Lindsey Horan

I've gained a lot of experience playing with some of the top players in the world from different countries.

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

This is something I've wanted to do my whole life, to play in a World Cup, to play in a World Cup final and win the World Cup.

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

Honestly, I've just been trying to improve all parts of my game, and a statistic is just a statistic.

I went through a lot.

My mentality is to get in and around the box as much as I possibly can and be more impactful in those areas where I think I can make a difference.

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.

My whole life, my strength was my technical ability and my vision and being able to see certain things on the field.

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.

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.

I just kick the ball against the cement wall and work on my touches and juggling.

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

Socially, I'm fine, and academically, I'm doing OK too.

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

I've missed proms and things like that, but I didn't really care much about that.

It is my position to get on the ball as much as I can and I just try to find the game as much as I can as well.

Playing three games in seven or eight days is very tough.

I got to learn the French tactical way and then learn from all these players who've been on the world stage for so long.

On the field, I got to play with some of the best players in the world, from Germany, Sweden, France - I can name five more countries.

I think going overseas and experiencing a whole new culture is something you can't learn anywhere else.

I was thrown into a position where I had to learn a new language, become professional and not be just that child anymore coming into a team. I was able to learn from players that were so experienced at such a high level. You can't get that anywhere else. Nothing against college, but you can't get that in college.

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.

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 think I generally go to Paris more when I have people come and visit.

You see it for the men's World Cup, fans traveling everywhere to come support their teams.

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

France was probably the best thing for me. All the things I took away from it and learned from it.

The World Cup is the biggest stage for football in general.

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

I wish I could say that I saw Barcelona playing on TV and fell in love with football instantly, but I'm from Colorado and Fox Soccer Channel was pretty expensive.

Covid time was not a fun time, I'll say that much. There was probably a week and a half there that was pretty miserable. And obviously I wouldn't want anyone to have to go through that.

Coming from my past experiences, I've been the player who used to worry all the time, and I'd get so nervous and frantic when I was young.

Your dreams are your dreams. Sometimes they don't make sense to other people.

I had low points. I think any athlete has those.

The first few touches of the game, that's kind of like setting the precedent for me.

Everyone knows who Abby Wambach is.

You find your path and do whatever's best for you.

It took me a year to make the decision to go pro and skip college and give up that.

I had a lot of tough times.

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

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 know it's kind of cliche to say Messi is your hero, but it was special for me because I was training with our boys' team a lot in order to push myself. I was really inspired by the way Messi could still control a game despite being the smallest person on the pitch.

To score a goal in front of my family and so many U.S. fans in the World Cup was just absolutely incredible.

I never want to be content with where I'm at.

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.

If I went to UNC, I'm sure I would find a way to make myself better, make things harder, challenge myself. It's what the player puts into it.

Any player can make their situation good for them.

If you're a football player, you can play anywhere.

Watching football is such an underrated thing to help you grow as a player.