View source for Ali Riley

{{Short description|New Zealand footballer (born 1987)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Ali Riley<br>{{post-nominals|country=NZL|MNZM|size=80%}}
| image = Ali Riley 47986521796 James Boyes.jpg
| image_size = 
| caption = Ali Riley in 2019
| full_name = Alexandra Lowe Riley<ref name="FIFA 2015">{{cite news |url=http://www.fifadata.com/document/FWWC/2015/pdf/FWWC_2015_SquadLists.pdf |title=List of Players – 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup |work=[[FIFA|Fédération Internationale de Football Association]] |access-date=20 June 2015}}</ref>
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1987|10|30}}<ref name="FIFA 2015"/>
| birth_place = [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], U.S.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nzfootball.co.nz/ |title=NZ Football – HOME |website=www.nzfootball.co.nz}}</ref>
| height = 1.64 m<ref name="FIFA 2015"/>
| position = [[Defender (association football)|Defender]]
| currentclub = [[Angel City FC|Angel City]]
| clubnumber = 5
| youthyears1 = 1998–2004
| youthclubs1 = Westside Breakers
| youthyears2 = 2004–2006
| youthclubs2 = Real So Cal
| years1 = 2009
| clubs1 = [[Pali Blues]]
| caps1 = 7
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2010
| clubs2 = [[FC Gold Pride]]
| caps2 = 23
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2011
| clubs3 = [[Western New York Flash]]
| caps3 = 15
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2012–2018
| clubs4 = [[FC Rosengård|Rosengård]]
| caps4 = 132
| goals4 = 4
| years5 = 2018–2019
| clubs5 = [[Chelsea F.C. Women|Chelsea]]
| caps5 = 9
| goals5 = 0
| years6 = 2019–2020
| clubs6 = [[FC Bayern Munich (women)|Bayern Munich]]
| caps6 = 3
| goals6 = 0
| years7 = 2020–2021
| clubs7 = [[Orlando Pride]]
| caps7 = 20
| goals7 = 0
| years8 = 2020
| clubs8 = → [[FC Rosengård|Rosengård]] (loan)
| caps8 = 17
| goals8 = 1
| years9 = 2022–
| clubs9 = [[Angel City FC|Angel City]]
| caps9 = 44
| goals9 = 3
| nationalyears1 = 2006
| nationalteam1 = [[New Zealand women's national under-20 football team|New Zealand U20]]
| nationalcaps1 = 11
| nationalgoals1 = 5
| nationalyears2 = 2007–
| nationalteam2 = [[New Zealand women's national football team|New Zealand]]
| nationalcaps2 = 163<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12226024 |title=Football Ferns squad revealed for World Cup |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=29 April 2019}}</ref>
| nationalgoals2 = 2
| club-update = 26 April 2024
| ntupdate = 19 February 2024
| collegeyears1 = 2006–2009
| college1 = [[Stanford Cardinal women's soccer|Stanford Cardinal]]
| collegecaps1 = 83
| collegegoals1 = 7
}}

'''Alexandra Lowe Riley''' {{post-nominals|country=NZL|MNZM|size=85%}} (born 30 October 1987) is a professional [[association football|footballer]] who plays as a [[Defender (association football)|defender]] for [[Angel City FC|Angel City]] of the American [[National Women's Soccer League]] (NWSL). Born in the United States, she represents the [[New Zealand women's national football team|New Zealand national team]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ultimatenzsoccer.com/FootballFerns/id38.htm |title=Caps 'n' Goals, New Zealand Women's national representatives |publisher=The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website |access-date=11 June 2009}}</ref> She captained both her club and national teams. As a collegiate athlete, she captained the [[Stanford Cardinal|Stanford]] soccer team to two NCAA semi-finals and one final.

==Early life==
Born in [[Los Angeles, California]] to parents John Graham Riley and Beverly Fong Lowe, Riley attended St. Matthew's Parish School in Pacific Palisades and [[Harvard-Westlake School]] in [[North Hollywood, California]]. She was named captain of the soccer team during her senior season and was a two-time Mission League Offensive MVP as well as a two-time first-team San Fernando Valley selection. As a senior, she helped lead the Wolverines to the 2006 Southern Section Division I final and was named to the All-CIF Southern Section Division I first team. Riley also competed for local soccer clubs LA Breakers FC<ref>{{cite news |title=LA Breakers FC |url=http://www.labreakersfc.com/}}</ref> (formerly Westside Breakers) and Real SoCal (formerly SoCal United).<ref name=stanford_bio>{{cite web |title=Ali Riley player profile |url=http://www.gostanford.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/riley_ali00.html |publisher=Stanford University |access-date=23 February 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120219174752/http://www.gostanford.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/riley_ali00.html |archive-date=19 February 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Stanford University===
Riley attended [[Stanford University]] and played for the [[Stanford Cardinal]] from 2006 to 2009. During her freshman year, she started in fifteen of the eighteen matches she played. She played forward and scored four goals with two assists. As a sophomore, she played sixteen games and started in fourteen of them.  She scored two goals and had two assists. During her junior year, Riley converted from her position at forward to an outside back and she has played almost exclusively at left or right full-back ever since, As a senior, Riley started in each of the twenty-four games and scored one goal with one assist.<ref name=stanford_bio />

