FUN
SOCCER POWERHOUSE + D.C. LEGEND
ALI KRIEGER SPEAKS CANDIDLY
Ali Krieger is a D.C. legend. The two-time, back-to-back World Cup Champion even has a sports complex named after her in Prince William County, where she grew up. While she currently plays for the Orlando Pride, she previously was a defender for the local Washington Spirit between 2014 and 2016. Krieger has proudly represented the U.S. women’s national team across the globe as one of the best defenders on the planet and is the 38th player in U.S. women’s national team history to reach 100 caps. She recently sat down with one of her best friends, local artist Eric Dolgas (known as E$), for this interview. Eric Dolgas: Let me get this question out of the way early. Who was your favorite homecoming date? Ali Krieger: You, duh. I have to get this in writing. Who was better at soccer: [our childhood friends] Brian, Billy, Richard or Johnny? It would have to be between…uh, I don’t know. Oh, this is so good. You’re gonna make somebody’s day and break three hearts. It would have to be Billy or Brian, I think. While discussing great soccer players, I think an appropriate follow-up question is: Why won’t they pay ya’ll? Good question. We deserve all the monies in the world, and you can’t even compare it to the men. It’s just what women deserve.
WORDS BY ERIC DOLGAS // E$
reason, they don’t want to compensate you for the championships. I don’t understand. Yeah, I don’t get it either. Who is your favorite female soccer player? My favorite growing up was always Mia Hamm. I also loved Michelle Akers. She was a center midfielder and had beautiful hair that was wild, and I could always pick her out on the field. She was such a badass in the center midfield and the engine of the team. You always wanted to be a professional soccer player. Can you pinpoint the moment when you felt like you made it? When I kept getting called back with Pia [Sundhage], who was my first national team coach. It was the World Cup of 2011, and that was my first real challenge with the team. I was like, “Wow. I have kind of solidified this position. I’m in the starting 11 and starting the World Cup at 25. This is amazing. This is real. This is insane.” A gold medal or the ability to talk to your dogs? I love how my dogs don’t talk back, so probably a gold medal. Do your dogs like you or [your wife and Orlando Pride goalkeeper] Ashlyn [Harris] more? Me, but I’m sure Ash would say the same. She would say Logan likes me more and Storm likes her.
Yeah. I don’t understand why it’s so difficult. Why do you think they don’t pay us?
If you arm wrestled [National Women’s Soccer League and U.S. national team captain] Megan Rapinoe, who would win? Me! She’s actually really strong. But like, no.
It seems like in America, we reward winners. And you ladies keep winning World Cups. But for some
No chance? I don’t know. I’m pretty strong.
52 | AUGUST 2020
Ali Krieger. Photo by Mark Thor // @markthorphotos on Instagram.
