2011 FIFA Women's World Cup: Q & A with Brianna Scurry

With the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup just days away, the USA is finalizing their plans to leave their mark in Germany. Bleacher Report’s Jo-Ryan Salazar talked with USA Women’s National Team goalkeeper Brianna Scurry ahead of the Yanks’ June 5 friendly with Mexico at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey.

Talk about your recent involvement with AllState.

Just recently, I became a partner with AllState, and we’re here in New York doing the AllState Fan Zone around the game between the USA and Mexico at 2:00 p.m. ET. Our Fan Zone Event is going to take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., right outside of Red Bull Arena [in Harrison, New Jersey]. 

 And it’s gonna be a great event; it’s free for all. We’re gonna have gifts, and I’m going to be interacting with fans, [signing] autographs…it’s gonna be a great event right before the game.

Obviously you have had a storied career with the USA Women’s National Team. What memories have you taken away from your time donning the shirt?

There are several memories, great ones. One in particular, obviously, that everybody knows well is when we played China in the [FIFA Women’s World Cup] Final in 1999. I saved penalty kicks. It was an amazing experience from the entire tournament. The fan support that we had, the journey that we had…it was just amazing.

Also, for me personally, one of the most amazing moments I had was standing on the podium in 2004. After they had won the gold, my father passed away that year. I give [my teammates] credit for winning the gold over Brazil.  

Wearing the uniform of the world’s best team is not something anyone should take for granted. What does it mean for a player to wear the colors of the Red, White and Blue? Give us your thoughts.

I think it’s a great honor to represent your country in this capacity, especially with the tradition of the US Women’s National Soccer Team. Our country has won this tournament. We have represented our country well; we have prided ourselves on giving everything we have to give.

So I know that they all are going to be representing us this year in Germany. They’re going to do an incredible job and they will be giving everything they have to give to win that World Cup championship.  

Is this year’s USA Women’s National Team a step up from previous editions, or do you see them at the same level as the teams you played with for the USA?

I feel that this year’s World Cup team is a team that’s…interesting. I will phrase it this way: It could be possibly one of the greatest teams ever if they are in it together and persevere under incredibly difficult circumstances.

It’s not an easy thing to do, to go into a country like Germany and win a World Cup over the reigning champions. Since many teams, to be completely honest, can’t do that—to go into Germany and win that World Cup championship—I think if the USA can do that, then they will be heralded, in my opinion, as one of the greatest teams to attempt to do that. Because it is not an easy task—to go into hostile territory and win the World Cup.

Let’s get a breakdown on who you think will win the FIFA Women’s World Cup this year. Who do you have as possible contenders for the prize, aside from the USA?

I feel that Germany is not a heavy favorite, but definitely a favorite for several reasons. One: They’re the reigning champions. Two: They’re a passing team, incredibly organized.

I agree that they have that home-field advantage that I think people underestimate. Having the energy of 75,000 people wanting to see what they’re trying to do…is an incredible force. And if Germany, as a team, can tap into the home-field advantage and use it to their advantage, as well as to gain structural pressure over their disadvantage, then I would think that they definitely are a favorite for that.

And there’s obviously Brazil. You never count them out. They haven’t played a bunch of games this year, but when it’s tournament time—when it’s time for the Olympics or World Cup—Brazil always comes to play. And they are an interesting team to follow in that you just know what you’re gonna get with them. You get absolutely fantastic soccer, or you get a team that doesn’t wreck it.  

Which teams do you believe are underrated and overrated at this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup?

My dark horse actually is Canada. They have won several tournaments last year. They have entered in whatever they have entered and won. Before, they got second place once, twice that day in that circumstance. So I think that they are underrated. Obviously, they play Germany first. A big test for them.

I think the most overrated team is Sweden, personally. A lot of people have chosen to get out of their group. I personally don’t see them getting out. I think it will be USA and North Korea that go through that group.

Which players on this year’s USA Women’s National Team should fans pay close attention to at the FIFA Women’s World Cup?

The players to watch are, I feel, the obvious suspects. Abby Wambach is really a main player, a scorer here for the US team. It’s gonna be key for her to be productive and actually score goals and create goals.

Also, Hope Solo is going to be a pivotal part of this team. No team’s going to win a World Cup championship without a good goalkeeper present. In the years I’ve spent as a goalkeeper, [good goalkeeping] always factors into a final. So Hope’s going to have to have a great game. She’s one to watch.

Also, this team has a lot of youth. So as a collective, I think the first-timers are going to have to come in and really step up their game. And I think that some of them are gonna actually adore the world’s stage and flourish in it.  

Aside those from the USA, which players should fans watch out for at this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup?

Well, Marta is clearly a fan favorite. Has always been, will always be; has been for several years.  Brazil has made the final of the last two major events, so Marta is always a great player to watch. She’s very exciting, very creative. It’s amazing what she can do with the ball at her feet, and she’s a great player to watch.

Also, Birgit Prinz, who is the leading scorer for Germany, always tends to score multiple [times] at every World Cup championship. She’s a great player to watch out for. I think, also,  Lisa De Vanna, who plays for Australia as a forward is very fast, [and] could be a leading scorer in the first round of games, depending on how the games go. So I think fans have to watch out for her.

If you were to pick two teams that will make it all the way to the FIFA Women’s World Cup Final, who would they be and what would the result be?

Well, I’ve recently gone on the record as saying that I think it will be a Brazil-Germany final. And I think I believe I said that it will be 2-1 in favor of Germany, although I wouldn’t put anything against the U.S., either.

Finally, the USA women will be taking on Mexico on Sunday. Is there any motivation for revenge in this tie, or this just a tune-up match and nothing more for them?

I feel that both teams will be coming into this match on Sunday with certain objectives in mind. It’s too close to the World Cup to worry too much about the past. They have to both focus on what it is that’s relevant to each team now.

I think Mexico and the U.S. will have a mindset that it’s another friendly game, a way to tune-up for the World Cup, and that’s how they’re gonna need to [view] it. I don’t really feel that there will be too much of a revenge factor going on, but that’s my analytic viewpoint.

But as a player, I would definitely expect it to be a little bit of payback the U.S. would like to have that game.