==Club career==

===FC Gold Pride===
In January 2010, Riley was selected as the tenth pick in the first round of the [[2010 WPS Draft]] by [[FC Gold Pride]]. While she played on her natural right wing-back position for the NZ Women's National Team, she played professionally as a left wing-back and had three assists in the 2010 run to the WPS championship by [[FC Gold Pride]]. Riley won the WPS Rookie of the Year award.

===Western New York Flash===
Riley signed for [[Western New York Flash]] for the 2011 season, becoming a free agent after FC Gold Pride failed to find financial backers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nzfootball.co.nz/index.php?id=11&tx_ttnews%5btt_news%5d=838&tx_ttnews%5bbackPid%5d=10&cHash=19f1ac97db |title=Western New York snaps up Riley |publisher=NZ Football |date=13 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725140044/http://www.nzfootball.co.nz/index.php?id=11&tx_ttnews%5btt_news%5d=838&tx_ttnews%5bbackPid%5d=10&cHash=19f1ac97db |archive-date=25 July 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In the 2011 season Riley was a finalist for Defender of the year as the Flash swept both the league season title and then won the [[2011 Women's Professional Soccer Playoffs|2011 WPS Championship]].

In 2012, Riley re-signed with [[Western New York Flash]] for the 2012 season, however, the league folded before play began.

===LdB FC Malmö/FC Rosengård===
With the suspension of the WPS, she signed in 2012 with [[FC Rosengård|LdB FC Malmö]], the 2011 [[Damallsvenskan]] champions. In her first game (the Supercupen), she assisted on the winning goal. She played her first full season in the [[Damallsvenskan]] in 2013. With  [[FC Rosengård|LdB FC Malmö]] she finished top of the table.

In September 2013 Riley re-signed with LdB FC Malmö (since December 2013 renamed FC Rosengård) for the 2014 and 2015 seasons. [[FC Rosengård]] again won gold in the [[Damallsvenskan]] in 2014.

In March 2015 she played both at full-back and forward in her second Supercupen victory with Rosengård. In September 2015 she re-signed with Rosengård. The team went on to win the Damallsvenskan for the third straight year, earning Riley her fifth league championship in her eight-year career.

===Chelsea===
On 26 June 2018, it was announced that Riley would be leaving Rosengård in July to join [[Chelsea F.C. Women|Chelsea]] in the English [[FA WSL|FA Women's Super League]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/44617216 |title=Ali Riley: Chelsea Women to sign New Zealand defender from FC Rosengard |work=BBC Sport |access-date=9 July 2018 |date=26 June 2018}}</ref>

===Bayern Munich===
On 18 July 2019, Riley moved to [[FC Bayern Munich (women)|Bayern Munich]] of the [[Frauen-Bundesliga]].<ref>{{cite news |title=CHELSEA WOMEN DEPARTURE AS ALI RILEY MOVES TO BAYERN MUNICH |url=https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2019/07/18/chelsea-women-departure-as-ali-riley-moves-to-bayern-munich?cardIndex=0-0 |access-date=18 July 2019 |publisher=Chelsea FC |date=18 July 2019}}</ref>

===Orlando Pride===
On 10 February 2020, Ali Riley returned to the US and signed a one-year contract with an option for an additional year for the [[Orlando Pride]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Orlando Pride Signs New Zealand Women's National Team Defender Ali Riley |url=https://www.orlandocitysc.com/post/2020/02/10/orlando-pride-signs-new-zealand-women-s-national-team-defender-ali-riley |website=www.orlandocitysc.com}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |url=https://www.justwomenssports.com/reads/ali-riley-talks-her-return-to-the-us |title=Ali Riley talks her return to the US |last=Rosen |first=Haley |work=Just Women's Sports |date=10 February 2020 |language=en}}</ref> The season was postponed due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States|coronavirus pandemic]] with the NWSL eventually scheduling a smaller schedule [[2020 NWSL Challenge Cup]] tournament.<ref>{{cite web |title=NWSL, CPL delay start of 2020 seasons due to Covid-19 |url=https://www.sportbusiness.com/news/nwsl-cpl-delay-start-of-2020-seasons-due-to-covid-19/ |website=SportBusiness |date=21 March 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=NWSL announces 2020 Challenge Cup presented by P&G and Secret |url=https://www.nwslsoccer.com/news/article/nwsl-announces-2020-challenge-cup-presented-by-pg-and-secret |website=www.nwslsoccer.com |access-date=13 July 2020 |archive-date=1 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101092654/https://www.nwslsoccer.com/news/article/nwsl-announces-2020-challenge-cup-presented-by-pg-and-secret |url-status=dead }}</ref> However, on 22 June 2020, the team withdrew from the tournament following positive COVID-19 tests among both players and staff.<ref name= "withdraw">{{cite web |title=Orlando Pride Statement Regarding 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup Participation |url=https://www.orlandocitysc.com/post/2020/06/22/orlando-pride-statement-regarding-2020-nwsl-challenge-cup-participation |website=www.orlandocitysc.com}}</ref>

