DC United’s Steven Birnbaum retires after painful injuries and recovery

Battling injuries that will require knee and hip replacements and have left him unable to care for his children, Birnbaum announced his retirement from football on Tuesday. He last played on June 1.

United will honor him in a home friendly against Scottish champions Celtic on Saturday.

Captain since 2017, Birnbaum will leave with 275 appearances, trailing only Jaime Moreno (386) and Bill Hamid (297) in United history. He played in eight playoff games and the 2016 MLS All-Star Game.

His U.S. national team career spanned 11 appearances from 2015 to 2017, including starts in two World Cup qualifiers and a place in the 2016 Copa America squad.

“There were options to get more shots, but the knee remained swollen and the hip was relapsing,” Birnbaum said. “There were times when I couldn’t walk after games and practices.”

About six weeks ago, he knew he had reached the end. Making his sixth appearance of the year after preseason knee surgery, Birnbaum started against Toronto FC but did not return in the second half.

“It was hard to walk up the stairs (from field level) to the locker room,” he said. “At the same time, it kind of affected me. …I spent some time with the family and sat in the MRI machine again, thinking I don’t want to keep having more needles stuck inside me to get things fixed. It’s not worth it to me anymore.”

The illnesses were affecting his ability not only to play football but also to live daily life with his wife Jean, 4-year-old daughter Colette and 3-year-old son Brooks.

“She wants me to be happy. She wants me to be healthy,” Birnbaum said of his wife. “And that was the biggest thing. I didn’t want to be in pain every day. Doing normal things around the house, I couldn’t really do. There were days after the game when I really didn’t want to get out of bed because I was in so much pain. And so it came to the time where it mattered most to my family. Yes, we are here now.”

The second pick of the 2014 draft, the former California standout has been a starting fixture (when healthy) since the fourth month of his MLS rookie season. With Jeff Parkey sidelined with vertigo, Birnbaum made his debut not at RFK Stadium or Audi Field but at FedEx Field, where United and Columbus Crew were headlined by the Spanish national team preparing for the World Cup in Brazil Were the undercard of the doubleheader.

He played every minute of the 2018 campaign and all but 28 minutes in 2019.

“It has been rewarding to watch him develop over the last 11 years as a player and person,” United chief executive Jason Levien said in a statement. “He has been a pillar in our back line and more importantly, he has been an exceptional leader and human being in our community.”

However, injuries took their toll. Birnbaum was sidelined for six months in 2021 due to left ankle surgery, he began having problems with his left hip and his left knee remained a persistent problem.

This preseason, Birnbaum said he is physically fit and excited to start working under new coach Troy LeCane. However, when camp opened, he injured his knee again. The surgery kept him out for four to six games, but complications kept him out for several additional weeks.

After two appearances as a sub, Birnbaum started four consecutive matches, the last three coming in the space of eight days. His knee had nothing left to give.

“There is no cartilage, no meniscus. It’s bone on bone,” he said. “It got to the point where I couldn’t put together two training sessions.”

Reflecting on his career, Birnbaum listed some of his favorite memories:

His US debut came in a friendly match in Chile.

His American goal against Iceland.

Lionel Messi and Argentina face off in the 2016 Copa America semi-finals in Houston.

Being part of the groundbreaking and inaugural match at Audi Field in 2018 alongside United’s star striker Wayne Rooney, who later served as coach. (The pair became close friends and golfing buddies.)

Seeing his children in the stands, wearing United jerseys, and seeing his daughter walking onto the field before a match.

“It obviously came sooner than I expected,” he said. “I thought I would play a little longer and have a few more years to figure it out. “Right now, I’m just trying to enjoy this time with my family and keep my head straight and straight to prepare for the next step or whatever it may be.”