USWNT Legend Carli Lloyd Reveals Team's Key to Winning 2023 World Cup (Exclusive)
Carli Lloyd has played a big role in the United States Women's National Team's success over the last 15 years. And now the soccer legend has retired from the game, she is sharing her insight on how the team can win this year's World Cup. PopCulture.com spoke exclusively to Lloyd who revealed how Team USA can claim Women's World Cup title for the fifth time in team history.
"I think for the US and for really every team, they're going to have to stay healthy," Lloyd said. "Injuries have not been on team sides going into this World Cup. There's been a lot of injured players heading in that are going to be missing out on World Cups due to major injuries. So winning a World Cup, you got to stay healthy. You need the depth of players, especially as you get deeper into the tournament, and they're going to have to just tighten up defensively. I think that they have given up some goals throughout their friendlies."
"They're without Becky Sauerbrunn, who's been an anchor in the center back position for so long. So they're going to miss out on that experience. But I think collectively they've got to come together. There's still some question marks of where players are going to slot into, and there's going to be multiple players that perhaps may play in different positions. So they have a lot of versatility. But yeah, it's going to be really exciting to see it all unfold."
The US won the World Cup in 1991, 1999, 2015 and 2019 while finishing second in 2011 and third in 1995, 2003 and 2007. The team is the favorite to win it all again this year, but Lloyd knows a few more teams could take the crown away from them.
"I was a part of my first World Cup in 2007 and five World Cups later, just the growth that has happened, the support, the following, all of that has just been remarkable," Lloyd explained. "So I think that going into this World Cup, obviously the US always favorites, number one team in the world. There's always a target on their backs. I think it's going to be very challenging. I think that every team, especially teams within their group, Portugal, Vietnam, they've had a couple of friendlies. Vietnam just lost to Germany by I think it was a one-nil result there."
The US will feature players that made an impact in previous World Cups, including Alex Morgan, Julie Ertz, Rose Lavelle and Megan Rapinoe, who will retire this year. But Lloyd believes there will be a few young players who will make noise during the World Cup which begins on Thursday.
"Naomi Girma in the center back position, she's a very young, inexperienced player, but she plays as if she's had a lot of experience," she said. "Sophia Smith is just unstoppable right now, scoring goals left and doing really well. How will she be on the world stage? Trinity Rodman, I think is another one. And then you've got Lynn Williams, who is more of an older player, older in a sense of a little bit more experience and has been around the team for a bit. She's been having a great club season, and I think that she's really showing the world that she's got more to her game than just her speed and athleticism."