====Loan to FC Rosengård====
On 13 July 2020, having been unable to feature for the Pride, Riley returned to Sweden to be with her partner during the pandemic and rejoined [[FC Rosengård|Rosengård]] on loan.<ref name="loan">{{cite news |title=Orlando Pride Defender Ali Riley Loaned to FC Rosengård |url=https://www.orlandocitysc.com/post/2020/07/13/orlando-pride-defender-ali-riley-loaned-fc-roseng-rd |access-date=13 July 2020 |publisher=Orlando City SC |date=13 July 2020}}</ref>

===Angel City FC, 2022–===
On 27 January 2022, Riley was traded to [[Angel City FC]] in exchange for $15,000 in allocation money and a third-round pick in the [[2023 NWSL Draft]]. As a result of the trade, she was able to play in her hometown for the first time in her career.<ref>{{cite web |title=Orlando Pride Acquire 2023 Draft Pick, Allocation Money from Angel City FC |url=https://www.orlandocitysc.com/news/orlando-pride-acquire-2023-draft-pick-allocation-money-from-angel-city-fc |website=www.orlandocitysc.com}}</ref> During the club's [[2022 Angel City FC season|inaugural season]], Riley was a starting defender in 19 of the 20 games she played and recorded 1,591 minutes on the pitch.<ref name="soccerway">{{cite web |title=A. Riley |url=https://us.soccerway.com/players/alexandra-riley/19599/ |publisher=SoccerWay |access-date=23 March 2024}}</ref> The club finished their first season in eighth place with a {{win-loss record|w=8|l=9|d=5}} record.<ref name="2022-league">{{cite web |title=2022 Angel City FC |url=https://us.soccerway.com/national/united-states/national-womens-soccer-league/2022/regular-season/r66999/ |publisher=Soccerway |access-date=23 March 2024}}</ref>

During the [[2023 National Women's Soccer League season|2023 season]], Riley started 15 of the 19 games she played.<ref name="soccerway"/> She scored her first goal for the club during a 2–2 draw against [[Chicago Red Stars]] on 17 September.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ali Riley and Jun Endo score as Angel City plays Chicago to draw |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/soccer/angel-city-fc/story/2023-09-17/angel-city-chicago-red-stars-ali-riley-jun-endo |work=Los Angeles Times |date=18 September 2023 |access-date=23 March 2024}}</ref> Angel City finished in fifth place during the regular season and advanced to the [[NWSL Playoffs|playoffs]] for the first time<ref>{{cite web |title=Angel City FC season preview: Aiming to become contenders |date=15 March 2024 |url=https://www.dailynews.com/2024/03/15/angel-city-fc-season-preview-aiming-to-become-contenders/ |publisher=Los Angeles Daily News |access-date=23 March 2024}}</ref> where they were eliminated by [[OL Reign]] in the quarter final match.<ref>{{cite news |title=Reign edge Angel City in NWSL quarterfinals as Rose Lavelle returns in Megan Rapinoe's final home game |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4982872/2023/10/21/ol-reign-angel-city-nwsl-playoffs/ |publisher=The Athletic |access-date=23 March 2024 |last1=Yang |first1=Steph |last2=Olsen |first2=Emily }}</ref> Angel City announced on 22 August 2024 that Riley would be placed on the Season-Ending Injury (SEI) list due to a chronic and persistent leg injury that had kept her out for the majority of the [[2024 Angel City FC season|2024 season]] and forced her to miss the [[Football at the 2024 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|2024 Olympics]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-08-22 |title=Ali Riley placed on Season-Ending Injury List |url=https://angelcity.com/angel-city-football-club-news/ali-riley-placed-on-season-ending-injury-list |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=angelcity.com |language=en}}</ref>

==International career==
[[File:Ali Riley.jpg|170px|left|thumb|Riley playing for New Zealand in May 2011]]

