Angel City FC removed defender and captain Ali Riley from the NWSL’s season-ending injury list on Tuesday.

The 37-year-old veteran has been sidelined since the middle of the 2024 season due to a chronic leg injury.

“This could easily have been a career-ending injury, and nobody could tell me for sure that it wasn’t, so I am overwhelmed with joy at reaching this milestone,” Riley said. “While I am really proud of myself for not giving up, I am even more grateful for all of the medical professionals who never gave up on me and my teammates for supporting me when I didn’t know if I would ever kick a ball again.

“I was out for a long time, so I’m going to have to work really hard to wear the jersey again, but I’m going to give it everything I’ve got and, with these players by my side, I have to believe that anything is possible.”

A Los Angeles native, Riley has served as the club captain since its inaugural 2022 season. She has three goals and three assists in 54 career matches with ACFC.

“Ali’s drive to get back on the field with her teammates has been an example to us all; she is world class. This has been an incredibly difficult process both mentally and physically and she is a testament to perseverance” said ACFC vice president of medical and performance Sarah Smith. “Her condition was difficult to navigate, which makes the hard work she put in to get to this point even more impressive. We are thrilled she is able to come off of SEI.”

–Field Level Media