Two-time World Champion Kelley O’Hara had guaranteed she would play till the end of the NWSL season and retire afterward. However, as it panned out, O’Hara played her last NWSL game a day before Alex Morgan, who announced her retirement in a flash. After her final game against Houston Dash, on September 08 and missing out on the match against Seattle, Gotham FC placed her on the season-ending injury list. She could have had a farewell match against the Seattle Reign.

But playing in the artificial turf-laid Lumen Stadium would only aggravate Kelley O’Hara’s chronic knee degeneration. Since most soccer pitches in America use turfs instead of natural grass, it’s better the US legend skips action to nurse her hurt knee. During a recent sit-down with fellow USWNT legend Lisa Leslie, O’Hara detailed how the knee problem has forced an early retirement on her.

“The team traveled to Seattle to play there, and they had ruled me medically ineligible to play in that game because of the turf they have,” said O’Hara during her recent appearance on Just Women’s Sports ‘Fast Friends’ show.

Thereafter, the Gotham FC defender subtly called for the NWSL organizers to mull over the use of natural grass in stadiums. “Really bad turf there okay we need real grass on all NL Fields anyway um we need real grass. I had come off of you know I had I knew this was going to be a hard season I knew that my knee I didn’t know if it was going to be able to handle it,” Kelley O’Hara added. Continuing she stated that she had to forcefully call it a day, despite vowing to stay till the end of this season in May, when she announced retirement.

Well, way before Kelley O’Hara questioned the US pitches’ plight, Lionel Messi had lamented the unfavorable pitch in the stadium that’s set to host the FIFA World Cup final.

Recalling Messi’s statements on pitches while Kelley O’Hara’s complaint gains momentum

Ever since Lionel Messi moved to the MLS, he has been warned of the pitfalls of playing on artificial turfs. Who knows if that has had an impact on Messi getting recurrently injured last season and this year. Besides, Argentina had a tough time during the buildup to the Copa America final, courtesy of irregular surfaces. Messi and Co. beat Canada in the group stage 2-0 at the Copa America. But La Albiceleste had to stand their ground on an unfavorable pitch at the MetLife Stadium that night to fight against Jesse Marsch’s side.

“This was a very difficult match. Damn, it was so hot and the pitch was very difficult to play on. But we have to enjoy what we were able to do,” Lionel Messi said in a post-match interview that night. The pitch appeared damp during that game. And remember, this was the stadium where the Jets QB Aaron Rodgers went down with a torn Achilles. And remember, this stadium is going to host the next World Cup final. In this light, Kelley O’Hara’s statement becomes all the more relevant even though she has retired prematurely.