Being US-born to a New Zealand father, Riley represented New Zealand at the [[2006 FIFA U-20 Women's World Championship|2006 Women's U-20 World Cup]] finals.<ref name="NZH2016">{{cite news |title=Sixty seconds with: Ali Riley |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11639249 |access-date=11 September 2018 |work=Herald on Sunday |date=15 May 2016}}</ref> She made her [[New Zealand women's national football team|senior]] debut in a 5–0 loss to [[Australia women's national soccer team|Australia]] on 6 February 2007,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ultimatenzsoccer.com/FootballFerns/id38.htm |title=Caps 'n' Goals, New Zealand Women's national representatives |publisher=The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website |access-date=22 September 2008}}</ref> and represented New Zealand at the [[2007 FIFA Women's World Cup]]  in China,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/womensworldcup/china2007/teams/team=1883725/squadlist.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080713192919/http://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/womensworldcup/china2007/teams/team=1883725/squadlist.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=13 July 2008 |title=New Zealand Squad List, 2007 Women's World Cup |publisher=FIFA |access-date=22 September 2008}}</ref> where they lost 5–0 to [[Brazil women's national football team|Brazil]], 2–0 to [[Denmark women's national football team|Denmark]] and 2–0 to [[China women's national football team|China]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/womensworldcup/china2007/teams/team=1883725/statistics.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080713192924/http://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/womensworldcup/china2007/teams/team=1883725/statistics.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=13 July 2008 |title=Tournament Statistics – New Zealand |publisher=FIFA |access-date=24 September 2008}}</ref>

Riley also played every minute for the New Zealand squad in the [[Football at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|2008 Summer Olympics]] where they drew with [[Japan women's national football team|Japan]] (2–2) before losing to [[Norway women's national football team|Norway]] (1–0) and the [[United States women's national soccer team|United States]] (4–0).<ref>{{cite news |title=Olympic Football Squads Named |url=http://www.olympic.org.nz/Article.aspx?Mode=1&ID=6019 |publisher=New Zealand Olympic Committee |date=4 July 2008 |access-date=4 July 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705171737/http://www.olympic.org.nz/Article.aspx?Mode=1&ID=6019 |archive-date=5 July 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Riley's first international goal was scored in the final of the OFC Women's Nations Cup as New Zealand qualified for the [[2011 FIFA Women's World Cup]] with an 11–0 win over [[Papua New Guinea women's national football team|Papua New Guinea]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nzfootball.co.nz/index.php?id=11&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=737&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=10&cHash=9597bde2f6 |title=Football Ferns reach World Cup in style |publisher=NZFootball.com |date=8 October 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725135908/http://www.nzfootball.co.nz/index.php?id=11&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=737&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=10&cHash=9597bde2f6 |archive-date=25 July 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

On 27 June 2011, Riley earned her 50th A-international cap in a 2–1 loss to [[Japan women's national football team|Japan]] in New Zealand's opening group stage match at the [[2011 FIFA Women's World Cup]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.oceaniafootball.com/ofc/News/ViewArticle/tabid/125/Article/47f1fedc-d32d-49d2-91a7-6ab639dcbc95/language/en-US/Default.aspx |title=Football Ferns move on |access-date=3 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110703235303/http://www.oceaniafootball.com/ofc/News/ViewArticle/tabid/125/Article/47f1fedc-d32d-49d2-91a7-6ab639dcbc95/language/en-US/Default.aspx |archive-date=3 July 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In the final seconds of extra time in the match v. Mexico she assisted on the tying goal that gave the Football Ferns their first point in a World Cup group stage.

In the [[Football at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|2012 Olympics]] Riley played every minute of the Football Ferns' four games. In the preliminary round games the Ferns lost 1–0 to Great Britain and Brazil and beat Cameroon 3–1. This was the first victory by a NZ football team in the Olympics. With the victory the Ferns advanced to the second round based on goal differential. In the quarter-final the Ferns played the USA losing 2–0.

In 2013 Riley started for New Zealand in a series of games establishing the Football Ferns as a growing force in international competition. The Ferns won the Vallais Cup beating #4 Brazil 1–0 and #16 China 4–0 and also had ties playing #10 Australia, #3 Japan and #1 USA.

She featured in all New Zealand's three matches at the [[2015 FIFA Women's World Cup]] in Canada.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=252502/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024075538/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=252502/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=24 October 2012 |title=FIFA player's stats |publisher=[[FIFA]] |access-date=28 June 2015}}</ref>

In the [[Football at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|2016 Rio Olympics]] Riley played every minute of the Football Ferns' three games. The Ferns lost 2–0 to [[United States women's national soccer team|USA]], 3–0 to [[France women's national football team|France]] and beat [[Colombia women's national football team|Colombia]] 1–0.

Riley has been the captain of the Football Ferns since the [[2017 Cyprus Cup]].

