"It is a little difficult to relive that. Mentally, I was full of all sorts of emotions. The World Cup was the only thing that kept me together after the death of my father [in June], kept me fighting and together and dedicated to the game. More so, the moment I realized we didn't have the opportunity to win the gold medal, my world came tumbling down. I had nothing to immediately give back to my father. I was wound so tight emotionally, and the moment after the loss I broke."

-- U.S. women's national team goalkeeper Hope Solo, who was controversially benched during last summer's Women's World Cup and then kicked off the team for criticizing the decision. Solo made her first public comments on the incident to the Associated Press on Thursday.