"I was always faithful in my marriage" - Ex-USWNT star Ashlyn Harris denies cheating on ex-wife Ali Krieger with actress Sophia Bush

Retired USWNT goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris has cleared the air regarding her split from ex-wife Ali Krieger, denying claims of her infidelity. Harris and Krieger got married in 2019 having known each other for nine years prior, and announced their divorce in October.

As she prepared to lead her Gotham FC side to the Playoff finals, Krieger made a post on Instagram where she implied that she had been cheated on. She referred to herself as being in the 'Beyonce Lemonade era', referring to the period when Jay-Z cheated on Beyonce.

Since the post was made, there have been rumors that Ashlyn Harris cheated on her former USWNT teammate with Hollywood star Sophia Bush. This led the 25-cap USWNT goalkeeper to post a lengthy explanation on Instagram.

"Ending a relationship after almost 13 years of friendship, teammate-ship, marriage, and co-parenting (many of them good years) is a decision that was not made lightly."

"We agreed to center our children, continue therapy, separate, and to move forward with our lives. Two happy families are always better than one unhappy one. This process is never easy, but we were making our way through."

The former goalkeeper revealed that she had faced a lot of hate and bullying since the news of their divorce filtered out. She then tried to set the record straight by clarifying that she did not cheat on her partner at any point.

"We planned to keep this information private... a leak made that impossible. The online hate that has happened since has been one of the most personally devastating experiences of my life. I know that it is best practice in the world of online gossip not to feed the beast. For weeks I have tried to take this advice... and what I've experienced has been devastating for my mental health."

"Words matter. The cheering on abuse, the people clamoring to encourage me to commit suicide and the cruel words spoken about my children and who I am as a mother? Those words matter."

"People have run with a narrative that's unbearably painful. Not all marriages last forever. Ours did not. For many reasons. And while I understand that the false narrative about why might feel juicier or make a better headline, they are simply not true."

Harris expressed her regret at having seen how many people were willing to throw her under the bus without understanding the issue. She also clearly stated that she did not cheat on her wife.

"Let me be clear: I did not step out on my marriage. I was always faithful in my marriage, if not always totally happy. Like in many partnerships, there was work and therapy and processing done. None of this happened on a whim."

The ex-couple adopted two children, a boy and a girl, who they cared for together.

USWNT set for new era

The USWNT is set for a new era following their disappointing showing at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. The country will be without legendary forward Megan Rapinoe for their upcoming games following her retirement.

Chelsea Women manager Emma Hayes has also been appointed as the new manager of the USWNT following her success with Chelsea. The Englishwoman has spent 12 years in charge of the Blues, winning all but one trophy at the club.

Hayes is expected to herald a new era of dominance for the USWNT following the rise of multiple European sides. Her first task will be to clinch gold in Paris next year at the Olympics.