Legendary USA goalkeeper Hope Solo spoke to FIFA ahead of her first competitive matches in nine years at The Soccer Tournament in June.
- USA legend last played a competitive game at 2016 Rio Olympics
- Goalkeeper is returning at seven-a-side The Soccer Tournament
- Solo spoke to FIFA about her reasons for taking part in summer event
Hope Solo’s voice cracks with emotion as she recalls the greatest triumph of her long and illustrious career — helping USA win the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™.
“That game when we finally won, I could finally breathe again. I could take the deepest of breaths,” Solo told FIFA. “Everyone says it’s a sense of relief but I was in a state of awe. I just took it all in. Not crying, not elated, just breathing and taking it all in.”
It has been 10 years since Solo won the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ at the third time of asking, after USA finished third in 2007 and runners-up in 2011. And it has been a full nine years since the Hall of Fame goalkeeper last laced up her boots following USA’s quarter-final defeat to Sweden on penalties at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
After a number of personal setbacks and controversies, Solo has had little to do with the sport in recent years. She lives in a deeply rural community in North Carolina where she home-schools her two young children and rarely watches football on television.
But Solo has decided to make a return to the game next month at The Soccer Tournament (TST), an annual seven-a-side event in nearby Cary that features teams associated with clubs in North America and Europe, such as Atletico Madrid, Bournemouth and Club America. There are 48 men’s teams and 16 women’s teams, with two $1million winner-take-all prizes.
Among the participants at the 4-9 June event are USA women’s legends Carli Lloyd, Heather O’Reilly and Ali Krieger plus FIFA World Cup™ stars Nani and Sergio Aguero. But the biggest intrigue comes in the unexpected comeback of Solo, who is leading the eponymous Solo FC and will play in goal.
After releasing a Netflix documentary last year, it is unclear if the 43-year-old will make a more meaningful return to football in the future and in what capacity but, for her, The Soccer Tournament represents a potential step in that process.
Ahead of the event, Solo spoke to FIFA about her comeback, the greatest moment of her career and her thoughts on Emma Hayes’ USA team in the build-up to Brazil 2027.
