Charlotte FC defender Tim Ream announced his retirement from international soccer on September 29 ahead of the United States’ match against Chile.
Ream was set to be honored by the U.S. Soccer Federation during the match that took place in his hometown of St. Louis, Mo., being celebrated for his national team career and the impact he made on the St. Louis community.
"It is retirement,” Ream told the media before the match. “We’ve used the word recognition. We weren’t really sure how we wanted to label it, but, yeah, that’s it for me. I’m proud of being a part of something for 16 years, but it is time to step away and stay away from play with the national team."
He started his soccer career with youth club St. Louis Scott Gallagher before playing collegiately at St. Louis University. Ream was drafted in the second round of the 2010 MLS SuperDraft by the New York Red Bulls, the same year he made his national team debut. He first appeared for the U.S. on November 17, 2010, in a friendly against South Africa.
Ream appeared in 86 matches in his international career, wearing the captain’s armband in 26 of them as well as scoring a goal and recording four assists. He featured in both the 2022 and 2026 World Cups, captaining the United States this summer.
"It’s an honor, there’s not really any other way to put it," Ream said. "The biggest thing that I wanted to do as I started to get the captain’s armband more and more is, ‘How can I help these guys become the next captain? How can I help this group continue to develop and be more special than they are.’"
