The Golden Ball winner scored in every knockout-round game and notched a hat trick in the opening 16 minutes of the World Cup final win over Japan.
VANCOUVER — Six weeks ago, as the U.S. national team took a few days off before the final leg of its Women's World Cup preparations, Carli Lloyd found herself training back home in New Jersey. Just Lloyd, her headphones and the field.
As she put herself through sprints and felt the burn, she zoned out.
"I dreamed of playing in a World Cup final," Lloyd said, "and visualized scoring four goals.