FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – New England Revolution defender Chris Tierney today announced his retirement from professional soccer. Tierney, the longest-tenured outfield player in Revolution history with 11 seasons of service, finishes his career ranked among the top four in the club history in several major statistical categories, including games played, games started, minutes played, assists, and game-winning assists.

Long heralded as one of Major League Soccer's best left backs, Tierney's regular season career totals include 246 games played, 220 starts, 13 goals, and 40 assists in 19,422 minutes played. The Wellesley, Mass., native helped New England to a 2008 North American SuperLiga title as well as appearances in the 2014 MLS Cup and 2016 U.S. Open Cup finals. His career accolades include an MLS All-Star Team selection in 2015, Revolution Defender of the Year honors in 2016, and Midnight Riders Man of the Year recognition in 2016.

“After 11 seasons, the time has come for me to step away from the game I love,” Tierney said. “I feel honored and privileged to have been able to live my dream of playing for the club I grew up supporting. The New England Revolution has always been, and will continue to be, a huge part of my life. Retirement has been a difficult decision, but I walk away with the satisfaction of knowing that I gave everything I had.

“I would like to thank my family, fiancée, friends, teammates, the Kraft family, the entire Revolution organization, and of course the fans who have supported me since day one. I’m extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to contribute to the growth of Major League Soccer, and I hope to continue to do so in the future.”

“When we drafted Chris, we were excited to get a homegrown player before that term existed,” Revolution Investor/Operators Robert and Jonathan Kraft said. “Now over 10 years later, we are recognizing the retirement of a true professional who represented everything we aspire for the organization to be both on and off the pitch.”

Tierney completes his career as one of the club’s most accomplished postseason performers. He owns seven postseason appearances – all starts – and recorded two goals and two assists in five appearances during the 2014 MLS Cup Playoffs. He remains one of two Revolution players ever to score in an MLS Cup Final, alongside Taylor Twellman, as he delivered a 79^th-minute equalizer against the LA Galaxy in the 2014 final. In Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup play, Tierney's 13 appearances are tied for the third most in club history. He is also the Revolution's all-time leader in corner kicks taken with 477.

Tierney, 32, was selected by the Revolution with the 13^th pick in the 2008 MLS Supplemental Draft. After making a combined 20 league appearances in 2008 and 2009, he became a staple at left back for New England from 2010-17, making at least 20 starts in eight straight seasons. He tallied at least five assists in four straight seasons from 2012-15 and five campaigns overall. The University of Virginia product made six appearances and scored one goal in 2018 before suffering a season-ending ACL tear on May 30 vs. Atlanta United FC.

Chris Tierney Career Highlights:

• Ranks among top four in Revs history in games played (3^rd – 246), games started (4^th – 220), minutes played (4^th – 19,422), assists (T-4^th – 40), and game-winning assists (2^nd – 16).
• Longest-tenured field player in Revolution history with 11 seasons in New England.
• Named to MLS All-Star Team in 2015.
• Voted club's 2016 Defender of the Year by media and 2016 Midnight Riders Man of the Year by supporters.
• Equalizing goal in the 79^th minute of MLS Cup 2014 vs. LA Galaxy
• Game-winning free kick in stoppage time of 2018 home opener  vs. Colorado Rapids
• Stunning game-winning goal with his right foot vs. Real Salt Lake in 2015

"Chris was a consummate professional and competitor who represented everything it means to be a Revolution player throughout his career," General Manager Michael Burns said. "His commitment to the club was unwavering and he was the ultimate ambassador for us on the field and off the field. For him to spend his entire professional career with his hometown team is a rare accomplishment. We wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors."

Tierney's 11 years of service ranked him among the top 10 longest-tenured active athletes across Boston's five major professional sports, a list that includes the New England Patriots' Tom Brady, Boston Red Sox's Dustin Pedroia, and the Boston Bruins' Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron, among other notable local pros.

After graduating from Noble and Greenough School in Dedham, Mass., where he lettered four times as a midfielder, Tierney played four years at the University of Virginia. He appeared in 79 games, starting 38, and scored 11 goals with 16 assists for the Cavaliers. As a freshman, he helped Virginia win the 2004 ACC Championship, before then leading the team to the 2006 College Cup semifinals, the school’s first appearance at that level since 1997. He was later named to the 2007 ACC All-Tournament Team as a senior, a season in which he set career highs with seven goals and seven helpers.