Lindsey Horan

“It's always physical in the NWSL - that's why this is such a demanding league and we know that.”

“I know I am good in the air and good around the box.”

“I think I'm at my best when I'm on the ball, I'm feeling the game, I feel free, and I'm setting the tone for the game.”

“I was a No. 9 for so long and that's what I knew. And I think, me as an attacking midfielder, or any kind of midfielder, I should be in and around the box and have that mindset that I'm going to score and help my team as much as possible.”

“There's just been so many difficult times. I always remember that this is the game I fell in love with.”

“Hopefully it grows, hopefully we get more teams, and more people buy into us and realize how important it is for the women's game - and that our NWSL gets better and better so we can get better for our national team.”

“I always want to be grateful for what I have.”

“I'd dreamt of playing professionally since I was 15, that's the route I took.”

“It's hard to wrap your mind around what the Challenge Cup was and I think once we did that it was incredible and I think everyone was bought in.”

“It would be cool to win a World Cup, and I think it would be good for my career as well.”

“One of the coolest things is going to another country and learning their culture and learning how to be a grownup.”

“I don't really like school. It's really not my thing. I was barely there when I was in high school because I traveled so much. When I put effort into it, I can deal with it. But soccer was my main priority. That can sound bad, but it was.”

“Everything started with my mom. When I was five, she asked me if I wanted to sign up for soccer, but I had some pretty wild contract demands. 'I'll only play if you're my coach.' So my mom went to the library and brought home a bunch of books on how to coach soccer, and that was it. She was my first manager.”

“I miss a lot about Paris. After three and a half years, you get a little sick of it, and you just want to be home. But there are little things, sights. Like seeing the Eiffel Tower every day, that's kind of cool.”

“Whether we're up 2-0 early in the second half, or we're up 1-0 with 10 minutes left in the game, my mind-set is the same when I come in the game. It's to help keep that lead, whatever way I can.”

“Sometimes I get really behind on my school work but I try to keep up as much as I can.”

“I was always a goal scorer in my youth career, that was one of my strengths.”

“Putting me into training sessions playing against players that were 10 years older, that were way more experienced and, honestly, way better, it was a big shock for me.”

“I really counted on my technical ability and my passing for everything. Then once you got to bigger stages and the professional level, you can get shoved off the ball and you need to be fit and you need to be at your top level at all times.”