Since it began almost two decades ago, Ali Krieger’s soccer career has taken her more places than she can remember: dozens of countries, three World Cups and at least two operating rooms.

But this year her career will come to an end, she announced Thursday, although not before a final challenge that will be a far cry from the glory of lifting league and World Cup trophies. Before she calls it quits, Krieger, 38, wants to turn around her club team, Gotham FC of the National Women’s Soccer League, after a season she would prefer to forget.

"It was terrible,” Krieger said of last season, her first with the club. "I don’t think I’d ever been on a team in last place.”