Ellis steps down as U.S. women’s national team soccer coach. Here are the details

Jill Ellis is stepping down as coach of the U.S. Women’s National Team weeks after winning her second consecutive World Cup title.

Ellis, a 52-year-old Palmetto Bay resident, won 102 games, lost seven and tied 18 since taking the job five years ago. She coached more games than anyone in team history and is one of just two coaches (male or female) in history to win back-to-back World Cups and the first in 80 years. The other was Vittorio Pozzo, who led the Italian men’s team to titles in 1934 and 1938.

She is expected to coach the team through its five-game victory tour, which begins Saturday at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

“The opportunity to coach this team and work with these amazing women has been the honor of a lifetime,” Ellis said. “I want to thank and praise them for their commitment and passion to not only win championships but also raise the profile of this sport globally while being an inspiration to those who follow them. The timing is right to move on. Change is something I have always embraced in my life, and for me and my family this is the right moment.”

U.S. Soccer president Carlos Cordeiro said: “Jill helped raise the bar for women’s soccer in the USA and the world. The U.S. Soccer Federation and the sport in general owes her a debt of gratitude.”

According to website Equalizer Soccer, Ellis’ contract was set to expire this week, and she declined an offer to extend her tenure through the 2020 Olympics. Ellis is on vacation and did not return messages.

Asked about her future just after the U.S. final win over the Netherlands earlier this month, Ellis said: “I can’t even think about that right now. Right now, it’s just about enjoying this moment. ... I’m just going to soak all this in, and enjoy it and celebrate with my players.”

Ellis, who was born in England, might explore other national team options or perhaps coach a European club.

Although Ellis was criticized by some for experimenting with lineups too often, her system worked. She was honest with her players, fostered good chemistry in the locker room and adapted from a more conservative playing style in 2015 to an aggressive, attacking style that was needed to win in 2019 against a deeper, more skilled field.

There is no word on who might replace Ellis.

This story was originally published July 30, 2019 at 3:19 PM.