Hope Solo

I'm a nerd at heart.

I've always been a fan of Justin Timberlake.

A lot of people think I'm naturally confident. I am not naturally confident!

My father showed me so much love. He showed my brother so much love.

I hate the cliche of 'just have fun,' but what I've seen in today's sports, especially with parents, is they put so much pressure on the kids.

My father was never around. But I glorified my father, and I was always daddy's little girl. He was my first soccer coach.

I think at an early age I learned not to judge people.

I think every athlete has their window of opportunity, and you just have to jump on it. You never know when it can end. So I'm just trying to live large while I have the opportunity.

I take everything with a grain of salt.

When the Olympics and World Cups come around, that's when you see the real outpouring of support that there really is for female football.

I never felt the same passion for the game in the States and there were a lot of headaches, a lot of obstacles to overcome - it didn't just run itself for the love of the game because soccer is not the No. 1 sport as it is in Europe.

I played in Europe and it was a great experience, not just because of my team-mates and the coaches we had, but from the fans and the city itself - I played in Gothenburg and I played in Lyon and soccer was everywhere.

I think the concept of seeking fame and fortune in women's football in the States is a bit idyllic. Look at all the teams in America that have folded, and the leagues.

Athletes are extremists. When they're training, it's laser focus.

It took putting one foot in front of the other every single day to get through it to the point where I made it back on the team and won a gold medal in 2008.

London 2012 is all about winning a medal. Not just any medal, the gold medal.

You're always going to survive the pain of loss. I can live with that confidence inside of me.

I think people who don't have conflict in their lives are just trying to please people and not really living life to the fullest.

I just want to stay in my hotel room, read my book. I enjoy that private time.

I never wanted to go to college in the state of Washington because I was so embarrassed and ashamed of my family life. I wanted to run. That's what always what I do, I run. I run as far away as I can.