Quotes from Ali Krieger

On game days, I'm pretty boring: I like to rest and watch TV with my legs up so I'm not on my feet too much before the match.

I try and be super vocal on the field because that's what we need, and that's what I want to do.

Everyone is an athlete. You want to go hiking, you want to go biking, you want to go jogging or for a walk? You're automatically an athlete.

I'm super active, so sitting on the couch and staring at the walls isn't ideal for me.

I know it sounds crazy, but in order to run, I need something to chase after.

I surround myself with good people who make me feel great and give me positive energy.

No matter what job you have, even when it's one you love, it's important to take some time away, both mentally and physically, to regroup, refresh and regain good, positive energy.

Surround yourself with good people, surround yourself with positivity and people who are going to challenge you to make you better.

It is cliched, but you have to beat the best to be the best.

I always need a little something sweet after dinner. Although I try to stay pretty disciplined with my nutrition when I'm in season - my brother Kyle eats super clean and always gives me nutrition advice - when I want something, I have it because I feel like you can really get in trouble if you restrict yourself too much.

In general, taking soccer out of the picture, as an American living overseas, it's so cool, and I've grown so much. Now I can look at my life from a different perspective.

Personally, I always try to focus on the little things in my game. As a defender and attacking outside back, I continuously work on completing passes, not being too predictable going forward into the attack, good services into the box, good positioning and footwork.

The leadership of Christine Rampone goes without saying. She is the definition of a what a leader is.

Injuries give you perspective. They teach you to cherish the moments that I might have taken for granted before.

I always get made fun of by my teammates for my huge calves, but I'm like, 'they make me strong and fast!'

For me, I just set little goals for myself and stay on that kind of track and surround myself with positive people along with my teammates. I just kind of have my goals and my dreams, and this is something that we've all been working for our entire lives, so it is kind of easy to wake up and want to better myself every day towards that goal.

I don't think there's any disappointment in my career because everything that maybe didn't go my way was a learning experience.

Playing for the Washington Spirit, the 2013 season was one of the most difficult I have ever experienced.

I have fallen a few times, and each time, I have gotten up and grown as a person and looked at things a little differently.

It's really difficult when you don't see much of a team and you're not familiar with how they play.

It's always tough to play against teams that bunker or 'park the bus' inside the 18-yard box, but we always try to focus on our game and how we can overcome the obstacles that the game presents to continue to get better and score goals.

I feel fortunate to be a part of a football community that includes leaders who recognize the power of sport to make a difference and who, like so many of my coaches, are defined not only by their knowledge but by their ability to bring out the best in every member of their teams.

There is something quintessentially American about the USWNT. Last-minute, dramatic finishes and technical finesse aside, the spirit of the program reflects a determination and perseverance that resonates with the deeply held belief that with hard work, anything is possible.

In order for me to perform the best I can out on the field, I have to fuel my body with the proper nutrients to be able to do all the running. I'm running four or five miles every game, so it's a lot. Even at halftime, I take electrolytes and have half a peanut-butter-and-jelly or whatever is sitting there just to keep my engine running.