In April 2019, Riley was named to the final 23-player squad for the [[2019 FIFA Women's World Cup]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12226024 |title=Football Ferns squad revealed for World Cup |date=28 April 2019 |via=www.nzherald.co.nz}}</ref>

On 20 July 2023, Riley captained New Zealand in the country's first World Cup victory ever. In the opening game of the [[2023 FIFA Women's World Cup]], New Zealand beat Norway 1–0.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.foxsports.com/stories/soccer/new-zealand-makes-history-with-countrys-first-world-cup-victory-ever |first=Doug |last=McIntyre |title=New Zealand makes history with country's first World Cup victory ever |date=20 July 2023 |access-date=20 July 2023 |work=Fox Sports}}</ref>

On July 4, 2024, Riley was initially named to the New Zealand 18-player squad for the [[Football at the 2024 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|2024 Summer Olympics]] in Paris but had to withdraw on July 24, 2024, just days before the start of the competition due to injury.<ref>{{Cite web |last=friendsoffootballnz_irqgpj |date=2024-07-03 |title=Football Ferns squad named for Olympic Games in Paris |url=https://www.friendsoffootballnz.com/2024/07/04/football-ferns-squad-named-for-olympic-games-in-paris/ |access-date=2024-08-19 |website=Friends of Football |language=en-NZ}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Garrick |first1=Omar |last2=Linehan |first2=Meg |title=New Zealand's Ali Riley ruled out of Paris Olympics |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5655203/2024/07/24/ali-riley-new-zealand-olympics/ |access-date=2024-08-19 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

== Other work ==

=== Media ===
[[File:2022 NWSL Championship 90 - Kelley O'Hara and Ali Riley (cropped).jpg|thumb|[[Kelley O'Hara]] and Riley host the Just Women's Sports pregame show before the 2022 NWSL Championship.]]
In 2021 Riley started hosting an ''Off the Ball'' show for sports website ''[[Just Women's Sports]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hruby |first=Emma |date=28 June 2022 |title=Off the Ball with Ali Riley launches third season with new flavor |url=https://justwomenssports.com/off-the-ball-ali-riley-season-3-returns-angel-city/ |access-date=4 November 2022 |website=Just Women's Sports |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Louie |first=Jesse |date=8 April 2021 |title=Off the Ball with Ali Riley, Ep 1: Marta Magic |url=https://justwomenssports.com/off-the-ball-with-ali-riley-ep-1-marta-magic/ |access-date=4 November 2022 |website=Just Women's Sports |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Books ===
In 2023, Riley released a cookbook featuring plant-based recipes titled ''Girls Gone Veg'' with her former Orlando Pride teammate [[Toni Pressley]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 November 2023 |title=On Her Mark: Soccer pros discuss new 'Girls Gone Veg' cookbook |url=https://www.nbcsportsboston.com/soccer/on-her-mark-ali-riley-toni-pressley-discuss-girls-gone-veg-cookbook/568571/ |access-date=13 March 2024 |website=NBC Sports Boston |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Riley is of [[Chinese people|Chinese]] descent.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.allforxi.com/2021/3/17/22335350/nwsl-preseason-preview-ali-riley-orlando-pride-inspiring-asian-american-girls-play-soccer | title=NWSL preseason preview: Ali Riley on reckoning with her identity and inspiring Asian-American girls to play | date=17 March 2021 }}</ref> Her father John Riley is a native [[New Zealanders|New Zealander]] and her mother Bev Lowe is [[Chinese Americans|Chinese-American]]. They first met when both worked with the [[RAND Corporation]].<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/07/17/ali-riley-soccer-new-zealand-womens-world-cup/ Culpepper, Chuck. "Ali Riley, the California-born co-captain of New Zealand, welcomes the world," ''The Washington Post'', Monday, July 17, 2023.] Retrieved 18 May 2024.</ref>

Riley eats a mostly plant based diet. She is a self-identified flexitarian (Or semi-vegetarian).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gonzalez |first=Rachel |date=2025-01-09 |title=Veganuary: 5 Women's Soccer Players Who Swear by a Vegan Diet |url=https://girlssoccernetwork.com/veganuary-5-womens-soccer-players-who-swear-by-a-vegan-diet/#:~:text=Honorable%2520mention:%2520Ali%2520Riley&text=A%2520self-identified%2520flexitarian%E2%80%94a,ways%2520to%2520veganize%2520other%2520recipes. |access-date=2025-05-15 |website=Girls Soccer Network |language=en-US}}</ref> She has a cooking show called Girls Gone Veg which she founded with fellow soccer player [[Toni Pressley]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=About |url=https://www.wearegirlsgoneveg.com/about |access-date=2025-05-15 |website=Girls Gone Veg |language=en-US}}</ref>

Riley became engaged to her fiancée Lucas Warrer Nilsson in March 2024.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.instagram.com/p/C5EiuxLvWv5/?igsh=MXZqeHBnczl3cnBxYg%3D%3D&img_index=1 | title=Instagram }}</ref>

On January 8, 2025, Riley revealed on social media that her home had been destroyed in the [[Palisades Fire]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Humphrey |first=Megan |date=January 9, 2025 |title=Angel City Defender Ali Riley's Home Destroyed in Devastating Los Angeles Fire |url=https://www.si.com/soccer/angel-city-defender-ali-riley-home-destroyed-los-angeles-fire |access-date=January 9, 2025 |magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]}}</ref>

