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Superstitious USWNT star Carli Lloyd hoping to repeat World Cup success

By Clemente Lisi

REIMS, FRANCE - JUNE 11: Carli Lloyd of USA reacts during the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup France group F match between USA and Thailand at Stade Auguste Delaune on June 11, 2019 in Reims, France. (Photo by Molly Darlington - AMA/Getty Images)
REIMS, FRANCE - JUNE 11: Carli Lloyd of USA reacts during the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup France group F match between USA and Thailand at Stade Auguste Delaune on June 11, 2019 in Reims, France. (Photo by Molly Darlington - AMA/Getty Images) /
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USWNT striker Carli Lloyd says not having her family with her in France may be one of the best ways to ensure the team wins another World Cup.

Carli Lloyd has worked very hard on her way to becoming one of the best soccer players in the world. That hard work, however, isn’t the only reason she’s been so successful.

The 36-year-old striker said on Friday that the only way to guarantee that the U.S. win back-to-back World Cups is for her family to stay as far away from France as possible.

Speaking at a news conference in Paris, Lloyd highlighted a pattern, saying, “2007, I had my parents and [husband] Brian there. We didn’t win. 2011, I had aunts, cousins, Brian there. We did not win. 2008, we won [the gold medal at the Summer Olympics]. I had nobody there. 2012, We won [another Olympic gold]. I had nobody there. 2015 [at the World Cup], I had nobody there. So, keeping it the same in 2019.”

Lloyd’s hat trick in the 2015 World Cup final, which resulted in a 5-2 win against Japan, gave the Americans a third title.

Lloyd became the oldest player to score in a World Cup game this past Tuesday in the U.S.’s 13-0 demolition of Thailand.

“I’m not a superstitious person,” she added. “Your preparation is what prepares you, what instills confidence.”

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The United States next plays Chile on Sunday.

The Americans are currently first in Group F, tied at three points with Sweden. The U.S. have a better goal differential, the first tiebreaker to determine which teams advance to the knockout round.

How does Lloyd spend her downtime between games?

“Ya know, it’s not too glamorous,” she said. “I’m pretty focused most of the time, but there’s also a balance of kind of shutting off the mind a little bit, but then as the games approach, making sure you’re mentally focusing on that.”