Lilly Reale Loves A Chill Postgame Debrief With Her Team

Gotham FC defender Lilly Reale finished her first season in the National Women’s Soccer League with two trophies in hand. First, the former University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) soccer star was named NWSL Rookie of the Year on Nov. 19, an honor she shares with the likes of World Cup winner Julie Johnston and Olympic gold medalist Croix Bethune. Three days later, Reale helped her team secure the NWSL championship win in a 1-0 game against the Washington Spirit.

With both of these accolades, Reale became the second player in NWSL history to be named Rookie of the Year and win the NWSL the same year. The first was superstar Trinity Rodman back in 2021.

“It’s obviously a huge honor, just looking at the players who have won it in the past and seeing what they’ve gone on to do with their careers and how that has driven them forward,” Reale tells Elite Daily. “For me, it’s a nice boost of confidence, but at the same time, I owe a lot of this award to my teammates and coaches.”

Ahead of the championship game, Elite Daily caught up with the 22-year-old athlete to discuss some of the routines that help her unwind when she gets off the field.

Elite Daily: What’s the first thing you do when you enter the locker room after a game?

LR: Usually just chat with my girls. Especially at home games, a lot of us will linger afterward because we don’t have to hurry to get on a bus and go back to the hotel. Our team is just so close, so any opportunity where we can hang out and chat with each other is a good one that I look forward to.

ED: Who’s on your postgame playlist?

LR: Summer Walker. I’ve been listening to her a lot. I usually go with a slower R&B vibe after games to try and get myself to be able to go to sleep after a big win.

ED: How do you bond with your teammates?

LR: I live pretty close to some of our teammates, which is always nice for just popping over to hang out and watch a movie. Maybe go to dinner. A lot of that.

ED: Do you have a go-to postgame meal?

LR: I really like Wingstop, but I’ve kind of weaned off of that in the past couple of months. Usually, I just try and get a source of protein. I’m not really super hungry after games, so anything I can get in my body works — nothing fancy.

ED: How do you move on after a loss?

LR: I usually just dwell on it. I’m kidding. I watch some film and review it with my teammates, talk about different things that I personally struggled with throughout the game, and hear their opinions. I also talk with my coaches. I do little things like that to take a loss and use it as a lesson.

ED: Do you have any recovery practices you like to do after an intense game or practice?

LR: Foam roll, or if we’re at a hotel, getting in a pool is always nice. After the Orlando game [the Nov. 16 semi-final], we were basically staying in Disney World, so there were a bunch of pools at our hotel. Also, hanging out with the team.

ED: What are you manifesting for 2026?

LR: I’ll just keep it simple with being able to continue to learn from the players around me on and off the field. Being able to extend those relationships, especially with people who have joined our team this year — getting to know them better, but also striving for more moments like this. Being able to put ourselves in playoffs and championships is definitely something I’m manifesting.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.