Abby Wambach To Skip NWSL Season To Prepare For 2015 Women's World Cup

Abby Wambach is stepping away from her day job for a shot at lifetime glory.

Wambach announced Wednesday that she will sit out the 2015 National Women’s Soccer League season in order to prepare for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Wambach, 34, broke the news of her impending absence from club soccer on website of the Western New York Flash, with whom she has played since 2013.

“I am so proud of our league and truly appreciate the support of the (team owners) Sahlens and the fans of Western New York,” Wambach said. “At this stage of my career, I know what I need to prepare mentally and physically for this summer. My sole focus is to help bring a World Cup back to the U.S.”

Wambach, international soccer’s all-time leading goal scorer, hopes to lead the United States to its first Women’s World Cup victory since 1999 and fill the only glaring hole in her glittering resume. Wambach has helped Team USA win gold medals in the past two Summer Olympic Games, but World Cup glory has eluded the six-time U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year.

Wambach was expected to play around 10 games in the 2015 NWSL season. She would have missed a significant portion of the campaign due to her national team commitments.

Wambach was injured for much of 2014. She told FIFA.com Tuesday that she feels good physically less than three months before the start of the 2015 Women’s World Cup.

“2014 was physically a tough year because I injured my knee, and you know how that goes with your emotions and the mentality,” Wambach said. “You ask yourself: will I ever be back playing as well as I used to? Right now I feel 100 percent fit, healthy and excited. To win a World Cup we all have to sacrifice everything possible so we end up one day standing on top of that podium.”

Wambach’s sacrifice will hurt the Flash and the NWSL, but Team USA and American soccer stand to benefit greatly if her gamble pays off as she expects.