15] In her consensus freshman year in 2006 with the Tar Heels, she was part of the All-America 2006 national championship team and made 23 appearances at left midfield (22 starts), scoring four goals and assisting nine.[15] As a sophomore, she scored two goals, assisting another five, and was named to the First-Team NSCAA All-American and First-Team All-ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference).[15] As a junior, she scored eight goals with eight assists, helping UNC to a 25–1–2 record and the NCAA title.[15]
As a senior at UNC, she was involved in fifteen Tar Heels goals, scoring five and assisting ten. The team compiled a record of 23–3–1 and recorded 1–0 victories in both the NCAA semi-final and the championship game. She was named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team and also the first runner-up for the MACHermann Trophy, given to the college soccer's top player.[15]
From 2004 to 2006 Heath played with theNew Jersey Wildcats, then known as the PSA Wildcats, where she helped the team win the USL W-League Championship in 2005 and be crowned USL W-League Runners-Up in 2004, after assisting the team in becoming Champions of the USL W-League Northeast Division in 2004, 2005, and 2006. The next year she played forHudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues; the team finished the season second in their division and made it to the 2007 Conference Semifinal. In 2009 she played one season with California'sPali Blues,[18] who won the USL W-League Western Conference title and the W-League Championship title.
In 2010, she was the first overall pick in theWomen's Professional Soccer (WPS)2010 college draft and was selected by the expansion teamAtlanta Beat. After suffering an injury to her right ankle in her third appearance for the Beat, she missed the remainder of the2010 season.[19] She started in all three of her appearances for the club.[20]
On December 10, 2010, Heath, along with Beat teammatesEniola Aluko andAngie Kerr, were traded toSky Blue FC in return for the fourth and eighth pick in the2011 WPS Draft as well as future considerations.[21] Heath made twelve appearances for Sky Blue, starting in three games.[20] The team finished fifth during regular season play with 5 wins, 4 draws, and 9 losses.[22]
With the folding of WPS in 2012, Heath joinedNew York Fury of theWPSL Elite League.[23] At the start of the season, she was recovering from an ankle injury. Afterwards, she played one game with New York Fury.[24]
Heath playing forPSG againstFCF Juvisy on March 23, 2013
In 2013, Heath signed a six-month contract withParis Saint-Germain (PSG) in the top-tier French league,Division 1 Féminine, until the end of the season on May 23, 2013.[25] She scored five goals in the twelve appearances she made for the club.[26] Her six-month spell was referred as her education on thePortland Thorns FC website.[27]
Heath returned to PSG from the Portland Thorns in September 2013 until June 2014, after she had a sore right foot in the2013 NWSL Championship.[28] During her second spell with the club, she made seven appearances without scoring.[29]
The newly establishedNational Women's Soccer League (NWSL) announced on January 11, 2013, that Heath was one of the seven players allocated to the Portland Thorns FC for their initial roster as part of theNWSL Player Allocation.[30] After completing the season with Paris-Saint Germain, she joined the Thorns in July 2013, helping them attain a third-place finish in the NWSL. The Thorns won the2013 NWSL Championship after defeating theWestern New York Flash 2–0, with Heath scoring the game-winning goal from adirect free kick; she later revealed that she had a broken foot during this game.[31][32][33] She was voted theMost Valuable Player (MVP) of the championship game.[34]
