San Diego Wave’s Kenza Dali may never quit football

San Diego Wave midfielder Kenza Dali isn’t sure she’ll ever quit football.

Heading into her 17th professional season, the 34-year-old carries the same love for the game she felt on Day One.

“You know what, it’s funny, because I’m the fittest on the team,” Dali said. “(Wave head coach Jonas Eidevall) can tell you. I look at age in terms of experience. You can’t match that. There are things in football you don’t learn on the pitch — you learn them through moments.”

In her first NWSL season in 2025, Dali quickly established herself as one of the league’s most influential midfielders. She led the Wave in minutes played (2,247), finished tied for the team lead in goals (five), was named to the NWSL Second XI, earned finalist honors for NWSL Midfielder of the Year, and was voted Player of the Year by the club’s supporters group, the San Diego Sirens.

“I really feel privileged, first of all, because I do the best job in the world, in my opinion,” Dali said. “Every single day I’m grateful — for training, for being healthy, for being able to keep doing what I love.”

San Diego surged through the first half of the 2025 season, finding success with a new attacking identity despite a turbulent 2024 campaign and the departure of key stars including Naomi Girma, Jaedyn Shaw and Alex Morgan.

Anchored by Dali in midfield and guided by Eidevall, the Wave adopted a high-possession, high-pressing style that leaned on dynamic wing play and caught many NWSL opponents off guard.

“Building an identity is one of the hardest things in football,” Dali said. “It doesn’t take one season, or two, or three. It takes much more than that. The priority right now is getting to know each other. The good thing is we have time.”

Throughout the season, teammates consistently praised Dali’s influence — both for her technical ability and her leadership, particularly in helping younger players adjust to the professional environment.

“Dali brings so much experience both on and off the field, and I think it’s so powerful,” Wave center back Kennedy Wesley said. “Especially with younger players coming straight out of college or even younger than that. She’s a really good example of what leadership and experience look like. We’re super lucky to have her.”

Despite the individual accolades and team success, Dali described 2025 as one of the loneliest seasons of her career, adjusting to life far from home.

“The European players have actually talked about this,” Dali said. “People don’t see how challenging it is. You can’t always catch up with your family or friends because there’s a nine-hour time difference. You really have to learn how to be with yourself.”

After the summer international break, San Diego struggled, earning just one win in 10 matches when they returned. Looking back, Dali said the stretch was a valuable lesson for the team.

“We discussed it with (Eidevall): how can we avoid the downfall we had at the end of the season?” Dali said. “The NWSL is so demanding — physically and mentally. If you really watch the teams that were successful, they implemented really important players during the summer break. You need to see what type of strategy you want.”

Dali’s second NWSL season will bring new challenges, as several cornerstone players departed in the offseason, including Kailen Sheridan, Delphine Cascarino, Hanna Lundkvist and Savannah McCaskill.

“They’re great people, so obviously you’re sad,” Dali said. “I always say to (my teammates) that I see them more than my family. You share emotions and experiences together. But unfortunately, it’s part of football.

“People like Delphine (Cascarino) and Kailen (Sheridan) are real friends to me, so I’ll definitely see them again. My focus now is on the people who joined us and the people who are still here — to make them feel comfortable and build something special again.”

The Wave’s “French Connection” remains intact for at least one more season, with Dali and Perle Morroni both signed through 2026. With Sheridan’s departure leaving a leadership void, questions remain about the club’s next captain, but Dali says an armband wouldn’t change her approach.

“I hope to be a leader in terms of how I act on the pitch, how I behave, how I train and how hard I work,” Dali said. “That’s the kind of leader I want to be. I don’t want to be a big voice in the locker room. I lead by example, and I hope my teammates can follow that.”

San Diego opens preseason in two weeks at the Coachella Valley Invitational before beginning its 2026 NWSL campaign on Saturday, March 14, against the Houston Dash.