From Long Island to the World Cup: Allie Long's soccer career highlights
United States midfielder Allie Long is introduced during a send-off ceremony ahead of the FIFA Women's World Cup after an international friendly soccer match against Mexico, Sunday, May 26, 2019, in Harrison, N.J. The U.S. won 3-0. Credit: AP/Julio Cortez
Allie Long, a midfielder on the U.S. women’s national team for the 2019 Women’s World Cup, began her soccer career on Long Island
Long, 31, was born in Huntington and grew up in Northport. Learn more about the LIer's rise up the soccer ladder.
Allie Long in high school and college
Long played on Northport High School’s girls soccer team for four years. An All-State selection in her sophomore, junior and senior seasons, Long also was Newsday’s All-Long Island girls soccer player of the year in 2004 and 2005. The Tigers went undefeated in the regular season in all four of Long’s years with the team.
Long earned a scholarship to Penn State, where she had 10 goals and 10 assists in two seasons before transferring to North Carolina. She was part of the Tar Heels’ national championship team in her senior season.
Long played in the FIFA U-20 World Cup during her sophomore season in 2006. The U.S. made it to the semifinals that year.
Allie Long in the pros
Stephanie Cox #14 of the Los Angeles Sol fights for the ball against Allie Long #9 of the Washington Freedom at The Home Depot Center on March 29, 2009 in Carson, California. Credit: Getty Images/Robert Laberge
Long was drafted seventh overall by the Washington Freedom of the Women’s Professional Soccer league in 2009. She scored four goals in two seasons with the Freedom before signing with Sky Blue FC in 2011, where she ranked second on the team in minutes played (1,575) after appearing in all 18 matches.
After the WPS suspended operations in 2012, Long helped the New York Fury reach the WPSL Elite semifinals. Long then played overseas for Paris Saint-Germain of France’s Division 1 Féminine on a six-month contract. She had four goals in 12 appearances for PSG before a foot injury toward the end of her deal.
Allie Long of Chelsea L.F.C. in action during the International Women's Club Championship final match between Chelsea L.F.C. and INAC Kobe Leonessa at Ajinomoto Field Nishigaoka on December 8, 2013 in Tokyo, Japan. Credit: Getty Images/Koji Watanabe
Long signed with Portland Thorns FC of the National Women’s Soccer League in 2013 and led the team to the NWSL title in her first season, scoring 10 goals. After a brief loan spell with Chelsea Ladies FC, she returned to the Thorns and was named to the NWSL Best XI in 2015.
In 2016, Long’s Portland side won the NWSL Shield for the league’s best regular-season record, and she again was named to the NWSL Best XI. Long claimed another NWSL title in 2017, and upon leaving the club at the season’s end, she held the club record for appearances and was its second-leading goal-scorer.
Allie Long #10 of Portland Thorns FC makes contact with Abby Wambach #20 of Western New York Flash as the two head for a loose ball in the NWSL Championship at Sahlen's Stadium August 31, 2013 in Rochester, New York. Credit: Getty Images/Brett Carlsen
Ahead of the 2018 season, Long was traded north to Reign FC for the rights to Australian forward Caitlin Foord and a second-round draft pick. She played 19 games for Reign in her first season with the club, scoring three goals. The club lost in the NWSL playoff semifinals to Long’s former club, Portland.
Allie Long with the USWNT
Allie Long #23 of United States of America celebrates her goal against Columbia during an international friendly soccer match against the United States at the Pratt & Whitney Stadium on April 6, 2016 in East Hartford, Connecticut. Credit: Getty Images/Jim Rogash
Long was called up to the national team in July 2010, but she didn’t make her debut for the USWNT until May 8, 2014, during a friendly against Canada. Long scored her first two career international goals in a 7-0 win over Colombia on April 6, 2016.
Long made her first appearance in a major tournament in the 2016 Olympics, starting three of four matches, but the United States was eliminated by Sweden in the quarterfinals.
USA's Allie Long blocks Mexico's Renae Cuellar's path to the goal during the second half of an international friendly soccer match, in Jacksonville, Florida, on April 5, 2018. Credit: AP/John Raoux
Long remained in and out of the USWNT in the aftermath of the Olympics under coach Jill Ellis. She was not on the roster for the 2018 CONCACAF Women’s Championship, in which the United States qualified for the upcoming World Cup, but did make the roster for a set of friendly matches.
Long then was left out for the 2019 SheBelieves Cup, only to return for another pair of friendly matches in April, coming off the bench in matches against Belgium and Australia.
Alex Morgan and Allie Long pose with their custom foosball players during the United States Women's National Team Media Day ahead of the Women's World Cup at Twitter NYC on May 24, 2019. Credit: Getty Images/Mike Lawrie
When the 2019 Women’s World Cup roster was announced, Long’s name was among those picked to make the trip to France. It will be her first World Cup and second major tournament.
Nick Klopsis is Newsday.com's sports editor. He often can be found studying NFL and college football film for his latest draft breakdown.
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