 Heather O'Reilly with her2012 Olympics gold medal | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Heather Ann O'Reilly[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1985-01-02)January 2, 1985 (age 40) | ||
| Place of birth | East Brunswick, New Jersey, United States | ||
| Height | 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder/winger | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | North Carolina Courage U23 | ||
| Number | 9 | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2003–2006 | North Carolina Tar Heels | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2004–2005 | New Jersey Wildcats | 9 | (8) |
| 2009–2011 | Sky Blue FC | 50 | (4) |
| 2012–2014 | Boston Breakers | 44 | (14) |
| 2015–2016 | FC Kansas City | 27 | (3) |
| 2017–2018 | Arsenal | 24 | (3) |
| 2018–2019 | North Carolina Courage | 21 | (1) |
| 2022 | Shelbourne | 4 | (0) |
| 2023– | North Carolina Courage U23 | ||
| International career | |||
| United States U-19 | |||
| United States U-21 | |||
| 2002–2016 | United States | 231 | (47) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Heather Ann O'Reilly (born January 2, 1985) is an American professionalwomen's soccer player who plays as amidfielder. She played for theUnited States women's national soccer team (USWNT), with whom she won three Olympic gold medals and aFIFA Women's World Cup. From 2003 to 2006, she playedcollege soccer for theUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH). During her club career, O'Reilly played for theNew Jersey Wildcats (USL W-League),Sky Blue FC (WPS),Boston Breakers (WPSL Elite andNWSL),FC Kansas City (NWSL),Arsenal (FA WSL),North Carolina Courage (NWSL), andShelbourne (WNL).[2][3]
Upon her initial retirement from international play in September 2016, she is one of the world'smost capped soccer players with over 230 international appearances to her name. She is a skilled flank player, currently tied for fifth withJulie Foudy in USWNT history for assists. She is also the eighth most capped player in USWNT history. On October 27, 2019, she played her final match for the North Carolina Courage before retiring, winning the2019 NWSL championship.[4]
She is currently an analyst forFox Sports. O'Reilly announced on July 28, 2022, that she would be coming out of retirement to play forWomen's National League sideShelbourne and take part in their upcomingUEFA Women's Champions League campaign.[3] She scored a match-winning goal againstZNK Pomurje on her debut.[5]
Born to Andrew and Carol O'Reilly, Heather O'Reilly is the youngest of four children. Growing up inEast Brunswick, New Jersey, O'Reilly attendedSaint Bartholomew's School and later played on the girls soccer team atEast Brunswick High School.[6] In her four-year career, she scored 143 goals.[7] As a junior in 2001, she led the team to the New Jersey state high school title.
Throughout high school, O'Reilly was a member of theNational Honor Society and played on the school's basketball team.[8] During her senior year, she was named All-American and National Player of the Year byParade Magazine.[8] In 2002, she was named theGatorade High School National Player of the Year and the National Soccer Coaches Association Player of the Year. She was also named bySoccer America as the top college recruit in the country.[7]
O'Reilly was an education major at theUniversity of North Carolina, where she playedforward for theNorth Carolina Tar Heels women's soccer program from 2003 through 2006. She appeared 97 times for the Tar Heels, scoring 59 goals andassisting on 49 others. She led her team to the national Championships in 2003 and 2006.
