Jill Ellis

“To be respectful to opponents is to play hard against them.”

“I took a $40k pay cut to leave my technical copywriter job and work for $6k a year.”

“You have to pay the same amount of detail regardless of opponent when so much is on the line.”

“I'm an American except when I'm in the supermarket or at the candy store.”

“If a team has multiple looks, it's so hard to stand in front of your team and say, 'This is the scouting report. This is what you have to prepare for.'”

“If you ask my dad, I'm always the person that found the little bird out of the nest and is trying to put it back or take care of it.”

“I get a text every day from my dad: 'Enjoy the challenge.'”

“You can't just live cautiously, I think, when you're in a knockout game.”

“We have to constantly be looking to improve.”

“We have to get to a point in this country where our top players are seeking out the most challenging environments.”

“It's fascinating to me how they build bridges or tunnels.”

“Many, many years ago, when you named alternates, and they wouldn't travel with you - I think you're dealing with a small roster. Now you travel with these alternates, which you can replace at any time, obviously, if it's a medical situation, so you have it in your back pocket.”

“Any player playing at a high level is available for consideration to the women's national team.”

“I am a sensitive person.”

“From my perception, listen: the game is different on turf, but it's the same for everybody.”

“There are a lot of programs, a lot of teams now that have the backing of federations, the growth of the game domestically. You see this with Holland; you see this with Italy. It's a matter of time. I had to leave my home country to go and experience the game. Now, it's delightful that these countries are actively supporting women's football.”

“There's always things you can refine and polish.”

“If we're about winning world championships, we can't just have all of our focus be on the Olympics.”

“I think that what we did in 2015 as a team was phenomenal, and I think in, now, 2019, we have similar players but a lot of different players.”

“I think I'm just a naturally curious person.”