Alyson Kay Wagner (born August 10, 1980) is an American sports broadcaster and retired soccer midfielder who was a member of the United States women's national soccer team. She is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time FIFA Women's World Cup bronze medalist. She has worked for Fox Sports, CBS Sports, and ESPN as a soccer analyst. She is the first woman to call a FIFA Men's World Cup game on English-language U.S. television, serving as the analyst alongside Derek Rae for Iran's 1–0 win against Morocco on June 15, 2018. She was also an owner of the USL Championship club Queensboro FC that never got off the ground, and she is a founding owner and co-chair of Bay FC, the National Women's Soccer League expansion club awarded to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2023.

Early life Born and raised in San Jose, California, Wagner attended Hillbrook School, and later, Presentation High School and was a four-year varsity starter on the soccer team. She helped the Panthers win the Central Coast Championship as a sophomore and senior. She was named CCS Player of the Year as a junior and senior and was selected as League MVP during her freshman, sophomore and junior years. As a senior, she was named NSCAA All-American, Parade All-American, Parade Magazine High School Player of the Year, and the Gatorade National High School Player of the Year. She was also named as the Northern California Student-Athlete of the Year and Presentation Scholar Athlete of the Year the same year.

Santa Clara Broncos, 1998–2002 Wagner began playing with the United States women's national soccer team in 1998, while still a freshman at Santa Clara University. She played in 23 games for the Broncos, starting 21, and scored 10 goals with 12 assists. She was named Second-Team NSCAA All-American, First-Team All-WCC and the WCC Freshman of the Year.

In 2001, she led Santa Clara to the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship, scoring the only goal in Santa Clara's 1–0 victory over perennial powerhouse North Carolina.

Wagner was awarded the 2002 Hermann Trophy as the top collegiate soccer player in the country and the Today's Top VIII Award as a member of the Class of 2002. She also won the Honda Sports Award as the nation's top soccer player.

Playing career

Club

Wagner was the number one pick at the 2003 WUSA Draft by the San Diego Spirit. The team finished in third place during the 2003 WUSA season with a record. She played in all 20 matches during the season, scored two goals and recorded four assists. After advancing to the playoffs, the Spirit was defeated by the Atlanta Beat 2–1 in the semifinals with Wagner scoring the Spirit's lone goal. Wagner was named to the All-WUSA Second Team following the season.

At the conclusion of the 2003 season, Wagner was traded to the Boston Breakers, shortly before the WUSA suspended operations. She made her debut for the Breakers in a June 19, 2004 exhibition match against the Washington Freedom in Blaine, Minnesota.

In 2005, Wagner scored twice in three games for Olympique Lyonnais in the French First Division.

In 2009, Wagner began playing midfielder for the Los Angeles Sol of Women's Professional Soccer (WPS).

On January 14, 2010, Wagner announced her retirement from professional soccer due to injuries.

International Wagner competed for the United States women's national soccer team from 1999 to 2008. She made appearances in 131 international matches, scored 21 goals and made 42 assists.

At the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup in the United States, Wagner made four appearances including three group-stage matches and the semi-final match. In 2004, she was selected for the Athens Olympics. She played in four matches including three group-stage matches and the semi-final match, helping the U.S. win gold. On July 30, 2006, she became the 18th U.S. women's national team player to reach 100 caps during a friendly match against Canada.

In 2007, Wagner was selected by head coach Greg Ryan for the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup in China and competed in the third-place play-off match against Norway.

Despite undergoing a double hernia operation in early 2008, Wagner was selected to play at the 2008 Summer Olympics and made one appearance as a substitute in a group-stage match against New Zealand.

International goals

GoalDateHomeawayneutralLocationOpponentLineupGoalinmatchMinAssist/passScoreResultCompetitiongoal 11999-04-29homeCharlotte1 of 151Sara WhalenFriendlygoal 22000-01-13awayAdelaideunknown1 of 1unknownHeather AldamaAustralia Cupgoal 32000-04-05homeDavidsonStart1 of 153Danielle SlatonFriendlygoal 42000-06-08neutralNewcastle1 of 188Christie WelshPacific Cupgoal 52000-07-07homeCentral IslipStart1 of 124Mary-Frances MonroeFriendlygoal 62002-01-12homeCharleston1 of 175unassistedFriendlygoal 72002-09-29homeUniondale1 of 164Kate SobreroU.S. Cupgoal 82002-10-27homePasadenaStart1 of 15Kristine LillyWorld Cup qualifier: Group Agoal 92003-03-14neutralOlhão1 of 185unassistedAlgarve Cup: Group Agoal 102003-03-18neutralSanto Antonio1 of 118unassistedAlgarve Cup: Group Agoal 112003-09-01homeCarson1 of 117Cindy ParlowFriendlygoal 122003-09-07homeSan Jose1 of 185penaltyFriendlygoal 132004-02-27neutralHerediaStart1 of 112Cindy ParlowOlympic qualifiergoal 142004-03-03awaySan JoseStart1 of 15Kristine LillyOlympic qualifiergoal 152004-08-01homeEast Hartford1 of 114Mia HammFriendlygoal 162004-10-10homeCincinnatiStart1 of 151unassistedFriendlygoal 172004-12-08homeCarson1 of 28Mia HammFriendlygoal 182 of 266Kristine Lillygoal 192005-07-10homePortland1 of 148Kristine LillyFriendlygoal 202006-03-13neutralFaro1 of 149Heather O'ReillyAlgarve Cup: Group Bgoal 212006-08-27homeChicago1 of 159penaltyFriendly

Assists made in international matches Wagner is among the top ten players of the United States women's national soccer team in providing assists. Wagner provided more assists than goals which is not unusual for a midfielder; however, a ratio of 42 assists to 21 goals is unmatched by any other player in the top ten assist providers of the United States women's national soccer team.