During her senior year,ESPN the Magazine named her the All-American Player of the Year and was awarded the NCAA'sToday's Top VIII Award following her senior year.[citation needed] As a senior, she won theHonda Sports Award as the nation's top soccer player.[9]
In 2008, O'Reilly's No. 20 jersey was retired by the program, joining athletesApril Heinrichs,Lorrie Fair,Tisha Venturini,Kristine Lilly andMia Hamm, along with 13 others.[10]
O'Reilly played forNew Jersey Wildcats ofW-League from 2004 to 2005, winning the Championship in 2005.[citation needed]
O'Reilly was allocated toSky Blue FC ofWomen's Professional Soccer on September 16, 2008, along with fellow U.S. national team playersNatasha Kai andChristie Rampone.[11] She appeared in 17 matches as co-captain during the2009 inaugural season, leading Sky Blue to an unexpected playoff berth. During the Championship2009 Women's Professional Soccer Playoffs match againstLos Angeles, she scored the only goal helping her team clinch the Championship title.[citation needed]
Following her husband's enrollment inHarvard Business School, O'Reilly trained with and played two matches with theBoston Breakers of theWomen's Premier Soccer League Elite in 2012 after the WPS folded and during breaks with her national team duties. She was allocated to the Breakers in 2013 at the initiation of the newNational Women's Soccer League.[citation needed]
On October 27, 2014,FC Kansas City announced that it had acquired O'Reilly in a trade that sentMorgan Marlborough andKassey Kallman to the Breakers.[12]
On January 18, 2017,Arsenal announced they had signed O'Reilly.[13] The club is a member of the top division of the Football AssociationWomen's Super League, the highest level of women's professional soccer in England. After 38 appearances in all competitions and four goals, it was confirmed by Arsenal that she would leave the club in the summer of 2018.[14]
After FC Kansas City ceased operations, theUtah Royals FC maintained O'Reilly's NWSL rights. On June 28, 2018, the Courage tradedMakenzy Doniak and a 2019 3rd round pick for O'Reilly and a 2019 2nd round pick.[15] O'Reilly appeared in 8 regular season games and both playoff games for the Courage. North Carolina won the NWSL Shield & NWSL Championship.[16]
North Carolina participated in the2018 Women's International Champions Cup, O'Reilly started in the Championship Game and scored a goal in the 10th minute. The Courage defeatedOlympique Lyonnais 1–0 to win the inaugural edition of the tournament.[17]
On April 12, 2019, O'Reilly announced via social media that she would retire from professional soccer at the conclusion of the2019 NWSL Season.[18]
On July 28, 2022, O'Reilly announced that she would be coming out of retirement to play for Irish championsShelbourne, fulfilling her dream of playing in theUEFA Women's Champions League (UWCL). During her participation atSoccer Aid 2022,Arsène Wenger had suggested O'Reilly continue her playing career, which prompted her to look for a suitable UWCL club. She found Shelbourne's offer attractive because she is anIrish American.[3][19]
O'Reilly made her Shelbourne debut on July 30, 2022, againstSligo Rovers.[20][21]
On August 18, 2022, O'Reilly started for Shelbourne in theirUEFA Women's Champions League qualifier against Slovenian sidePomurje. O'Reilly scored the only goal of the game, a header in the fourth minute.[22] Following Shelbourne's elimination from the UEFA Women's Champions League, O'Reilly took temporary leave of the team, stating that she would be "joining back with the team later [in the] season."[23]
O'Reilly joined back up with Shelbourne in October 2022,[24] returning to action in the side's 2-0 victory againstSligo Rovers.[25] O'Reilly enjoyed playing for Shelbourne and was pleased to contribute to their2022 Women's National League title win: "I didn't think that the team would mean so much to me, and that I would really want to come back and help them win the league. I kept an eye on things when I went back home and, when the title race was heating up, I wanted to come back and help in any way that I could." She also made a substitute appearance in the2022 FAI Women's Cup Final, as Shelbourne beatAthlone Town 2–0 to secure a League and CupDouble.[26]
O'Reilly returned to the North Carolina Courage organization in 2023 to serve as a player-coach for itsamateur USL W League side, joking that the team would have to change its name from "North Carolina Courage U23" to "North Carolina Courage U39".[27] O'Reilly was rostered for the NC Courage U23 again in 2024, coming into play as a substitute during the team's 3–0 playoff win over theLong Island Rough Riders.[28]
O'Reilly signed a one-day contract withNJ/NY Gotham FC for a friendly game againstChelsea on August 19, 2024, but did not make the matchday roster after not passing her physical.[29][30]
In 2002, while still in high school, O'Reilly was named to the U.S. national team. O'Reilly made her first appearance with theUnited States women's national soccer team on March 1, 2002, againstSweden.