During the beginning of the2016 NWSL season, Heath notched five assists in five games – two of them in a 2–1 victory over theOrlando Pride – and earned the title ofNWSL Player of the Month for April.[35] She scored her first goal of the 2016 season against theWashington Spirit,[36] one voted NWSL goal of the week by fans. She was also namedNWSL Player of the Week for week 6.[37] Heath notched her 10th assist of the season in Portland's final game againstSky Blue FC, breaking the NWSL's previous record of 9 assists by a single player in one regular season.[38] The record still stands. She was named the team'scaptain whenChristine Sinclair was injured during the season.[39]
Heath missed the majority of the2017 NWSL season while nursing a lingering back injury which kept her out of play. It was first described as a minor injury that was expected to result in a short spell out of play, with an estimated return date listed as May 27 against theBoston Breakers.[40] The back injury lasted longer than initially thought, so she was sent to Los Angeles and was treated by her coaching staff.[41] Heath was removed from the disabled list and added to the active roster on August 28.[42] It was announced in May that she would take up a role within the team's Development Academy as Youth Technical Director.[43] Heath returned in time for end of the season; her NWSL season debut was on September 23 vsOrlando Pride at the 60th minute.[44] She made her first start on October 7 against the same team in the NWSL Championship Semi-final. She helped her team reach the final of the play-offs with an assist forEmily Sonnett in a 4–1 win,[45] and participated in a 1–0 win overNorth Carolina Courage to win the NWSL Championship.[46]
Heath suffered an ankle injury during the 2017 NWSL Championship game and underwent surgery at the beginning of 2018.[47] She missed the first four games of the2018 NWSL season as she was still recovering from surgery. Heath returned to the Thorns lineup on April 28 against theUtah Royals, where she entered the game in the 57th minute and scored a goal 10 minutes later. The game ended in a 1–1 draw.[48] Heath scored 7 goals and added 7 assists during the regular season. She was named to theNWSL Team of the Month for August. Heath scored another goal in Portland's 2–1 win over theSeattle Reign in the semi-final, setting up a re-match with theNorth Carolina Courage in the final. Portland was defeated by the Courage 3–0 in the final.[49] Heath was named one of five nominees for NWSL Most Valuable Player; her Thorns teammateLindsey Horan won the award.[50] Heath was named to the 2018 NWSL Best XI.[51]
On September 9, 2020,Manchester United of theFA Women's Super League announced it had signed Heath, along with her national teammateChristen Press, to one-year contracts.[57] She made her debut on October 4 as a 70th minute substitute in a 3–0 victory overBrighton & Hove Albion, registering an assist.[58][59] She scored her first goal for the club on October 18 as part of a 4–2 WSL victory away toWest Ham United.[60] On November 14, Heath scored her firstManchester derby goal in a 2–2 league draw withManchester City, helping start United's comeback from 0–2 down.[61] On December 11, 2020, Heath was named WSL Player of the Month for November.[62]
Having been sidelined by an ankle injury since January 2021, Heath, it was announced in April, had since suffered a further knee injury and had returned to the United States to try and rehab in time for the summer's Olympic Games, prematurely ending her debut season with United.[63] On June 24, the club announced Heath would leave upon the expiry of her contract at the end of the month.[64]
On September 3, 2021, Heath signed forArsenal.[65] She made her debut as a substitute at home against Manchester City on September 26, 2021, during Arsenal's 5–0 victory.[66]
Having been ruled out for the conclusion of the season with a minor hamstring injury sustained in training, Heath and Arsenal mutually agreed to terminate her contract early on April 28, 2022.[67]
On June 16, 2022, Heath returned to the NWSL and signed withOL Reign.[68] With OL Reign, Heath only played a few matches due to injuries and had a season ending knee surgery in September. At the end of the season, her contract was not renewed and she became a free agent.