AssistDateNHomeawayneutralLocationOpponentLineupMinGoal scorerScoreResultCompetitionassist 12000-01-070neutralMelbourne83Veronica ZepedaAustralia Cupassist 22000-07-071homeCentral IslipStart91+Caroline PutzFriendlyassist 32002-01-121homeCharleston65Danielle FotopoulosFriendlyassist 42002-03-030neutralFerreirasStart59Shannon MacMillanAlgarve Cup: Group Bassist 575Kelly Wilsonassist 62002-07-210homeBlaineStart70Tiffeny MilbrettFriendlyassist 72002-09-291homeUniondale59Mia HammNike U.S. Cupassist 862Mia Hammassist 92002-11-020homeSeattle3Tiffeny MilbrettWorld Cup qualifier: Group Aassist 106Tiffeny Milbrettassist 1122Tiffeny Milbrettassist 122002-11-060homeSeattleStart90Kristine LillyWorld Cup qualifier: semifinalassist 132002-11-090homePasadenaStart94Mia HammWorld Cup qualifier: finalassist 142003-01-231neutralYiwu24Thori BryanFour Nations Tournamentassist 1564Tiffeny Milbrettassist 1687Heather O'Reillyassist 172003-02-160homeCharleston3Mia HammFriendlyassist 182003-04-260homeWashingtonStart55Shannon MacMillanFriendlyassist 1978Shannon MacMillanassist 202003-09-011homeCarson17Abby WambachFriendlyassist 212003-11-020homeDallasStart18Cindy ParlowFriendlyassist 222004-02-250homeSan Jose81Shannon BoxxOlympic qualifierassist 232004-06-060homeLouisville59Abby WambachFriendlyassist 242004-09-250homeRochester42Abby WambachFriendlyassist 252004-10-100homeCincinnatiStart66Cindy ParlowFriendlyassist 262004-10-160homeKansas CityStart36Angela HuclesFriendlyassist 272004-11-060homePhiladelphia48Abby WambachFriendlyassist 282005-03-090neutralFerreiras20Christie WelshAlgarve Cup: Group Bassist 292005-03-130neutralSanto Antonio15Abby WambachAlgarve Cup: Group Bassist 302005-03-150neutralFaro23Christie WelshAlgarve Cup: Finalassist 312005-07-100homePortland57Tiffeny MilbrettFriendlyassist 322005-10-230homeCharleston40Abby WambachFriendlyassist 332006-01-180neutralGuangzhou85Abby WambachFour Nations Tournamentassist 342006-07-230homeSan DiegoStart74Natasha KaiFriendlyassist 352006-09-130homeRochesterStart22Lindsay Tarpleyfriendlyassist 362006-10-010homeCarson27Lindsay Tarpleyfriendlyassist 372006-10-080homeRichmond34Abby Wambachfriendlyassist 382006-11-040awaySeoul68Kristine LillyPeace Queen Cup: Finalassist 392007-05-120homeFrisco73Heather O'ReillyFriendlyassist 402007-10-130homeSt. Louis57Abby WambachFriendlyassist 412008-06-150neutralSuwon77Abby WambachPeace Queen Cup: Group Bassist 422008-11-010homeRichmond48Lindsay TarpleyFriendly NOTE: N = number of goals scored by Aly Wagner in the match

Media career Wagner has worked for Fox Sports, CBS Sports, and ESPN as a soccer analyst. She worked as a Fox Sports match analyst during the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, and became the first woman to call a FIFA Men's World Cup game on U.S. television by serving as the analyst alongside Derek Rae for Iran's 1–0 win against Morocco on June 15, 2018. She was also part of the Fox Sports broadcast team for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. CBS Sports named Wagner as the host of its 2022 National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) coverage series "Groundwork".

Sports businesses Wagner was an owner of soccer club Queensboro FC, which had planned to field teams in USL Championship and USL W League starting in 2021. However, the club ultimately folded in 2022 before the men's team played any games and after the women's team played only one season. She is also a founding owner, co-chair, and alternate league board representative for Bay FC, the NWSL expansion club awarded to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2023. Wagner worked together with former USWNT players Brandi Chastain, Leslie Osborne, and Danielle Slaton to lobby the NWSL for a team, and was credited with convincing Sixth Street Partners CEO Alan Waxman to have the fund lead investment in the bid.

Personal life In December 2006, Wagner married Adam Eyre, a former soccer player at Santa Clara University who played briefly for the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer. Wagner gave birth to triplet boys in August 2013 and a daughter in December 2015.

References

Match reports

External links

Aly Wagner at NBC Olympics website Fox Sports analyst profile