soccer-players-from-the-united-states

"Everything I learned in sports – such as the sacrifice of training hard, solidarity, working as a team – are things I also have to do in the Christian life. What I experienced in soccer helped me a lot to have all the virtues to lead a good Christian life."

"“I think we have to look at the fact that during this World Cup, we were coming off back-to-back victories. You can’t ignore the way this program has led (soccer) for over twenty-plus years from one bad result. There’s so much talent in this country.”"

"“It’s the standard that this program and team has set.”"

"During our Zoom interview just before Labor Day. She notes that nothing less that winning each World Cup is the expectation placed on the USA’s women."

"“Whoever the next coach has amazing players to choose from, and it’s about putting them in a position to be successful.”"

"I think when you turn pro, it becomes so much more important to take care of your body."

"The confidence you have in yourself is going to be the thing to get where you want to go. Rely on that confidence in yourself and not someone else’s opinion of you."

"I’m not thinking in that moment. When I’m playing my best, I’m free flowing. I’m just doing what I feel is on, finding the space naturally."

"Growing up, I always loved the creative side of the game."

"There are so many incredible players on the national team. They feed me the ball and then I can feed them the ball. Honestly, they make me look good."

"My career has not been easy, whatsoever, I was never with youth teams. It hasn’t been linear, hasn’t been a guarantee. That’s what makes my journey so unique, and I love to be a representation for people who feel like that."

"I think it’s important for that community of young boys and girls to see that name, and know that they can do what I do, I represent those who don’t have an easy journey."

"At this point, I have nothing to lose because I’ve been told no so many times in my career, Being pushed out and then coming back up creates a lot of strength in itself. But I think at this point, my mentality is a lot less anxiety and a lot more excitement. I appreciate where I am as a player now."

"I’m just playing and having fun, Huerta said a few days before the U.S. roster drop. Because ultimately, it’s Vlatko’s decision. It’s out of my hands. I just have to keep doing what I’m doing, and hopefully, he will choose me."

"I just focused on the Reign and being the best I can be for them, Because ultimately, that is going to have me playing my best soccer, which is what would get me called up for the World Cup."

"I really started working on staying present. Not thinking about the past, not thinking about the future, just thinking about today. It just makes things easier on yourself, easier on the mind."

"I needed to redefine the definition of success, and I needed to change the narrative. Just because I’m not on the national team doesn’t mean I’m not successful. It doesn’t mean I’m not a great player."

"I want to be a part of something that is spearheading the movement, if that makes sense? I’m actually investing in seeing myself as an equal to my male counterparts."

"The better I got, the greater the pressure and the tougher his feedback would get."

"I think women need more representation. Not just because we are women, but because we are incredible athletes. Incredible athletes should all be given the same opportunities."

"The experiences that I have had definitely help to deal with different types of pressure."

"Unfortunately, injuries are a natural part of football."

"If I had a bad game or something like that, especially in the very beginning, it was such a hard transitional period that I would just really get in my head."

"I understand there’s much more money in the men’s game. But Fifa spent so much time on the men they now need to focus a little more on us. I would like to close that gap even if I’m not expecting it to be equal. I’m not expecting there to be a huge jump and the win bonus to be $35m when, for the women, it’s $2m. I don’t think the entire world respects women in sport. But if Fifa start respecting the women’s game more, others will follow."

"My confidence makes me strong. Dedicat­ing a lot of my life to my profession and feeling fulfilled makes me strong. Having a family and a husband who chal­lenge me makes me strong."

"I kind of knew coming back after giving birth was gonna be a process and that I was going to have to be patient with myself and my body. [But] I definitely put pressure on myself."

"The fight that we are doing right now for equal pay does not mean that we will achieve it in the short term. We are not going to get the equal pay right away, but it may be done by the time my daughter plays soccer and she will not suffer what we suffered."

"I want to show that I deserve to be at the top. I want to be the best player that I can be, that I can be a valuable member of the team after being a mother."

"You have to figure it out you have to be mom and a professional athlete. There’s a lot of athletes going to Tokyo that are also fellow mom athletes and I’m excited to catch up with them and kind of just represent all the moms, soccer moms united."

"When you have 12 teams in an Olympics in comparison to a World Cup where you have double that amount of teams, I think every single team is going to be difficult."

"Before I got pregnant, my mindset was like, it’s possible that I’ll never reach my potential again."

