Hope Solo joined the crew of We Came to Win to talk about her experiences playing in three World Cup tournaments before finally winning. We Came to Win is an audio podcast, releasing weekly episodes discussing some of the tournaments most memorable moments as we approach the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Solo is one of few goal keepers who is recognized as one of the best to ever play soccer. Typically, the best tournament moments come from a dramatic goal, with the goalie laying in defeat. But not when Solo was playing, for her stops were the highlights of the game. She played for the U.S. team for 16 years, making 200 appearances, and posting more than 100 shutouts.

The interview opens with her discussing the reason why she became a goalkeeper in the first place, after having years of success as a forward in high school. Surprisingly, it was a joke to her and her friends.

“Our coach had asked if anyone had wanted to try out for goalkeeper and we all just jokingly put our hands up and said we will all try out” said Solo, of her high school days.

But something special happened, for she was the only one who wasn’t scared of a ball being shot at her. Her success in high school got her recruited to play at the University of Washington, as well as the U.S. National Team.

Hope Solo spent eight years learning from Briana Scurry, developing into the player that she later became. She was deemed the starter for the first time at the 2007 World Cup, but tragedy struck at the same time. She tells the story of her best friend dying from being hit by a car while jogging and shortly after, losing her father from a heart attack.

“It was really tough but I took that pain and energy to playing for my dad and it was my way of dealing with it” she reflects.

She later tells the stories of each of her World Cup experiences, from being benched during her first tournament, a penalty re-kick in 2011, winning the Golden Glove, and finally winning the Cup in 2015. The end of the interview goes on to talk about things beyond her game, such as her fight for equal pay and equal treatment for women’s soccer.

To hear the full interview, check out episode six of We Came to Win here.