Baring it all: Soccer World Cup star Kelley O'Hara strips down for an ESPN Body Issue cover shoot - as she opens up about learning to love her body, and reveals her favorite physical asset

  • The 31-year-old, who recently had her second World Cup win, stars on one of 17 covers for the issue
  • She poses nude with a soccer ball in images and behind-the-scenes video 
  • Kelley admitted that when she was younger, she wanted to look like models in magazines, but has grown to love her body 
  • She also spoke about accusations that she and her teammates were 'arrogant,' as well as their fight for equal pay 

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US soccer star Kelley O'Hara stripped down to absolutely nothing for ESPN The Magazine's 2019 The Body Issue.

The 31-year-old FIFA Women's World Cup champion and Olympic gold medalist has worn quite a few uniforms over the course of her nearly decade-long professional career, but she ditched them all in favor of the skin she's in for the magazine's annual nude issue. 

Posing for one of 17 covers, Kelley shows off the muscular figure — and a butt she's quite proud of — that got her to where she is today.

Cover star: US soccer star Kelley O'Hara stripped down to absolutely nothing for ESPN The Magazine's 2019 The Body Issue

Cover star: US soccer star Kelley O'Hara stripped down to absolutely nothing for ESPN The Magazine's 2019 The Body Issue

The 31-year-old FIFA Women's World Cup champion and Olympic gold medalist ditched her uniform for the occasion
The 31-year-old FIFA Women's World Cup champion and Olympic gold medalist ditched her uniform for the occasion

Good time: The 31-year-old FIFA Women's World Cup champion and Olympic gold medalist ditched her uniform for the occasion

Work it! Posing for one of 17 covers, Kelley shows off the muscular figure — and a butt she's quite proud of — that got her to where she is today

Work it! Posing for one of 17 covers, Kelley shows off the muscular figure — and a butt she's quite proud of — that got her to where she is today

Strength: The 5′ 5″ stunner looks strong as ever, despite arriving at the shoot in a boot to protect the ankle injury she'd sustained the day before

Strength: The 5′ 5″ stunner looks strong as ever, despite arriving at the shoot in a boot to protect the ankle injury she'd sustained the day before

Kelley — who recently won her second World Cup with the US Women's National Team — proudly flaunted her toned legs, strong arms, and impressive abs in a cover shot that shows her with one foot propped on a soccer ball and her hands holding a beer.

The 5′ 5″ stunner looks strong as ever, despite arriving at the shoot in a boot to protect the ankle injury she'd sustained the day before.

In behind-the-scenes video, she admits she's 'surprised' by how comfortable she felt the first time she took off her robe on set.

'I've always loved The Body Issue. I think it's beautiful, I think it's empowering. I just think it's such a cool display of athletes and sport in general and the human figure.'

Though she felt pretty confident at the shoot, however, she admitted that she hasn't always embraced the way her body looked.   

'I've always loved The Body Issue. I think it's beautiful, I think it's empowering. I just think it's such a cool display of athletes and sport in general and the human figure,' she said

'I've always loved The Body Issue. I think it's beautiful, I think it's empowering. I just think it's such a cool display of athletes and sport in general and the human figure,' she said

'I haven't always loved my body,' she said, admitting she wanted to look like a model in a magazine when she was a teenager

'I haven't always loved my body,' she said, admitting she wanted to look like a model in a magazine when she was a teenager

She said: 'As I've grown up and grown into my body and my self confidence, I've come to realize, this is what God gave me and this is what we've got to work with'

She said: 'As I've grown up and grown into my body and my self confidence, I've come to realize, this is what God gave me and this is what we've got to work with'

'Now I'm really proud of my body. I love the way I look and I'm proud of what I've done to get my body to look this way,' she said

'Now I'm really proud of my body. I love the way I look and I'm proud of what I've done to get my body to look this way,' she said

More: Kelley is also seen posing for different shots in behind-the-scenes video
More: Kelley is also seen posing for different shots in behind-the-scenes video

More: Kelley is also seen posing for different shots in behind-the-scenes video

'I haven't always loved my body. I mean, I've always appreciated it, but as a teenager, going through puberty and all that stuff, you look at the magazines and you're like, "oh, I want that hourglass figure; why doesn't my body look like that?"' she said.

'And as I've grown up and grown into my body and my self confidence, I've come to realize, this is what God gave me and this is what we've got to work with. 

'Now I'm really proud of my body. I love the way I look and I'm proud of what I've done to get my body to look this way. And I'm thankful for it because it allows me to do what I get to do every day, which is play soccer.'

She's proudest of her butt, in particular. 

'That's the most important body part for our sport, where you get all your power in sprinting. I've had to work on getting stronger through dealing with injuries, and I put a lot of focus on building muscle mass. 

Tush: The soccer pro said she's proudest of her butt, in particular

Tush: The soccer pro said she's proudest of her butt, in particular

Growth: 'My butt apparently has gotten a bit bigger in the past couple years, so I'll take it,' she said

Growth: 'My butt apparently has gotten a bit bigger in the past couple years, so I'll take it,' she said

At ease: Kelley said she felt surprisingly comfortable stripping down for the shoot

At ease: Kelley said she felt surprisingly comfortable stripping down for the shoot

Pride: Kelley also addressed her team's recent World Cup win, sharing her thoughts on some of the criticism aimed at her and her teammates

Pride: Kelley also addressed her team's recent World Cup win, sharing her thoughts on some of the criticism aimed at her and her teammates

Speaking out: She also hit back at those who don't agree with her and her teammates fighting for equal pay

Speaking out: She also hit back at those who don't agree with her and her teammates fighting for equal pay

'My butt apparently has gotten a bit bigger in the past couple years, so I'll take it.'

Kelley also addressed her team's recent World Cup win, sharing her thoughts on some of the criticism aimed at her and her teammates. 

'[The thing that bothered me] was the talk of us being arrogant. When we won, we were able to say, "We're not arrogant -- we're actually quite humble, and we respect every opponent we come up against. But we're confident because we're prepared,"' she said. 

'A lot of people take our confidence and our excitement and our celebrating as arrogant, but it's not. It's just embracing the game and the joy of playing on that stage for your country.'

'Winning the World Cup was really important for us to continue to fight for what we believe we deserve,' she said

'Winning the World Cup was really important for us to continue to fight for what we believe we deserve,' she said

Double successes: This was her second World Cup win in a decade-long career

Double successes: This was her second World Cup win in a decade-long career 

She also hit back at those who don't agree with her and her teammates fighting for equal pay.

'Winning the World Cup was really important for us to continue to fight for what we believe we deserve. 

'It wasn't really at the front of my mind during the tournament, but at the end of the day, we did file the lawsuit ahead of the World Cup, which a lot of people criticized and questioned, but we won,' she said. 

'We're trying to push the sport forward, not just in this country but in the world. It's not a fun fight. It's not an easy fight. But the generations before us have done it, and we feel a responsibility to continue to push.'

Meanwhile, Kelley shared her cover on Instagram on Tuesday, writing the caption: 'Got naked. Popped bottles. Thanks @espn for the epic day!' 

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