LLOYD Carli

General
RETIREMENT PLANS
She says she plans to retire from competitive football after competing at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. "My long-term goal is to make another Olympic team and win another Olympic gold medal with my teammates. Hopefully that dream can come true next summer [speaking in 2020] and then I'll probably get a little taste of retirement and the next chapter. My husband and I would like to start a family eventually and I really still enjoy doing coaching clinics." (insidethegames.biz, 27 Sep 2020)

EYES ON TOKYO
She has set her sights on competing at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, despite admitting to struggling with injuries and a diminished role in the national team ahead of the 2019 World Cup in France. "I'm not going to lie and sugar-coat it. It was absolutely the worst time of my life [lead-up to 2019 World Cup]. It affected my relationship with my husband, with friends. It really was rock bottom of my entire career. But somehow, you see light at the end of the tunnel, and I can honestly say I'm having more fun now playing than I ever have in my career. I think I just learned a lot throughout it. There's no question my abilities are there. I'm able to do it. Physically I'm able to do it. I would love to be a part of it [2020 Olympics], but I want to have an open, honest conversation, because if I'm not, I can't go through what I went through for three years." (theguardian.com, 15 Oct 2019)

INFLUENTIAL COACH
She has talked about the positive effect Australian football coach James Galanis had on her mentality and focus as an athlete. She began working with the coach in 2002 after she was cut from the U21 national team. "I was devastated. I wanted to quit soccer for good. At that point, I was planning to get a 'real' job and move on with a normal life. My whole life changed in a parking lot when my dad approached a trainer named James Galanis. We talked for a while, and he asked me questions about my future goals. This conversation made all the difference. That was the moment when I decided who I wanted to become. The one who rises to the occasion when everything is on the line. Dedication and commitment to soccer became my priority ahead of everything else in my life." (carlilloyd.com, 09 Jan 2020)