Defender is sitting on top of the world
U.S. championship produces joyride for Dash’s Klingenberg
Three days after helping the U.S. win the Women’s World Cup, Meghan Klingenberg finally had a few hours to relax and catch up on sleep Wednesday.
The Dash and national team defender returned to her childhood home in tiny Gibsonia, Penn., a suburb of Pittsburgh, to unwind after a hectic schedule full of travel and revelry since the U.S. beat Japan 5-2 in the final Sunday in Vancouver.
As she settled into her home for a day before heading back to New York on Thursday for a ticker tape parade there Friday, Klingenberg was humbled to be part of a group that is now compared favorably with Mia Hamm’s 1999 team that captivated America with the last U.S. Women’s World Cup title.
“It’s so strange to be compared to the 99ers,” Klingenberg said. “To me, that was an incredibly iconic team. They cemented that legend.
“For 16 years, we’ve talked about the 99ers and how much they changed soccer. Now you get to talk about the 15ers. That’s surreal. What we set out to do was win, because that’s the game that we love and we’re so passionate about.”
Carli Lloyd stole the show with
the first hat trick in the Women’s World Cup final, but Dash teammates Klingenberg and Morgan Brian also played crucial roles in the final and throughout the tournament to help the U.S. become the first country to win three Women’s World Cup titles.
Klingenberg, at 5-2 the shortest member of the national team, was the hero of the group-stage tie against Sweden. Her leaping header to deny a goal at the far post was one of the signature moments of the Women’s World Cup, helping the U.S. finish atop its group.
Three years after she was the last player former U.S. coach Pia Sundhage cut from the squad that eventually won the Olympic gold medal in London, Klingenberg was one of coach Jill Ellis’ stalwarts in Canada. Klingenberg joined Lloyd, goalkeeper Hope Solo and defenders Julie Johnston and Becky Sauerbrunn as the only Americans to play all 630 minutes of the World Cup.
Klingenberg’s impact was recognized Monday morning when she was the first of only a few players featured during Fox’s special unveiling of the third star on the women’s national team uniform. President chimes in
Klingenberg cites President Barack Obama’s call to the national team Monday among her biggest highlights since winning the World Cup.
“You guys just made a whole bunch of new fans and, more importantly, I think, inspired a whole new generation of young women to make sure U.S. women’s soccer continues to grow,” President Obama told the team. “You guys have done good.”
Klingenberg attentively listened with the rest of the team as President Obama chatted with Ellis and then briefly with Lloyd.
“Talking to the president is always a really special experience,” Klingenberg said. “He was so excited for the team, so excited for the country.”
She then joined the team on the flight to Los Angeles on Monday evening for a rally Tuesday in front of 10,000 fans. Several teammates remained in L.A. on Wednesday for an ESPN show, but Klingenberg preferred to go home to rest and prepare for the soccer camp she’ll host later this month in Pennsylvania.
“It’s been kind of blur,” she said. “I’ve had absolutely zero time so far (to let it sink in). It has been a whirlwind, but in the best sense.”
Although she’s appreciative of all the support, she admittedly looks forward to having some time off after Monday.
Klingenberg will return to Houston for a news conference Saturday. She will also attend the Dash’s game Sunday night against the Chicago Red Stars at BBVA Compass Stadium, where she will be honored along with Lloyd and Brian.
For the first time since the Dash’s inaugural game last year, the upper bowl at BBVA Compass Stadium will be opened for a Dash game.
Limited general admission and 100-level seats remain in the lower bowl for Saturday’s match, prompting the Dash to open some 200-level sections in the upper bowl.
“We’re going to be at the game on Sunday, but we’re not going to play because it’s going to be a little too much,” Klingenberg said.
Klingenberg has been inundated with calls and texts from friends and relatives she hadn’t heard from in years.
“It’s surprising how many people you haven’t talked to in a long time have reached out,” she said. “It’s really fun in a way because they’re people I still care about. They want to let you know how proud they are.
“They don’t want anything but to say that they’re proud of you. The World Cup has been a way to bring people together. That’s really, really cool to me.” Not done yet
Her commitment to the Dash and the National Women’s Soccer League remains strong. Now that she has won the biggest title in international soccer, she’s eager to tackle more goals.
“There’s so many things I want to do,” she said. “First of all, I want to win an NWSL championship. I want to play in the Olympics, and I want to win an Olympic gold medal. When I finish soccer, I want to pursue a career.
“I don’t know what that career will be, but I want to be my personal best at it. My goal isn’t just to win an Olympic gold medal or to win an NWSL title, but to be my personal best, be the best left back I can be, and be my personal best in my next career.” jesus.ortiz@chron.com twitter.com/ortizkicks