Former Soccer Star Reveals Toxic Marriage Struggles on Reality Show

In a recent episode of the reality show Special Forces, former soccer star Christie Pearce, 50, candidly discussed her decision to stay in a "toxic" marriage for longer than she should have. Pearce, who was previously married to Chris Rampone from 2001 to 2017, revealed that the divorce has been "extremely ugly" and that she "couldn't move on and be happy" until she left the relationship.

Pearce, who was the captain of the U.S. national soccer team for eight years, shared that she felt "embarrassed" about trying to make her marriage seem "happy" when it was not. She explained that she was the "breadwinner" and was often on the road, while her husband was at home. This led to constant fighting and a loss of feelings in the relationship.

Joining the grueling Special Forces competition was a way for Pearce to gain the "confidence" to "keep moving forward" after the difficult transition. She admitted that the challenges on the show were "way harder" than anything she had experienced in her 19 years of playing soccer, but it was a chance for her to push herself and move on from her past.