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On May 7, 2025, Alexandra Cooper was joined by Abby Wambach and Glennon Doyle for an episode of her Call Her Daddy podcast. Wambach opened up about her 2016 arrest for driving under the influence (DUI).
On April 2, 2016, the former US women's soccer player was arrested in Portland, Oregon, for driving under the influence after running a red light in her 2014 Range Rover and failing a sobriety test.
During their conversation, the Call Her Daddy host asked Abby about the turning point that made her realize she needed to get sober.
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Abby revealed that she had a "secret personal life" outside of her athletic career, a side few people were aware of. As an athlete, she had a persona of going hardcore in every part of her life.
She recalled that during her college years, when she joined the soccer team, she started taking "time offs" from her sports, where she would "rage for five of those seven days." However, she mentioned that she never drank while in camp.
As she got older, Wambach said that this lifestyle started to take a toll on her, particularly with injuries and the use of prescription medications, adding,
"Those get kind of out of control."
She explained that her 2016 arrest was a wake-up call and that, as a result, she has been sober for nine years now.
"That was the most important thing that ever happened to me."
"I won gold medals as a high-functioning alcoholic"—Abby Wambach reflects on her battle with alcohol
Elsewhere in the podcast, Abby Wambach shared that throughout her career, she had "won gold medals as a high-functioning alcoholic."
Wambach explained that there is now more support available for athletes struggling with addiction than there was when she was facing it. She acknowledged that she understands why many athletes keep their struggles private, as it's a difficult and personal issue.
The 44-year-old athlete further explained that she once believed alcohol was the only way to navigate life. She admitted that she was suffering and thought she was not "doing life right" until she met her partner, Glennon Doyle.
"I thought that was the only way. And I didn't literally know a single sober person until I met Glennon. Like, I didn't know a single person who was sober in my life until I met her. And now I think, wow, I'm so proud that our kids will never ever see me intoxicated. I'm so proud that I have built a life that feels not boring," Abby said.
She further recalled her struggles during her journey to sobriety.
"My biggest concern was like, it's gonna be so boring. What the f*ck am I gonna do? And the truth is, when you have three children, there is a lot to do all the time every day, we're both full time working people."
Acknowledging her sobriety, Abby Wambach said that she wouldn't be able to live the life she has now without being sober.
Born on June 2, 1980, Abby Wambach married American author and queer activist Glennon Doyle on May 14, 2017.
