Abby Wambach

“I know that I was put on this planet to be an athlete.”

“It feels a little bit odd to me that you have some guys that have never lived in the United States that play for the United States because they were able to secure a passport. To me, that just feels like they weren't able to make it for their country and earn a living, so they're coming here.”

“For any athlete growing up, the Olympics is the one thing you watch with your family, and it's the one thing you dream about. Seeing your country's flag go up as you get a gold medal is the best thing you can achieve.”

“I'm not in the business of politics.”

“I think, as you grow older, you have figure out the best way to utilize not only your body but your skill.”

“When I was in college, I learned to really take care of my body and figured out what works best for me and what doesn't work for me when it comes to my nutrition. That helped so much on the field because soccer is such a fitness-oriented game.”

“I think making the referee aware of a situation, there is nothing wrong with that.”

“I'm a pretty decent cook. I like to grill. I have a smoker that I love. I love me some steak. And I'll make a huge salad with a ton of vegetables.”

“My sole focus is to help bring a World Cup back to the U.S.”

“I think I take on a little more responsibility when push comes to shove. I'm not scared to fail.”

“The truth is, I've been on a team my whole life. I'm the youngest of 7, so I've been training to be an athlete my whole life.”

“Forever, it was just soccer - passion, life, love. Then I got married, and I had to transfer some of my energy. I want to be my best for my country, but I also made a really big promise and choice to be the best in my marriage. That has not always been the easiest thing to manage.”

“You can't cry when things get a little bit hard. You've just got to push through and know that there's a reason and end to the means.”

“It's a heavy burden to look up at the mountain and want to start the climb.”

“As an athlete, you are literally programmed to endure a specific amount of pain.”

“I'm going to do anything I can do - whether that's being part of FIFA or creating some sort of movement that can actually impart real equality across all lines - in every country, every city, every sector all over the world, that's what I'm going to do.”

“The most important thing is that sometimes you have to go through hard times to get to the good stuff.”

“I can't speak for other people, but for me, I feel like gone are the days that you need to come out of a closet. I never felt like I was in a closet. I never did. I always felt comfortable with who I am and the decisions I made.”

“When you can score three goals without the most prolific scorer in the world, you know you have a lot of depth, and it gives you confidence.”

“Nobody is offered a World Cup.”