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Ali Krieger is kicking back this year.

Just a few months after her retirement from professional soccer and breakup from wife Ashlyn Harris, the former U.S. Women's National Team star reflected on what she's looking forward to most in the coming months.

"I have never felt more happy and more free, so I feel excited for the future," Ali exclusively told E! News while on the red carpet at the Law & Order: SVU 25th Anniversary Celebration Jan. 16. "I'm excited for a new chapter."

And that involves creating new memories with her daughter Sloane, 2, and son Ocean, 17 months, whom she shares with Ashlyn. 

"I'm excited to discover new passions," the 39-year-old noted. "I'm excited to spend more time with my kids first and foremost and to be able to go visit family and friends whenever I want."

And she plans to expand her social calendar with her kiddos, including more playdates with friends and spending time with other families. She also wants to "meet up at the playground and go to brunches and do birthday parties."

As for coparenting? Ali simply said, "So far, so good." 

Ashlyn filed for divorce in September after nearly four years of marriage, although the news wasn't made public until the following month. Around that same time, multiple outlets confirmed the 41-year-old was dating Sophia Bush, who was in the middle of her own divorce from estranged husband Grant Hughes.

But while at the time, Ali responded with an eyebrow-raising reference to Beyoncé's Lemonade album, these days she's pulling a red card on the noise.

Especially now that she's hung up the cleats after 17 years, the 39-year-old is ready to just relax.

"It's always been a struggle to do that when you're playing and everything," she explained. "It's so scheduled and structured. So now I have the freedom to do that."

And part of that is continuing her journey of personal growth.

And after closing two major chapters last year, she's planning to work on herself from within.

"I want to continue healing and I continue to have a deeper relationship with myself and discover myself a little bit deeper on that type of level," she reflected. "I haven't had that much time for just myself. 

"And so I think that's really important for me going into 2024—really changing that mindset and really taking care of me," Ali continued. "That's going to be exciting about this year."

Law & Order: SVU returns with season 25 Jan. 18 on NBC.

(E! News and NBC are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)

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