Rutgers Alumna Carli Lloyd Wins FIFA Player Of The Year Again

Former Rutgers star Carli Lloyd continues to pick up accolades in her remarkable career, as she won the FIFA Player of the Year award for the second consecutive time yesterday. She is just the fourth women’s player to ever win the award in back to back years.

Despite missing time this past year due to a knee injury and the US Women’s team falling short in the Olympics, Lloyd proved she is still the best player in the world in her sport. She scored 17 goals and had 11 assists in 2016 for the national team. Here are some highlights.

Here is video of Lloyd accepting the award in Switzerland where the ceremony was held.

As with so many all-time great athletes, Lloyd is a true competitor who refuses to be satisfied by her success and continues to motivate herself to improve her game. This was a highlight from an interview after accepting the award backstage.

"I think 2016 was bittersweet. Obviously we felt short of the 2016 Olympics. I got married, which was a great day of my life and then to won this award is incredible. This award is not derailing me. I want to continue to keep improving. I want to keep getting better. There are so many things that I can work and improve in. I just want to go out there and help my team win and I want to be the best that I can be. That is my next goal.”

Here is the full interview.

For her career with the United States Women’s National Team, Lloyd now has 96 goals in 232 appearances.

From her time at Rutgers between 2001-2004, Lloyd remains the all-time points leader with 117 and has scored the most goals of any Scarlet Knight player with 50 for her career. She is also 7th in assists all-time with 17. Lloyd also owns records for most points in a season with 37 and is tied for most goals in a season with 15.

Despite her stellar college career, Lloyd was cut from the US under-21 National team and considered quitting the game after graduating from Rutgers. However, it was her work with coach James Galanis that changed the trajectory of her career and helped turn her into the best women’s player in the world. Lloyd details her journey and how Galanis helped make her into the player she is today in this excerpt from her book that Sports Illustrated published last fall. It is worth the read.

Congratulations to Carli Lloyd on winning back to back FIFA Player of the Year awards. The Delran, New Jersey native and the best Rutgers women’s soccer player ever continues to prove she is an all-time great in her sport. It is well deserved!