On July 10, 2025, she announced her retirement, saying her prior injuries had been career-ending.[69][70]
Heath made her first appearance for thesenior national team (USWNT) on January 18, 2008, againstFinland in theFour Nations Tournament in China.[74] She was named to the U.S. roster for2008 Summer Olympics at the age of 20. She earned three caps during the tournament as the U.S. went on to win the gold medal. Heath was one of three college athletes who represented the U.S. at the 2008 Olympics. In 2008, Heath earned 17 caps and scored two goals. Her first international goal came againstChina at the2008 Algarve Cup.[74]
Heath was named the 2009 U.S. Soccer Young Female Athlete of the Year and earned two more caps for the USWNT in 2009, with both appearances coming againstCanada in July. She did not play for the U.S. in 2010 due to an illness and a major ankle injury suffered during the WPS season which required surgery.[3]
Heath made herFIFA Women's World Cup debut at the age of 23 during the2011 FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany. Her first appearance came in the second half of the U.S.'sgroup-stage match againstColombia.[75] Heath made four appearances during the World Cup, with her final three appearances coming in the knockout round. In the World Cup final, Heath entered the game in the 116th minute of extra time as a substitute forMegan Rapinoe. The game finished tied 2–2 and went to penalties. Heath was the third U.S. player to take a penalty; her shot was saved by Japanese keeperAyumi Kaihori and the U.S. lost 3–1 on penalties.[76]
Heath was a member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic team and played in all six matches. She started and played the full 90 in four of the six games and recorded three assists during the tournament. Her first assist came againstFrance during the group stage, when she sent a cross toAlex Morgan, who scored the last goal of the match to make the final score 4–2.[77] For her second assist, againstColombia, she played a one-two pass withAbby Wambach, who scored the second goal in a 3–0 win.[78] Her final assist of the tournament came in the quarter-finals againstNew Zealand in the 87th minute, when she provided a long ball down the left flank toSydney Leroux, who scored through the legs of the goalkeeperJenny Bindon, sealing the match with a final score of 2–0.[79]
Heath participated in her third Olympic Games in2016. She appeared in three games for the U.S. and recorded two assists. The U.S. team was eliminated bySweden on penalties in the quarter-finals.[83][84][85] Heath was named NWSL Olympics Player of Match Day 1[86][non-primary source needed] and 2[87][non-primary source needed] in fan voting.
In 2016 Heath appeared in 20 games for the U.S., scoring 6 goals and adding 8 assists. Heath was named 2016 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year after receiving 40% of the vote, ahead ofCrystal Dunn with 34%.[88]
After appearing in all three games at the2017 SheBelieves Cup, Heath would only make one more appearance for the U.S. in 2017 due to a nagging back injury and an ankle injury suffered in the 2017 NWSL Championship game.[89]
After undergoing ankle surgery in January 2018, Heath made her return to the field on June 12 in a friendly againstChina, where she scored the match-winner in a 2–1 victory.[90] At the2018 Tournament of Nations Heath scored in the final game againstBrazil, helping the U.S. to a 4–1 victory. The U.S. won the tournament by goal difference overAustralia.[91]
Heath finished 2018 with 7 goals and 6 assists while appearing in only 10 games. She was one of five nominees for the 2018 U.S. Female Player of the Year;Alex Morgan won the award.[94]
In May 2019, Heath was named to the squad for the2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.[95] She started six of the seven matches[96] as the United States became only the second nation after Germany in2007 to successfully defend their title.[97]
Heath was named in homage to her great-grandmother, with her parents utilizing hersurname as Heath's first name.[160] Aside from soccer, Heath has said she enjoys playing multiple sports, such as tennis and surfing, and enjoys being outside when given the time and opportunity.[75][161]
In June 2022, Heath shared a photo of a painting on herInstagram titledOut Now, which depicted the words "I am gay" spelled out in multi-coloredall caps block letters.[165][166]
During the 2023 World Cup, Heath and Christen Press withRE—INC hosted their own twice-weekly World Cup show, theRE—CAP Show. Since then the show has continued to cover women's soccer globally.[168][169]
Along with Press, Heath is a Global Ambassador forGrassroot Soccer, an adolescent health organization that leverages the power of soccer to equip young people with the life-saving information, services, and mentorship they need to live healthier lives. Heath is also co-chair of the organization's Advisory Board and has visited its soccer-based health programs inSouth Africa andZambia.[170][171]
Heath is featured along with her national teammates in theEA Sports' FIFA video game series inFIFA 16, the first time women players were included in the game.[172] In September 2015, she was ranked by EA Sports as the No. 15 women's player in the game.[173]
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