Ali Riley is a giver...of joy, of care, of encouragement, of everything she’s got. She’s a phenomenal individual athlete while being the epitome of a team player.
A chronic nerve issue in her left leg has kept her on Angel City FC’s season ending injury list for the past year, and devastatingly stripped her of the opportunity to compete in another Olympics for New Zealand last summer as their captain. That’s a dark place to be for someone who exudes effervescent charm and whose positivity seems invincible.
It turns out she can cry, but she also has the strength so powerfully displayed in the New Zealand Haka dance, she has an abundance of people who care deeply about her well-being, she has the persistence to match the stubbornness of her injury, and she has a team that craves her presence in any role.
Ali Riley's career has been nothing short of extraordinary
Ali Riley could have stepped away from the game at any point in the last year, and no one would have thought any less of her. In fact, she would have been (and still will be) celebrated as a New Zealand legend and loved dearly in the states by her hometown fans who understand how invaluable she’s been to Angel City from its inception.
Instead, someone who typically thrives at the heart of a sisterhood chose to take the necessary solo journey through a lonely and uncertain recovery with no promises of a happy ending.
On July 29, 2025, Ali Riley was removed from the season ending injury list, a goal that many months ago had seemed potentially unattainable. This achievement may still be shy of being an on-field appearance, but her husband, her parents, Sydney Leroux, the Thompson sisters, or any of the other countless people who root for her day in and day out better have thrown her a party to celebrate because she's more than deserving.
Ali Riley's professional soccer journey continues, this time in a space filled with less isolation and more hugs and friendly faces. Her love that she so generously shares with the world around her is her superpower, and she's using it one step at a time to bring herself (and hopefully her team) back to life.