== Career statistics ==
=== Club ===
{{updated|match played 26 April 2024}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/alexandra-riley/19599/ |publisher=Soccerway |access-date=11 February 2020 |title=Ali Riley player profile}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
! rowspan="2" |Club
! rowspan="2" |Season
! colspan="3" |League
! colspan="2" |National Cup<ref group="lower-alpha">Includes the [[Svenska Cupen (women)|Svenska Cupen]], [[Women's FA Cup|FA Cup]], [[DFB-Pokal Frauen|DFB-Pokal]], [[NWSL Challenge Cup]]</ref>
! colspan="2" |Continental<ref group="lower-alpha">Includes the [[UEFA Women's Champions League|UEFA Champions League]]</ref>
! colspan="2" |Other<ref group="lower-alpha">Includes the USL W-League playoffs, WPS playoffs, [[Svenska Supercupen (women)|Svenska Supercupen]], [[FA Women's League Cup|FA League Cup]], [[NWSL Playoffs]]</ref>
! colspan="2" |Total
|-
!Division
!Apps
!Goals
!Apps
!Goals
!Apps
!Goals
!Apps
!Goals
!Apps
!Goals
|-
|[[Pali Blues]]
|[[2009 USL W-League season|2009]]
|[[USL W-League (1995–2015)|USL W-League]]
|7||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||3||0||10||0
|-
|[[FC Gold Pride]]
|[[2010 Women's Professional Soccer season|2010]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Women's Professional Soccer|WPS]]
|23||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||1||0||24||0
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[Western New York Flash]]
|[[2011 Western New York Flash season|2011]]
|15||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||1||0||16||0
|-
! colspan="2" |Total
!45!!0!!colspan="2"|—!!colspan="2"|—!!5!!0!!50!!0
|-
| rowspan="8" |[[FC Rosengård|Rosengård]]
|[[2012 Damallsvenskan|2012]]
| rowspan="7" |[[Damallsvenskan]]
|19||0||1||0||5||0||1||0||26||0
|-
|[[2013 Damallsvenskan|2013]]
|20||1||colspan="2"|—||3||0||colspan="2"|—||23||1
|-
|[[2014 Damallsvenskan|2014]]
|19||1||colspan="2"|—||6||0||colspan="2"|—||25||1
|-
|[[2015 Damallsvenskan|2015]]
|21||1||5||0||6||0||1||0||33||1
|-
|[[2016 Damallsvenskan|2016]]
|22||0||4||0||6||0||1||0||33||0
|-
|[[2017 Damallsvenskan|2017]]
|21||1||5||0||4||0||colspan="2"|—||30||1
|-
|[[2018 Damallsvenskan|2018]]
|10||0||5||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||15||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!132!!4!!20!!0!!30!!0!!3!!0!!185!!4
|-
|[[Chelsea F.C. Women|Chelsea]]
|[[2018–19 Chelsea F.C. Women season|2018–19]]
|[[FA Women's Super League|FA WSL]]
|9||0||1||0||2||0||4||2||16||2
|-
|[[FC Bayern Munich (women)|Bayern Munich]]
|[[2019–20 Frauen-Bundesliga|2019–20]]
|[[Frauen-Bundesliga|Bundesliga]]
|3||0||1||0||3||0||colspan="2"|—||7||0
|-
|rowspan="3"|[[Orlando Pride]]
|[[2020 Orlando Pride season|2020]]<ref group="lower-alpha">The 2020 Season ended up cancelled due to [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States|COVID-19]] and Riley didn't take part in the [[2020 NWSL Challenge Cup|NWSL Challenge Cup]] before leaving for Sweden</ref>
|rowspan="2"|[[National Women's Soccer League|NWSL]]
|colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—
|-
|[[2021 Orlando Pride season|2021]]
|20||0||4||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||24||0
|-
!colspan="2" |Total
!32!!0!!6!!0!!5!!0!!4!!2!!47!!2
|-
|[[FC Rosengård|Rosengård]] (loan)
|[[2020 Damallsvenskan|2020]]
|[[Damallsvenskan]]
|17||1||1||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||18||1
|-
| rowspan="4" |[[Angel City FC]]
|[[2022 Angel City FC season|2022]]
| rowspan="3" |[[National Women's Soccer League|NWSL]]
|20||2||6||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||26||2
|-
|[[2023 Angel City FC season|2023]]
|18||1||4||0||colspan="2"|—||1
|0||19||1
|-
|[[2024 Angel City FC season|2024]]
|5
|0
| colspan="2" |—
| colspan="2" |—
| colspan="2" |—
|5
|0
|-
! colspan="2" |Total
!43
!3
!10
!0
! colspan="2" |—
!1
!0
!50
!3
|-
!colspan="3"|Career total
!269!!8!!37!!0!!35!!0!!13!!2!!354!!10
|}
{{Reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

