By OkayGoal 
Credit: Sabina Shysh | Imagn Images
Alyssa Naeher does not seek the spotlight. So as the final whistle blew on a final Chicago Stars loss on Sunday in Washington, the attention turned elsewhere.
There were playoff games for the Spirit to promote, end-of-season takeaways for the Stars, and tactical lessons for both teams after the Spirit put two second-half goals past Naeher for a 2-0 cap on a Stars season that will go down as one of the worst in NWSL history.
At 38 and with the number of original NWSL players from the league’s formation in 2013 dwindling, Naeher’s lack of a 2027 contract opens the door to speculation about her future.
The goalkeeper, who played throughout the U.S. women’s national team’s runs to the 2019 World Cup run and the 2024 Olympic gold medal, has taken a back seat at times on a struggling Stars team. Between injuries and the occasional benching, she started just 14 out of 30 games this season.
But make no mistake. After eleven seasons with the Stars, all roads at the club lead back to Naeher.
“I think Alyssa has been an incredible professional and to be her teammate is such a gift, because learning from people like her, it’s so rare,” Stars forward and fellow team captain Brianna Pinto said after Sunday’s game.
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