Quotes from Ali Krieger

I think my confidence came when I turned 30. I don't know, something about turning 30 has been unbelievable. I just feel a sense of freedom.

I was clipped from behind, and my leg got caught between my opponent's legs. As we fell, my leg snapped. It was a spiral fracture. They had to put in a plate and five screws. It was a devastating moment: one minute I was on cloud nine, and then I was out for the season.

I drink coffee 30 minutes before I want to nap. I think that really helps.

I don't want to get to a point where I consider the national team a club team.

It's a privilege and an honor to play for the national team, but I think that the training that I was in at Frankfurt was the highest level right underneath.

There are a few moments in every game when I will have to sprint and use my explosiveness to win.

It's a dream that we, as women footballers, get to play in the same stadium as the men.

I'm the type of player that doesn't like to play on full stomach.

Because I don't like to play on a full stomach, I try to eat a bigger meal in the morning and less throughout the day leading up to the game.

As an athlete in my sport, you always want to go to an Olympics.

I have always dreamt of going to an Olympics and watching these incredible athletes and being motivated and inspired to want to be successful in my own sport.

Football helped me build confidence on and off the field and taught me to grow through moments of success and disappointment.

I think it's nice to have a variety of lineups and formations to use against different opponents, depending on what they bring.

I'm proud of my body, I'm proud of my sport, I'm proud of being a female athlete.

In 2003, being Virginia Player of the Year was an amazing feeling because I think that was the moment I realized I could actually, really go far in my sport, and I was actually, really good at something. At that moment, I knew that I could play at a high level.

My mantra is 'healthy body, healthy mind.'