=== International goals ===
: ''New Zealand score listed first, score column indicates score after each Riley goal.''
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+International goals by date, venue, opponent, score, result and competition
! scope="col" |No.
! scope="col" data-sort-type="date" |Date
! scope="col" |Venue
! scope="col" |Opponent
! scope="col" |Score
! scope="col" |Result
! scope="col" |Competition
!scope=col class=unsortable|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: center" |'''1'''
|8 October 2010
|[[North Harbour Stadium]], [[Auckland]], New Zealand
|{{fbw|PNG}}
| align="center" |'''1'''–0
| align="center" |11–0
|[[2010 OFC Women's Championship#Final|2010 OFC Championship]]
|<ref>{{cite web |title=OFC 2010 final New Zealand 11 – 0 Papua New Guinea |url=http://www.oceaniafootball.com/ofc/News/ViewArticle/tabid/125/Article/20c01b05-cc0f-4163-af9d-90a1f398cb9b/Default.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303202010/http://www.oceaniafootball.com/ofc/News/ViewArticle/tabid/125/Article/20c01b05-cc0f-4163-af9d-90a1f398cb9b/Default.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 March 2016}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: center" |'''2'''
|6 September 2022
|[[Titan Stadium (Cal State Fullerton)|Titan Stadium]], [[Fullerton, California|Fullerton]]
|{{fbw|PHI}}
| align="center"| '''2'''–1
| align="center"| 2–1
|[[Exhibition match|Friendly]]
|
|}

==Honours==
'''FC Gold Pride'''
* [[Women's Professional Soccer]]: [[2010 Women's Professional Soccer season|2010]]

'''Western New York Flash'''
* [[Women's Professional Soccer]]: [[2011 Women's Professional Soccer season|2011]]

'''FC Rosengård (formerly LdB FC Malmö)'''
* [[Damallsvenskan]]: [[2013 Damallsvenskan|2013]], [[2014 Damallsvenskan|2014]], [[2015 Damallsvenskan|2015]]
* [[Svenska Supercupen]]: [[2012 Svenska Supercupen|2012]], [[2015 Svenska Supercupen|2015]], [[2015 Svenska Supercupen|2016]]
* [[Svenska Cupen]]: [[2016 Svenska Cupen|2016]], [[2017 Svenska Cupen|2017]], [[2018 Svenska Cupen|2018]]

'''New Zealand'''
*[[OFC Women's Nations Cup]]: [[2010 OFC Women's Championship|2010]], [[2014 OFC Women's Nations Cup|2014]], [[2018 OFC Women's Nations Cup|2018]]

'''Individual'''
*Nike Junior Women's Player of the Year 2006
*Nike National Women's Player of the Year 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
*Oceania Football Confederation Women's Player of the Year 2009, 2010
*[[FIFPro#FIFA FIFPro Women's World11|FIFPRO World XI]] short-list (55 players): 2016, 2017<ref>{{cite news |title=FIFPRO 2017 Voting on World Best XI |url=https://www.fifpro.org/news/2017-women-s-world-xi-player-ranking/en/ |access-date=4 June 2018 |archive-date=29 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180329114059/https://www.fifpro.org/news/2017-women-s-world-xi-player-ranking/en/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*[[IFFHS World Team#Women Team of the Decade (2011–2020)|IFFHS OFC Woman Team of the Decade]] 2011–2020<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.iffhs.com/index.php/posts/933 |title=IFFHS WOMAN TEAM – OFC – OF THE DECADE 2011–2020 |work=IFFHS |date=31 January 2021}}</ref>
*WPS Rookie of the Year: 2010
*WPS All Pro selection (First XI): 2010, 2011<ref>{{cite news |title=WPS announces best XI of 2011 |url=http://www.womensprosoccer.com/Home/news/press_releases/110907-wps-best-xi.aspx |publisher=WPS |date=7 September 2011 |access-date=7 September 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120114012406/http://www.womensprosoccer.com/Home/news/press_releases/110907-wps-best-xi.aspx |archive-date=14 January 2012}}</ref>
*Damallsvenskan All Star Selection (First XI): 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
*All-Pac-10 freshman first team: 2006
*[[TopDrawerSoccer.com]] Team of the Season: 2009
*All-Pacific Region first team: 2009
*All-Pac-10 first team: 2009
*Pac-10 women's soccer Scholar-Athlete of the Year: 2009
*Stanford University, Pat Strathairn Best Competitive Athlete Award: 2010

