Carli Lloyd

I didn't like playing with dolls; I didn't like getting dressed up. A lot of my friends and people I went to school with were into fashion and their clothes, so I lacked a bit of self-belief and confidence... I wasn't really comfortable. ”

It's always hard to deal with injuries mentally, but I like to think about it as a new beginning. I can't change what happened, so the focus needs to go toward healing and coming back stronger than before. ”

I know that I'm a natural attacking player. I love to attack. I love to play freely; I love to combine and play through balls. That's the nature of my game. ”

I think - you know, I want to intimidate people when I'm on the field. I want people to be scared of me. That's just kind of the nature of who I am as a person and player. But I also know that you have to be emotional. You have to be in touch with your feelings. I think that's important. ”

I don't do fake. That's the first thing you should know about me. I'm not one to put on airs or change my demeanor depending on where I am or who I am talking to. ”

I really hate drama. It's draining; it's mentally draining. It's a waste of time. ”

I don't just train to be a participant. I train to come up big in big moments. That's when I know I've got to roll the sleeves up. ”

It's those moments when everything is on the line, and someone needs to show up in a big moment. I prepare my mind and I prepare my body to be ready for those moments. And I think it's just what I do. I live for those moments. ”

Every time I step onto the field, whether people like it or not, I'm not trying to play dirty - I'm just playing tough. ”

This is my journey. If I fall, I have to pick myself up. If I'm not getting the playing time I want, it's up to me to figure out why. ”