O'Reilly was a key member of USA's U-19 World Cup winning team in 2002, scoring four goals and creating seven. This helped the USA youth to win the first World Championship ever for this level.[31]
After recovering from a brokenfibula from a match the year before, O'Reilly made the national team roster for the2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. At nineteen years old, she was the youngest player on the roster. On August 23, 2004, she scored the match winning goal[32] in the Olympic semi-final match againstGermany, propelling the United States into the final, in which they defeatedBrazil for the gold medal.
In the2007 FIFA Women's World Cup, O'Reilly scored a critical goal againstNorth Korea in the 69th minute, which tied the match at 2–2 and saved the Americans from a devastating opening-round loss. The United States ended up taking the bronze medal, with O'Reilly scoring a goal during the 4–1 win againstNorway. She was nominated asSports Illustrated's 2007Sportsman of the Year.[33]
O'Reilly competed at the Beijing2008 Summer Olympic games. She scored the quickest goal in Olympic women's soccer history againstNew Zealand to advance to the quarterfinals.[34] She also scored a goal in the semi-final match against Japan. The team went on to defeat heavy-favorites Brazil 1–0 to win the gold medal. Prior to the Summer Games,Time magazine ranked her number 15 on its list of 100 Olympic Athletes to Watch.[35]
O'Reilly was selected for the2011 FIFA Women's World Cup and in the second match of the group stage scored the first of three goals forUSA againstColombia.[36] The goal was later nominated for theFIFA Puskás Award in 2011.
At the2012 Olympics in London, she made a crucialassist in the 123rd minute of thesemi-final match againstCanada, sending a cross from the right toAlex Morgan who headed the ball into the goal over the hand ofErin McLeod, propelling team USA to the gold medal match againstJapan.
O'Reilly was selected for her third World Cup in2015.[37] She appeared in the quarter final game against china as a substitute to help the U.S. win 1-0. O’Reilly became a World Cup Champion on July 5, when the United States defeated Japan 5–2 in the Women's World Cup final. O'Reilly joined the national team on a Victory Tour following their World Cup win.
To some controversy, she was left off the team byJill Ellis and made an alternate for the 2016 Rio Olympics even with having the most caps of the squad at the time (229).[38] The U.S. national team went on to achieve its worst Olympic finish, being knocked out by Sweden in the quarter-finals.
On September 1, 2016, O'Reilly announced her retirement from the Women's National Team after 15 years.[39] She retired on September 15 after a friendly match againstThailand, held in Columbus, Ohio,[39] after the USWNT scored 9 goals.[m 1]
In 2008,Time listed profiled O'Reilly as the No. 15 Olympic Athlete to Watch in their list of 100 Olympic Athletes To Watch.[40] She has been featured inFitness,[41]Shape,[42]Teen Vogue,[43]Sports Illustrated,[44] andBoston Magazine.[45]
O'Reilly was 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.[46]
Following the United States' win at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, O'Reilly and her teammates became the first women's sports team to be honored with aticker tape parade in New York City.[47] Each player received a key to the city from MayorBill de Blasio.[48] In October of the same year, the team was honored by PresidentBarack Obama at theWhite House.[49]
O'Reilly has made appearances with her national teammates onLate Night with David Letterman,The Today Show,[50][51]The Rachel Maddow Show[52] andGood Morning America.[53] She was featured in the film,Winning Isn't Everything about the women's soccer program at the University of North Carolina.[54]
O'Reilly began cohosting the BBC World Service's BBC World Football program withMani Djazmi,Pat Nevin, andPeter Odemwingie when the program changed formats in 2018.[55] She is also now the co-host of “Played In” on SiriusXM FC withLori Lindsey.