'''Orders'''
* [[Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit]]: [[2024 New Year Honours (New Zealand)|2024]]<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/new-year-honours-2024-the-full-list/MKD6GRO3SNFONISQU45WVVRK4Q/ |title=New Year Honours 2024: the full list |date=30 December 2023 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |access-date=30 December 2023}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Alexandra Riley}}
* {{Official website|http://aliriley.com}}
* {{NWSL player|22abab359f2f4f6398f9d7785cbd3f78/ali-riley}}
* [https://angelcity.com/club/roster/ali-riley Ali Riley] at [[Angel City FC]]
* {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100405072839/http://www.womensprosoccer.com/bayarea/team/bios/ali-riley |date=5 April 2010 |title=FC Gold Pride player profile}}
* {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150922115109/http://www.nzfootball.co.nz/people/ali-riley/ |date=22 September 2015 |title=Profile at New Zealand Football}}
* {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120219174752/http://www.gostanford.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/riley_ali00.html |date=19 February 2012 |title=Stanford Cardinal player profile}}
* {{SvFF|fid=716510|name=Alexandra Riley}} ([https://web.archive.org/web/20150908032807/http://svenskfotboll.se/damallsvenskan/person/?playerid=7563 archive])
* {{FIFA player|252502|archive=20151004092140}}
* {{UEFA player|250031310}}
* {{Soccerway|alexandra-riley/19599}}
* {{NZOC}}
* {{Olympics.com}}
* {{Olympedia}}

{{Angel City FC squad}}
{{Navboxes
| bg    = white
| fg    = black
| bordercolor=black
| title = New Zealand squads
| list1 =
{{New Zealand squad 2007 OFC Women's Championship}}
{{New Zealand squad 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup}}
{{New Zealand women's football squad 2008 Summer Olympics}}
{{New Zealand squad 2010 OFC Women's Championship}}
{{New Zealand squad 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup}}
{{New Zealand women's football squad 2012 Summer Olympics}}
{{New Zealand squad 2014 OFC Women's Nations Cup}}
{{New Zealand squad 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup}}
{{New Zealand women's football squad 2016 Summer Olympics}}
{{New Zealand squad 2018 OFC Women's Nations Cup}}
{{New Zealand squad 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup}}
{{New Zealand women's football squad 2020 Summer Olympics}}
{{New Zealand squad 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup}}
}}
{{Navboxes
| title = New Zealand Olympic teams
| bg = #000000
| fg = #FFFFFF
| bordercolor = silver
| list1 = 
{{2008 New Zealand Olympic team}}
{{2012 New Zealand Olympic team}}
{{2016 New Zealand Olympic team}}
{{2020 New Zealand Olympic team}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Riley, Ali}}
[[Category:1987 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:New Zealand women's association footballers]]
[[Category:Olympic association footballers for New Zealand]]
[[Category:Footballers at the 2008 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Footballers at the 2012 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Stanford Cardinal women's soccer players]]
[[Category:FC Gold Pride players]]
[[Category:Pali Blues players]]
[[Category:Western New York Flash players]]
[[Category:2007 FIFA Women's World Cup players]]
[[Category:2011 FIFA Women's World Cup players]]
[[Category:2015 FIFA Women's World Cup players]]
[[Category:USL W-League (1995–2015) players]]
[[Category:FC Rosengård players]]
[[Category:Damallsvenskan players]]
[[Category:Expatriate women's footballers in Sweden]]
[[Category:New Zealand expatriate sportspeople in Sweden]]
[[Category:New Zealand expatriate sportspeople in England]]
[[Category:Chelsea F.C. Women players]]
[[Category:Women's Super League players]]
[[Category:Expatriate women's footballers in England]]
[[Category:Soccer players from Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Women's association football midfielders]]
[[Category:Women's association football defenders]]
[[Category:New Zealand women's international footballers]]
[[Category:FIFA Women's Century Club]]
[[Category:Footballers at the 2016 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:American people of New Zealand descent]]
[[Category:New Zealand people of American descent]]
[[Category:New Zealand sportspeople of Chinese descent]]
[[Category:American women's soccer players]]
[[Category:Harvard-Westlake School alumni]]
[[Category:2019 FIFA Women's World Cup players]]
[[Category:FC Bayern Munich (women) players]]
[[Category:New Zealand expatriate sportspeople in Germany]]
[[Category:Frauen-Bundesliga players]]
[[Category:Orlando Pride players]]
[[Category:Angel City FC players]]
[[Category:Footballers at the 2020 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:National Women's Soccer League players]]
[[Category:Women's Professional Soccer players]]
[[Category:New Zealand expatriate women's association footballers]]
[[Category:New Zealand expatriate sportspeople in the United States]]
[[Category:Expatriate women's soccer players in the United States]]
[[Category:Expatriate women's footballers in Germany]]
[[Category:2023 FIFA Women's World Cup players]]
[[Category:Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit]]
[[Category:American sportswomen of Chinese descent]]
[[Category:Stanford University alumni]]
[[Category:21st-century American sportswomen]]
[[Category:American expatriate women's soccer players in Germany]]
[[Category:21st-century New Zealand sportswomen]]