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Austin FC forward Aaron Schoenfeld announces retirement from professional soccer

Schoenfeld, who was injured all last season with Austin FC, said his “knee can’t keep up with the demands of the sport anymore.”

AUSTIN, Texas — Austin FC forward Aaron Schoenfeld has announced he is retiring from soccer after 10 years of playing professionally.

Schoenfeld, who was injured all last season with Austin FC, said his “knee can’t keep up with the demands of the sport anymore.” The 31-year-old was sidelined after undergoing a minor arthroscopic procedure in his left knee in April following an injury.

“I feel so fortunate to have lived out my childhood dream for so many years,” Schoenfeld said in a post on Instagram on Wednesday. “I was able to wake up every day for the last 10 years and be surrounded by others who loved their job. Being in such a positive environment made me feel so grateful each and every day.”

Schoenfeld thanked his family for their support.

“I want to thank my amazing wife for being my rock while I battled this injury for the past eight months,” he said. “You always were able to find a way to make me smile on the hardest days.”

KVUE caught up with Schoenfeld and his wife, Manchester City defender Abby Dahlkemper, in June ahead of the U.S. Women’s National Team’s arrival in Austin.

The two met through mutual friends, initially following each other on Instagram, eventually moving to FaceTime, and then traveling to visit each other. While the two may play opposite positions on the soccer pitch, they say they're very similar off the field.

"It's kind of weird if you're ever around us," Schoenfeld told KVUE. "We're the same exact person – same personalities, same mannerisms, same everything."

"At the core of it all, we're just best friends," Dahlkemper said.

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