O'Reilly married formerUNC lacrosse player Dave Werry, whom she met when the two attended UNC, in 2011[56] Their son William was born on June 18, 2020.[57] O'Reilly gave birth to their second child, Jack, on November 26, 2021.[58]
She is nicknamed "HAO," the initials of her name (Heather Ann O'Reilly) and pronounced 'hey-oh'.[1]
O'Reilly has endorsement deals withAdidas. In 2013, she appeared in a commercial for Adidas' Adizero™ running shoe.[59]
| Key(expand for notes on "international goals" and sorting) | |
|---|---|
| Location | Geographic location of the venue where the competition occurred Sorted by country name first, then by city name |
| Lineup | Start – played entire match onminute (offplayer) – substituted on at theminute indicated, andplayer was substituted off at the same time offminute (onplayer) – substituted off at theminute indicated, andplayer was substituted on at the same time |
| # | NumberOfGoals.goalNumber scored by the player in the match (alternate notation toGoal in match) |
| Min | The minute in the match the goal was scored. For list that include caps, blank indicates played in the match but did not score a goal. |
| Assist/pass | The ball was passed by the player, whichassisted in scoring the goal. This column depends on the availability and source of this information. |
| penalty orpk | Goal scored onpenalty-kick which was awarded due to foul by opponent. (Goals scored in penalty-shoot-out, at the end of a tied match after extra-time, are not included.) |
| Score | The match score after the goal was scored. Sorted by goal difference, then by goal scored by the player's team |
| Result | The final score. Sorted by goal difference in the match, then by goal difference in penalty-shoot-out if it is taken, followed by goal scored by the player's team in the match, then by goal scored in the penalty-shoot-out. For matches with identical final scores, match ending in extra-time without penalty-shoot-out is a tougher match, therefore precede matches that ended in regulation |
| aet | The score at the end ofextra-time; the match was tied at the end of 90' regulation |
| pso | Penalty-shoot-out score shown in parentheses; the match was tied at the end of extra-time |
| Light-purple background color –exhibition or closed door international friendly match | |
| Light-yellow background color – match at an invitational tournament | |
| Light-orange background color – Olympic women's football qualification match | |
| Light-blue background color – FIFA women's world cup qualification match | |
| Orange background color – Olympic women's football tournament | |
| Blue background color – FIFA women's world cup final tournament | |
NOTE: some keys may not apply for a particular football player | |
Goal | Date | Location | Opponent | Lineup | # | Min | Assist/pass | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2002-10-06[m 2] | Cary |  Italy | 25. | 1.1 | 69 | Julie Foudy | 5250.02005 2–0 | 5450.04005 4–0 | Nike U.S. Cup |
