by Carli Lloyd
First published 2016
In 2003, Carli Lloyd stands at a crossroads. Her soccer career is struggling, and she considers walking away from the sport entirely. Then she meets James Galanis, a trainer who recognizes her raw talent and dedication but sees what she lacks: fitness, mental toughness, and character. Together they embark on a grueling journey of day and night training sessions, fighting through setbacks and grinding out progress. Critics bench her. Her confidence plummets. But Galanis believes in her when no one else will, and Lloyd works harder than anyone. Twelve years later, she steps onto the field for the 2015 FIFA World Cup final against Japan. In the first sixteen minutes, she scores three goals, including a stunning fifty-yard strike from midfield that becomes the greatest goal in U.S. soccer history. Lloyd reveals how she transformed from a struggling player into the captain who led the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team to its first championship in sixteen years.
Genres: biography, sports, memoir, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, intimate
Tropes: overcoming-adversity, second-chance
Period: 2003, 2015
242 pages · Hardcover · Houghton Mifflin Harcourt