"Before this tournament started, I honestly could not give a crap," said goaltender Hope Solo. "But then we started winning and by the end, I'll admit, I was pretty into the whole thing."
Abby Wambach, the team's leading scorer, echoed Solo.
"I'm usually more into football, baseball, basketball, even hockey," she said. "Yet I found myself going out of my way to show up for these games and play. I really think I have the soccer bug now."
Head coach Pia Sundhage, a Swede, says the true test of her players' supposed newfound love of the world's game will come in a few weeks when she calls a practice.
"It's great that they're all into it now," said Sundhage. "But I won't be surprised if no one shows up to our next match, choosing to stay home and watch the Yankees or something. Soccer is hot right now. But in a few weeks? We'll see."
But Wambach insists she is really is into soccer for good.
"As soon as the World Cup final was over, I went out to a sporting goods store and bought a soccer ball for the first time," she said. "I think I'm going to start kicking it around in my backyard or at the park. I might even go out and buy one of my jerseys."