"I loved sports from a really young age. I told my parents that I wanted to become a professional soccer player when I was like 7 years old. But I think when I realized that I had the potential to be a professional soccer player, or compete for my country in a world tournament, was probably when was... I would say like 17 years old. I had a scholarship to go to college. I was on a national team, and I knew that was what I was going to do. I wanted it more than anyone else. And I was willing to work harder than anyone else to achieve that."

"But also... being a professional athlete is totally different now than two years ago, before being a mom athlete. Priorities change and you have to get up and go to training and do your job, and make the most of it, and know that when you come home there's no time to let your body stretch and just lay on the couch."

"I definitely think that I would be a different person without sports; they taught me so much. Just about myself, patience, teamwork, listening... it's taught me so much that I feel like I've applied to being a mom."

"I would say I'm good at organizing things, like trips or vacations. I'm always the one to book the flights, and do things like that. I like to do my research. I wouldn't say I'm a super type A personality, but I like to be organized when it comes to travel and vacation."

"I feel like for me, I'm tapping into a whole new level that I didn't have before getting pregnant. I was really scared going into pregnancy thinking that I might not get back to playing for my country ever again, or playing as well as I was before. And I think that's something that some female athletes do have a fear of, and so for me, I want to be as open as possible in my journey, in showing women that we are capable of incredible things and that we can be professional athletes and moms. Our bodies are capable of going through incredible things."

"We’re trying to do the same thing and we’ve come a long way. But it gets exhausting having to do this every day, every week. Our male counterparts have not had to fight as much – so sometimes you feel a little exhausted always having to prove yourself and show your worth."

"To force a change sometimes you need to stand up. You know what you’re worth – rather than what your employer is paying you. We’re not scared. To move the women’s game ahead we need to do what’s necessary. I feel other national teams are looking at us for that guidance."

"This is my charge to everyone: We have to be better, we have to love more and hate less. It is our responsibility to make this world a better place."

"(After Solo had called the Swedish team cowards for highly defensive tactics at the 2016 Olympic Quarter Final) I don't give a crap. I'm going to Rio, she's going home."

"Hope Solo is a hero on the field. Repeat, on the field."

"Daiane, whose own goal started all the talking points today after seventy-four seconds. Seems a long, long time ago now. It was into this goal, now Brazil need her to put one in legitimately for them. Yes! Brilliant save from Solo, brilliant save! And that one is legal, and now that means, that if the United States put in the last two penalties, they will go into the semi-finals. That is a moment of magic from Hope Solo!"

"Just incredible! Look at Hope Solo celebrate! There is an American party going on, all around the terraces! Surely the whistle's going to go any second, and it will be a penalty shootout. Abby Wambach in the one hundred and twenty-second minute. Well that does match the drama of the men's World Cup last year, and the Landon Donovan goal which saved the USA against Algeria, doesn't it? Well, well, well! And the goal was scored in the time added on for the largely bogus injury, we think, to Érika. Is there some kind of poetic justice in that? It's not finished yet, though. Still the referee plays on, and here's Marta again! Solo beats it away; it will be a corner. How much more of this can there possibly be? It is over! It will be a penalty shoot-out! An incredible finish, one of the great climaxes to any World Cup match! Brazil are denied at the death! A ten-woman USA save it! Wow, we need to get our breath back. So let's go back to Bob Ley for a moment."

"Cristiane with a chance to put Brazil at level. Hope Solo saved it! A hero again! What is it with Hope Solo and Brazil? Now what's the referee doing here? Is? The penalty? Is it going to have to be retaken? Because they're claiming Solo moved before the ball was kicked. Now this is very controversial, and Solo has got a yellow card for that as well. This is highly contentious! Now look at this again, does she move off the line? No, no, no, no! That is an astonishing decision in my view."

"Soccer today faces huge challenges as the FIFA scandal unfolds. Hope Solo continuing to play goalie for Team USA, just months before she will appear in court to face domestic violence charges, raises troubling questions about the state of the game."

"Hope Solo is soft-spoken, smart and incredibly dedicated to her craft and her sport. She cares very much about the little girls who write her letters and wear her jersey. She is not a monster, not even close. But that doesn't mean she is incapable of doing something wrong in a heated moment and then trying to convince others and herself that it wasn't as bad or as true as other people say. U.S. Soccer has to know this."

"I got blasted with a ball to the face at practice. It doesn't hurt as much as you'd think – not if you're strong and keep your face in it. It only hurts if you pull away."

"You're such a bitch. You're scared of me because you know that if the handcuffs were off, I'd kick your ass!"

"Say that to me one more time and I'll punch you in the face!"

"You need to leave my property, bitch!"