Women's World Cup 2015: Carli Lloyd's hat-trick in final wins call from President Obama to visit the White House
Meanwhile, England's squad return home aiming to build on the positive reaction to their third-place finish in Canada
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Your support makes all the difference.The United States midfielder Carli Lloyd has earned an invitation to the White House following her heroics in the World Cup final triumph over Japan.
Lloyd scored a 13-minute hat-trick, including a stunning third goal from the halfway line, as the US won 5-2 in Vancouver late on Sunday. She was named player of the tournament and finishing joint top scorer, though Germany’s Celia Sasic took the Golden Boot having also scored six goals but in fewer minutes.
Lloyd turns 33 next week but is already targeting the next World Cup in France in four years. More immediately will be a trip to the White House to meet the football-loving family of President Barack Obama, who tweeted after the victory: “What a win for Team USA! Great game @CarliLloyd! Your country is so proud of all of you. Come visit the White House with the World Cup soon.”
Lloyd has no intention of resting on her laurels, however, and has her sights set on defending the trophy. She said: “I know what I’ve got left to achieve. I’ll be going for it at the next World Cup. My career has gone up a level, that’s for sure. There’s always room for improvement, though.”
Lloyd, who plays her club football for Houston Dash, believes this is the US’s best ever team. She said: “I’m convinced it is. What we’ve done is just legendary. It wasn’t an easy road but we finished first and unbeaten in the so-called group of death. We knew that nothing was going to be easy. What we’ve done is remarkable... a historic performance.”
England’s World Cup squad returned to England aiming to build on the positive reaction to their third-place finish in Canada. Mark Sampson’s side secured the bronze medal after an extra-time penalty by Fara Williams clinched a 1-0 victory over Germany.
A strong turn-out of fans to greet an early-morning arrival at Heathrow suggests that, in the short-term at least, there is plenty of support to build on.
“I certainly think it’s been big,” Williams said of the impact of the tournament. “We haven’t achieved something like this for a long time and hopefully we can really push on – media and everyone else, really trying to get the supporters in these Women’s Super League games and grow our game.
“We’ll know how much we’ve done when it comes to those WSL games and how many turn out for us,” the Liverpool midfielder added. “I think you’ve seen the passion we show in that shirt. We show it for club and country and we really do try and inspire young people to take up the sport.”
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