| 2 | 2003-01-23[m 3] | Yiwu |  Norway | 24. | 1.1 | 87 | Aly Wagner | 5250.03005 3–1 | 5250.03005 3–1 | Four Nations Tournament |
| 3 | 2003-06-15[m 4] | Salt Lake |  Ireland | 4. | 1.1 | 2 | Julie Foudy | 5150.01005 1–0 | 5250.05005 5–0 | Friendly |
| 4 | 2004-08-23[m 5] | Heraklio |  Germany | 46. | 1.1 | 99 | Mia Hamm | 5150.02005 2–1 | 5150.0200 2–1aet | Olympics: semifinal |
| 5 | 2005-07-10[m 6] | Portland |  Ukraine | 14. | 1.1 | 89 | Kate Markgraf | 5750.07005 7–0 | 5750.07005 7–0 | Friendly |
| 6 | 2006-03-11[m 7] | Quarteira |  Denmark | Start | 2.1 | 29 | Abby Wambach | 5250.02005 2–0 | 5550.05005 5–0 | Algarve Cup: Group B |
| 7 | 2.2 | 31 | Kristine Lilly | 5350.03005 3–0 | ||||||
| 8 | 2006-07-23[m 8] | San Diego | Ireland | 69. | 1.1 | 20 | Christie Welsh | 5150.01005 1–0 | 5550.05005 5–0 | Friendly |
| 9 | 2007-01-28[m 9] | Guangzhou |  England | Start | 1.1 | 17 | Natasha Kai | 5150.01005 1–0 | 5050.01005 1–1 | Four Nations Tournament |
| 10 | 2007-05-12[m 10] | Frisco |  Canada | 29. | 1.1 | 73 | Aly Wagner | 5450.06005 6–2 | 5450.06005 6–2 | Friendly |
| 11 | 2007-08-25[m 11] | Carson |  Finland | Start | 1.1 | 76 | Carli Lloyd | 5450.04005 4–0 | 5450.04005 4–0 | Friendly |
| 12 | 2007-09-11[m 12] | Chengdu |  Korea DPR | 92+. | 1.1 | 69 | unassisted | 5050.02005 2–2 | 5050.02005 2–2 | World Cup: Group B |
| 13 | 2007-09-30[m 13] | Shanghai | Norway | Start | 1.1 | 59 | Lindsay Tarpley | 5350.04005 4–1 | 5350.04005 4–1 | World Cup: third place match |
| 14 | 2007-10-13[m 14] | St. Louis |  Mexico | Start | 1.1 | 32 | Leslie Osborne | 5050.01005 1–1 | 5450.05005 5–1 | Friendly |
| 15 | 2007-10-20[m 15] | Albuquerque | Mexico | Start | 1.1 | 62 | Natasha Kai | 5050.01005 1–1 | 5050.01005 1–1 | Friendly |
| 16 | 2008-03-07[m 16] | Alvor | Italy | Start | 1.1 | 74 | unassisted | 5250.02005 2–0 | 5250.02005 2–0 | Algarve Cup: Group B |
| 17 | 2008-03-10[m 17] | Alvor | Norway | 70. | 1.1 | 65 | Leslie Osborne | 5350.03005 3–0 | 5450.04005 4–0 | Algarve Cup: Group B |
| 18 | 2008-04-04[m 18] | Juarez |  Jamaica | Start | 1.1 | 88 | Lindsay Tarpley | 5550.05005 5–0 | 5650.06005 6–0 | Olympic qualifier: Group A |
| 19 | 2008-04-09[m 19] | Juarez |  Costa Rica | 83. | 1.1 | 72 | Natasha Kai | 5250.02005 2–0 | 5350.03005 3–0 | Olympic qualifier: semifinal |
| 20 | 2008-08-12[m 20] | Shenyang |  New Zealand | 76. | 1.1 | 1 | Carli Lloyd | 5150.01005 1–0 | 5450.04005 4–0 | Olympics: Group G |
| 21 | 2008-08-18[m 21] | Beijing |  Japan | Start | 1.1 | 70 | Heather Mitts | 5250.03005 3–1 | 5250.04005 4–2 | Olympics: semifinal |
| 22 | 2008-09-13[m 22] | Philadelphia | Ireland | Start | 1.1 | 86 | unassisted | 5250.02005 2–0 | 5250.02005 2–0 | Friendly |
| 23 | 2008-11-01[m 23] | Richmond |  Korea R | Start | 1.1 | 38 | Natasha Kai | 5250.02005 2–0 | 5350.03005 3–0 | Friendly |
