Farewell & Appreciation Post: Kelli Hubly, Meghan Klingenberg to depart Thorns
For better or worse, the backline turnover is now complete
Over the course of the past week, we have had to say farewell to two more Portland Thorns icons.
Last week, the Thorns announced on social media channels that long-time centerback Kelli Hubly would not be re-signing in free agency, and will be departing the club. And today, a similar announcement was made for free agent and veteran Thorns and USWNT fullback Meghan Klingenberg, who will also not be returning to the Thorns in 2025.
Coming on the heels of Becky Sauerbrunn’s retirement announcement, it is two more sentimental blows for Thorns fans who have had to endure an offseason of churn and change.
Hubly’s departure represents the loss of one of the longest-tenured players on the roster. Originally signed as a national team replacement player in 2017, Hubly soon earned a permanent spot on the roster and grew into a consistent starter on the backline. She was an integral piece of the Thorns backline that won the NWSL Shield in 2021 and the NWSL Championship in 2022.
In that 2022 campaign, Hubly earned “Iron Woman” status as she played every minute of every game for the the Thorns. She departs after playing over 7,000 minutes in total for the club.
Despite a dip in her form during 2024, her absence from the locker room will surely be felt. Many prominent Thorns players expressed their sadness on social media at seeing Hubly leave, including Sophia Smith, Morgan Weaver, and Sam Coffey.
Klingenberg’s absence will undoubtedly be felt in a similar way. Kling first came to Portland in 2016 as part of the trade that sent Alex Morgan to Orlando, and she has been a mainstay for the Thorns ever since. The fullback was a consistent presence on the Thorns backline, and played a hand in the Thorns winning numerous pieces of silverware.
She was part of two NWSL Shield-winning teams (2016, 2021) and two NWSL Championship-winning teams (2017, 2022). But perhaps what her teammates and fans will remember her most for was her fiery pre-game speeches delivered to her teammates in the huddle right before kickoff.
In a post on her instagram, Klingenberg penned a heartfelt farewell to the city, supporters, and her teammates. “I never thought that I would learn to love this city so much. Portland has become my home and has my heart,” she wrote.
“This isn’t the ending I wanted, but it’s an ending that I chose. And as every athlete knows, getting to choose your ending is a rare gift. I’m excited for what’s next and wherever I end up I’ll carry Portland with me.”
Kling’s energy, play on the field, spirit, and full embrace of Portland endeared her to fans. So despite her limited minutes in 2024, the loss of her persona and her leadership leaves a void for players and supporters alike.
It’s now been three hard announcements in succession for Thorns fans to stomach (four if you count the end of Christine Sinclair’s career as well). Seeing icons on the field depart without a true chance to properly say goodbye hurts, especially when their final season in Portland didn’t end the way that anyone hoped. And with the offseason still in-flux for the Thorns, it’s been difficult for fans to have a clear idea of the new direction the club is heading under the ownership of the Bhathals.
But one that is clear is the impact that Hubly and Klingenberg have had on Soccer City and Thorns fans. They leave as winners, role models, and legends of the club. Be sure to take a moment to appreciate all that they brought, and all that they have meant, to the Rose City!
What’s your favorite Kelli Hubly and/or Meghan Klingenberg moment? Let’s get an appreciation thread going in the comments!
One of my favorite Kelli Hubly memories was the Brit Eckstrom game where the Thorns beat the Courage when they were really good. Brit was the major story the way she stood on her head practically in goal and kept denying Debinha. But Hubs also had a hell of a game and at the end just started crying because she knew it and she proved herself. I will miss her because she seems such a character and obviously a good teammate. Sometimes she reminded me of an Octopus the way she defended. It seemed like there were four long arms four long legs everywhere. Plus a ponytail!
For Kling 2016 and 2017 seemed to be rough years (back problems I think) and later she lost her Dad. But as she slowed down and worked through personal losses she learned to compensate for the speed she lost with lot more guile and some of that black belt agility. And Yes, those huddle speeches were a real gift. Thanks Kling and Kelli!
1. As much as I love Sinclair and Kling, their play isn’t what we’ll miss. They’ve been wonderful stewards of the organization. They embody what makes Portland special every time they speak. Losing that from the org is a huge loss
2. Unfortunately, their play had declined to the point where they were shells of their former self. I love Sincy, but I personally believe their defensive structure up front improves substantially with her lack of speed gone. I didn’t want to see Kling without her playing next to Becky. I believe the stability of Becky allowed Kling to compensate for her shortcoming and she wasn’t going to play over Reyes, Mueller, or Payne.
3. I wonder now that Fleming isn’t playing two defensive roles whether her offense can develop here. She always seemed to have more potential than what we saw last year and I would love to see what we see in international play here. She was a generational player at UCLA and still one of the top 10 college players I’ve ever seen in my lifetime. She’s been a star on the international scene, so what we saw last year was an utter disappointment. If she can show what she shows for the national team here, I think she can be a lot more for us.
4. I can see Coffey and Weaver becoming the next gen of Sinc and Kling, but this is a delicate time frame because we are losing some generational leaders. Smith seems to have an appreciation for Portland as well, but we all know she’s the most valuable player in the league and that only goes so far if there is a lack of faith in the go forward. She’s given no indication that she doesn’t want to be in the US. I anticipate she stays in the NWSL and want it to be here more than anything I could ask for.
5. Hiatt and Hubly are similar caliber players. I would have preferred resigning Hubly instead of bringing in Daiane for team chemistry reasons. Daiane was highly regarded earlier in her career. Hopefully she ends up being a hit. Here injuries and comparables don’t seem to suggest she’s a Muller type. I forgot what the website is that did comparables. What were her comparables again?
6. Becky is the biggest loss. She played at an incredibly high level and she probably is the pre-eminent voice I think of when it comes to this generation of leaders of the game. That loss is what is scaring me the most.
7. We just spent the past few years having a non genuine cheerleader who rubbed people the wrong way and whose work ethic was questionable in the role. I never really had an issue with the individual things KK did, but it sure seems like she did some damage in terms of reputation. Her decisions weren’t cohesive and each little loss degraded the team to the point where what we saw on the pitch was unrecognizable.
8. I believe KK’s biggest failure was hiring adults who lacked the core capabilities to do the job at the manager position. Frankly, if i were our GM … the first thing I’d do is fire Norris and Gale. They may be good human beings, but they represent what’s wrong with this franchise as well as KK. Both of them still being here is a reaction to the fiasco that has been this organization since the Riley stuff became public. The very fact that a midfield consisting of three top 100 caliber players is considered a potential issue is a sign that both managers sucked at their job. People question our midfield distribution even though we have three plus players at it. You think Nahas wouldn’t get more from these three?
9. I’ve been open to Parsons in the role because you can tell he’s organized, is a relationship builder, and can sell what makes Portland special. Frankly, I could see Becky doing the same thing and she is just as qualified as Averbuch before she took the role. Less convinced of that, but I want someone who can create and sell a vision. They’ve lacked that since Paulson fumbled it by being a bad human being.
10. Mike Smith seems to have a good eye for talent with the Mueller signing and spotting Payne, but that doesn’t make him a GM who can sell a vision and i know i will compare him to others if he gets the job.