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Former USWMNT goalkeeper Hope Solo has announced that she is entering rehab to 'address challenges' with drinking.
The 40-year-old was the USWMNT goalkeeper from 2000 to 2016, making 202 appearances and winning the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2015 as well as two Olympic gold medals.
She has encountered difficulties with drinking following her retirement in 2016 and was recently arrested for a DWI offense on April 1. She was arrested after she passed out while driving at a Walmart car park in North Carolina, with her twins in the car at the time.
Solo is set to appear in court in June on the count of impaired driving, resisting arrest and misdemeanor child abuse. She has revealed that she is set to enter rehab and has asked for Hall of Fame induction ceremony to be postponed.
She tweeted:
“I have contacted the Hall of Fame and respectfully requested a postponement of my Hall of Fame induction ceremony to 2023. I will be voluntarily entering an in-patient alcohol treatment program to address my challenges with alcohol."
She continued:
"At this time my energies, and focus are totally directed to my health, healing and taking care of my family. I want to thank the Hall of Fame for their support and for understanding my decision.”
Hope Solo's career in numbers
Hope Solo is one of the USWNT's most successful players, boasting a career spanning 16 years.
She played for the likes of Saint Louis Athletica, Atlanta Beat and Seattle Reign during that time. With the USWMNT, she won the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup and was a runner-up in 2011.
Solo won the Golden Glove Awards for Best Goalkeeper at both tournaments. She has two Olympic gold medals, having won with the USA in 2008 and 2012.
The shot-stopper lost just 11 games when in goal for the USWNT, which is a remarkable record given that she made 202 appearances, conceded 117 goals and managed 102 clean sheets. She won the WPS Goakeeper of the year award in 2009.
Solo was set to enter the 2022 Hall of Fame for her huge contributions to women's football. She is regarded by many as one of the greatest goalkeepers in women's football history. However, she is now set to enter rehab to deal with drinking issues that have plagued her post-retirement.