| 24 | 2008-11-08[m 24] | Tampa | Korea R | 74. | 1.1 | 72 | Natasha Kai | 5150.01005 1–0 | 5150.01005 1–0 | Friendly |
| 25 | 2008-12-17[m 25] | Detroit |  China | 62. | 1.1 | 32 | Lindsay Tarpley | 5150.01005 1–0 | 5150.01005 1–0 | Friendly |
| 26 | 2010-05-22[m 26] | Cleveland | Germany | Start | 1.1 | 35 | Amy Rodriguez | 5250.02005 2–0 | 5450.04005 4–0 | Friendly |
| 27 | 2010-10-02[m 27] | Kennesaw | China | 62. | 1.1 | 37 | unassisted | 5150.02005 2–1 | 5150.02005 2–1 | Friendly |
| 28 | 2011-03-09[m 28] | Faro |  Iceland | Start | 1.1 | 55 | Shannon Boxx | 5150.03005 3–2 | 5250.04005 4–2 | Algarve Cup: final |
| 29 | 2011-05-18[m 29] | Cary | Japan | 72. | 1.1 | 69 | Carli Lloyd | 5250.02005 2–0 | 5250.02005 2–0 | Friendly |
| 30 | 2011-07-02[m 30] | Sinsheim |  Colombia | 62. | 1.1 | 12 | unassisted | 5150.01005 1–0 | 5350.03005 3–0 | World Cup: Group C |
| 31 | 2012-01-20[m 31] | Vancouver |  Dominican | Start | 3.1 | 17 | Ali Krieger | 5450.04005 4–0 | 6450.14005 14–0 | Olympic qualifier: Group B |
| 32 | 3.2 | 31 | Lauren Cheney | 5750.07005 7–0 | ||||||
| 33 | 3.3 | 64 | Amy Rodriguez | 6450.14005 14–0 | ||||||
| 34 | 2012-01-24[m 32] | Vancouver | Mexico | Start | 1.1 | 8 | unassisted | 5150.01005 1–0 | 5450.04005 4–0 | Olympic qualifier: Group B |
| 35 | 2012-09-01[m 33] | Rochester | Costa Rica | 45. | 1.1 | 89 | Sydney Leroux | 5850.08005 8–0 | 5850.08005 8–0 | Friendly |
| 36 | 2012-09-19[m 34] | Commerce |  Australia | 45. | 1.1 | 25 | Alex Morgan | 5150.01005 1–0 | 5450.06005 6–2 | Friendly |
| 37 | 2013-10-27[m 35] | San Francisco | New Zealand | Start | 1.1 | 87 | Christen Press | 5350.04005 4–1 | 5350.04005 4–1 | Friendly |
| 38 | 2013-02-08[m 36] | Boca Raton |  Russia | 68. | 1.1 | 32 | unassisted | 5250.02005 2–0 | 5750.07005 7–0 | Friendly |
| 39 | 2013-02-13[m 37] | Atlanta | Russia | Start | 1.1 | 83 | Christen Press | 5850.07005 7–0 | 5850.08005 8–0 | Friendly |
| 40 | 2014-03-12[m 38] | Parchal | Korea DPR | 45. | 1.1 | 88 | Carli Lloyd | 5350.03005 3–0 | 5350.03005 3–0 | Algarve: seventh place match |
| 41 | 2014-09-13[m 39] | Sandy | Mexico | 30. | 1.1 | 75 | Alex Morgan | 5850.08005 8–0 | 5850.08005 8–0 | Friendly |
| 42 | 2015-08-16[m 40] | Pittsburgh | Costa Rica | Start | 2.1 | 4 | unassisted | 5150.01005 1–0 | 5850.08005 8–0 | Friendly |
| 43 | 2.2 | 59 | Christen Press | 5650.06005 6–0 | ||||||
| 44 | 2015-08-19[m 41] | Chattanooga | Costa Rica | 45. | 2.1 | 13 | Carli Lloyd | 5250.02005 2–0 | 5550.07005 7–2 | Friendly |
| 45 | 2.2 | 23 | Abby Wambach | 5550.05005 5–0 | ||||||
| 46 | 2015-09-20[m 42] | Birmingham |  Haiti | 31. on60' (offKlingenberg) | 1.1 | 89 | Amy Rodriguez | 5850.08005 8–0 | 5850.08005 8–0 | Friendly |
| 47 | 2016-09-15[m 1] | Columbus |  Thailand | Start; (c) | 2.1 | 5 | Carli Lloyd | 5350.03005 3–0 | 5950.09005 9–0 | Friendly |
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