After scoring the gold-medal-winning goals at each of the last two Summer Olympics, what will Carli Lloyd do for an encore in Rio de Janeiro?
"I guess I've got to score three or four," she joked in an exclusive interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Except she has already done that, too _ in last summer's World Cup final.
The truth is that Lloyd doesn't care what her impact is on the field as long as she's able to help the U.S. women's soccer team win another title.
"I want to come away with a gold medal and am really just going to be going out there every game and working hard, doing everything possible to help my teammates," Lloyd said.
This one would be especially significant. In addition to being the Americans' fourth straight gold medal, it would also be the first time that a reigning World Cup champion has claimed Olympic gold.
Lloyd will bring her usual blend of quiet determination and a ferocious work ethic to the American midfield. And there will be the added bonus of wearing the captain's armband at a major tournament for the first time.
But while Lloyd, 34, has been a model of consistency in recent times, the alignment of teammates around her has not. Retirements and injuries have opened the door to a wave of dynamic new midfielders led by 24-year-old Crystal Dunn, 22-year-old Lindsey Horan, and 18-year-old sensation Mallory Pugh.
They are three of the four players on coach Jill Ellis' 18-player roster who haven't played in a major tournament before. The fourth, 28-year-old Allie Long, could also be on the field when the U.S. team kicks off against New Zealand on Wednesday.
Yes, that's two days before the opening ceremony. The soccer competition starts early because there are so many games to play.
Dunn and Pugh are dynamic playmakers who will likely line up on the wings. Horan and Long _ or perhaps Morgan Brian, Lloyd's teammate on the National Women's Soccer League's Houston Dash _ will hold down the center of midfield.
Lloyd will be right in the middle of it all, driving the attack forward so lead striker Alex Morgan can feast on a range of setup passes.
And that's just a taste of what Jill Ellis' roster could produce. Christen Press is a lethal backup striker who can also play wide. Tobin Heath's creative skills in midfield are almost unparalleled. The one player who can match them, Megan Rapinoe, could be the ultimate super-sub off the bench as she finally returns from a torn ACL.
Remember all the doubts about the U.S. team heading into last summer? They're gone now, and not just because of the World Cup triumph. For as good as that team was, the current squad is arguably even better and the clear favorite to win gold.
"When I first got on the team (in the early 2000s), it was basically just long balls the whole time," Lloyd said. "We're becoming more sophisticated."
