It’s been three months since Hope Solo’s public dismissal from the U.S. women’s national team by former head coach Greg Ryan, but in an interview with the Associated Press, the American goalkeeper says she’s still haunted by the experience. “I had felt as though my childhood dream basically had been ripped away from me,” she said. Solo was dismissed from the team for telling national television that Ryan had made the wrong decision in starting Briana Scurry ahead of her for the World Cup semifinal against Brazil. The Americans lost that game 4-0. The indiscretion led to Solo’s banishment; she flew home to the U.S. instead of participating in the third-place game with her teammates.
“Mentally, I was full of all sorts of emotions,” Solo said of her World Cup experience. “The World Cup was the only thing that kept me together after the death of my father (in June)…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.”
This week, Solo reports back to national team duty for the first time since the incident, as a new coach, Swede Pia Sundhage, takes charge of the team. The U.S. is back in training ahead of the Olympic qualifiers. The 2008 Olympics are also China, site of the 2007 Women’s World Cup. Once again, Solo says she’ll dedicate her performances to the memory of her father.