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10 months ago
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Ali Krieger is ready to tell her side of the story. Four months after her estranged wife, Ashlyn Harris, filed for divorce from her — and amid Ashlyn’s new relationship with Sophia Bush — the 39-year-old soccer player broke her silence on their breakup in a new interview.
“I’m still processing everything in real time,” the NJ/NY Gotham FC player admitted in an interview with Self that was published on Tuesday, January 23. “Obviously, I met the most broken version of myself this year, but now — the strongest. I feel like I can get through anything, and I am so ready for this next phase. I feel like the universe has sent me a gift, and I’m ready to take it.”
While noting that she is “actually in a healthy space,” now, Ali reflected on how her inner circle was there for her after the news of her and Ashlyn’s divorce came out.
“My entire team came over for a dance party the night the news broke. And I will never forget that moment,” she explained. “I found out at training. I was on the field. And I came off the field, in the locker room, and I was obviously devastated.”
Vanessa Granda
Ali continued, “Through these past five months, my friends have shown up in ways that I will cherish and remember forever,” the soccer defender said. “They are my true people. It’s been so rewarding to see that because you don’t know how much of an impact you have, even on your personal friends, and when they show up for you, you’re just like, Whoa — thank God.”
Although her divorce from Ashlyn, 38, has been difficult for her, Ali reflected on how she has “carried” a “lot of trauma” from her childhood into her personal relationships.
“It’s been really healthy to talk about a lot of trauma that I experienced as a child, that I had carried through my life,” the athlete continued. “I was carrying that into relationships, even friendships. I’ve started to listen to my body a lot more, and how my body feels when I’m around certain people. I don’t think I paid attention before; I was operating in this phase of, ‘Oh, this is normal, I’m just going to keep pushing,’ and not really recognizing that maybe this isn’t a safe space.”
As she focuses on using her platform to raise awareness for women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights and racial equality, Ali pointed out that she wants to “be known more for supporting people, fighting for human rights, fighting for equality,” adding, “Because if I don’t, who will?”
“That’s the mentality that I have,” Ali emphasized. “I think it’s important to amplify those issues, and make sure people understand where you stand. … If I can just do this little part, if I could just use my platform, my voice here, then maybe that’ll encourage other people, and then you come together, and there’s more power in numbers.”
